Newspaper Page Text
()L. XXIV.
(CITY'S COINDITION
FINE FINANCIALLY.
interesting Information Relative to the Size, Condition
| and Resources of Cartersville. ,
Thit article is intended to answer
ues tions that come to the News
almost every day from at home
in<l abroad.
There is a growing demand for in
ormation about Cartersville. The
eport of the sale of the Etowah
water power, eoupled with our ar
ticles on a greater Cartersville, has
been copied all over the country and
•xcited a wide-spread interest in our
sity.
Almost every mail brings orders
or -sampkcopies of the News and te
mests for definite information about
Cartersville.
Besides this our home folks need
nformation about their town. It is
■pally surprising boxvvery little some
>f us know about our home city and
government. There is need for defl
ate and specific information right
lere.
The questions come to us about
ike this What is the present popu
ation of Cartersville?
What is the aggregate value of
ax able property?
What is the present tax rate?
What is the bonded indebtedness
if the town and for what have bonds
ieen issued?
What are the public utilities of the
own, such as water, lights, sewerage
md lire protection?
Have you a good city school sys
em?
Is the policy of your town pro
gressive?
Many other questions are asked in
carving forms, but an answer to the
ibove will substantially cover the
'round.
biographically, Cartersville is cir
cular in shape, with the Western and
Atlantic railroad depot as the centre,
it extends one mile every direction
from the depot.
The present population of Carters-
■ville within the city limits cannot be
Bivhrately given, bat a eonservative
■ >tiiaate places it at 4,000. However,
■tactically a part of the city popula
-3n is the growing village at the
■id 'lain cotton mills, lying just north
BTi! the corporate limits. When tnis
Ks added Cartersville has a popula
tion of 4500 to 5000.
i The value of property within the
■city as shown by the city tax digest
Bwill approximate two million dollars.
■The returns have not been completed
ll’nr the year and exact figures cannot
■he given, but the aggregate will
■come close to two million.
The tax rate for the past five years
■ has averaged about $7.50 on the 1000.
Bhastyearit was $lO.OO and it will
I probably be the same this year as
I ■ some extra funds are needed to ex
tend the sewerage system of the city.
Under existing law the city tax rate
cannot exceed $lO.OO on the thousand.
The bonded indebtedness of Car
tersville is $45,000. The bonds draw
5 per cent and mature in series. They
were issued to build our water works.
The value of the water work's
plant is now estimated at $OO,OOO. A
sinking fund of over six thousand
dollars has already accumulated to
the credit of the water work's debt,
which really reduces the bonded
debt to less than thirty-nine thous
and dollars.
The water works are already more
than self-sustaining, and as the city
grows the value of this plant will
steadily enhance. The quality of
"ater supplied is clear, pure and'
sparkling. The quantity is abund
ant. It comes from aciear, free-flow
ing spring near the Etowah river
about two miles south of the city.
The eity owns its own gas plant
which is paid for and is self-sustain
ing. It is valued at $15,000. The
system is not up to date and needs
improvement, but will probably be
made to answer tfae purpose until
a modern electric system is installed.
Even then the gas plant will be valu
able. as it answers many purposes for
which electricity will not be used.
The school system of Cartersville is
excellent. In fact it has been and is
f he pride of the city. We own our
own school buildings. Splendid
brick structures on the east and west
sides of town are owned by the city
and paid for, valued at $25,000.
Another question asked is, have
you good fire protection? This is a
matter of much importance and one
that requires attention. There is
a volunteer fire department and
some of the young men of Carters
' illehave made noble efforts to or-
The Cartersville News
ganize and promote a department
that will be effective. But they have
not met the encouragement and sup
port they deserve. The fire depart
ment is not what it should be nor
what it can and must be made.
The financial condition of Car
tersville is clearly good; indeed it id
excellent. There is no floating debt.
All bills are paid as they accrue. The
credit of the town is fine.
It can also be said that the policy
of the present city government is
progressive. Some criticism is heard
from time to time of lack of progress
iveness and indifference to details,
but for the most part the mayor and
city council are showing a disposition
to promote the health, growth and
good appearance of Cartersville.
There is a general awakening just
now and a feeling of expectancy for
the future. The proposed develop
ment of our water power has put
new life and hope into our people.
Tiie mayor has recently given notice
of amendments to the city charter
by the next legislature the purpose
of which is to open the way to large
improvement of public utilities. A
water and light commission is needed.
A better sewerage system is demand
ed. A plan for street improvement
and street extensions is being con
sidered. Plans for electric lights
and street cars are in contemplation.
The mayor is deeply interested and
the council are working earnestly
with him.
Cartersville is a good town to come
to and now is a good time to come.
INTERESTING PAPERS.
Mrs. Jackson Has Copies of Newspa
pers Published Before the War.
Mrs. George M. Jackson, of Car
tersville, has some valuable and in
teresting relics in the shape of old
newspapers,.
She has a copy of the “Georgia
Pioneer” printed at Cassville Decem
ber 18, 1846. The editors are D. M.
and A. Hood. Three pages of this
issue are given up to the message of
James K. Polk, president of the
United States, to congress. The other
page is taken up in legal advertise
ments for Cass, Floyd, Chattooga
and Murray counties. J. O. Dyer
was sheriff of Cass county, and
Thomas A. Wood was clerk of the
superior court. The paper is yellow
witli age, but the print is clear and
easily read.
Hrs. Jackson also has an old copy
of the “North Georgia Times,” print
ed at Dalton April 6, 1854. The edi
tors were Thomas T. Christian and
William Henry Fonerden. She also
has a copy of the “Ringgold Ex
press,” dated January 5, 1860, edited
by D. C. Sutton; also the “Southern
Confederacy,” issued in Atlana by
George W. Adair and J. Henley
Smith, September 8, 1862.
The “Southern Confederacy” is full
of war news and nearly one page is
covered with the names of the killed
and wounded in battle. It must haye
carried grief and gloom into many
Southern homes.
These four papers are well preserv
ed and contain many items of inter
est to old-timers and those who feel
concern for the thiugs of the past.
Mrs. Jackson recently secured these
papers from relatives at her old home
in LaFayette, where she has been on
a yisit. She prizes them highly and
they will be carefully preserved.
Value of Advertising.
Mr. T. N. Cheatham, whose adver
tisement of Coffee county lands ap
pear in this week’s News, sets a good
example of enterprise to our home
people. Mr. Cheatham is a hustling,
wide-awake real estate man who has
learned the value of a good news
paper as an advertising medium.
The growth of his town, Broxton, is
largely due to Cheatham’s persistent
and well directed efforts to secure
desirable new citizens. He is help
ing his section and making money
for himself by advertising.
Services at the Baptist Church.
Next Sunday, June 18, 10:30 a. m.,
the pastor of the Baptist church will
preach on a special line. His sub
ject will be, “The obligation upon
Baptists to live the purest and holi
est lives of all Christians.” The pub
lic is cordially invited to attend these
services.
Jobs E. Barnard, Pastor.
CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1905.
PRETENDS INSANITY.
Baptist Preacher Convicted
of Stealing Shoes.
Cuts Some Extra Capers in Jail and
Threatens to Hang
Himself.
Virgil Liddell, who claims to be a
Baptist preacher from Kentucky,
was convicted of stealing a pair of
shoes from the home of J. W. West
brooks, of Bartow county, in the city
court of Cartersville last Monday.
The case presented some peculiar
and interesting phases. It seems
that Liddell came through north
Georgia last spring, tramping from
one locality to another, claiming to
be a Baptist preachor gathering data
and statistics for a book on the
history of Baptist churches in
Georgia.
He went to the home of Mr. West
orooks, who is a farmer living in the
northwest section of Bartow, near
the line of both Polk and Floyd
counties, and asked to spend the
night. He was hospitality entertained
without charge and left early the
next morning.
Mr. Westbrooks soon missed anew
pair of shoes and socks and for some
reason suspected the alleged preacher.
He was followed into Floyd county
and arrested with the shoes on his
feet. He claimed to have bought
them from Mr. Eli Martin, a merchant
at Pinson's Station, but Mr. Martin
testified that he had not sold him the
shoes.
At the trial last Monday Liddell
made ra~her a good appearance and
created something of a favorable
impression by his bearing and state
ment. He had been in jail for seyeral
weeks and stated that he had no
money and no acquaintances in this
community. Judge Foute appointed
Capt. T. J. Lyon to defend Liddell
and the trial consumed the morning.
The evidence of guilt satisfied the
jury and a verdict of guilty xvas
promptly returned. It happened to
be r court in which a Baptist preacher
would be apt to get all that was com
ing tb niin. The judge who tried him
was a leading Baptist, the principal
witnesses for the state were promi
nent Baptists, and the foreman of
the jury was a strong Baptist.
But “brother Liddell” got it in the
neck. He went down under the
evidence and his plausible “preacher
statement” didn’t stand under that
rigid Baptist scrutiny. He was con
victed in about three minutes after
the jury got to him.
After the verdict Judge Foute
called on the defendant for a further
statement, but the preacher was
rather confused and incoherent in
his explanations. He produced his
“credentials” and claimed to have
been pastor of a church at Flowery
Branch, but his credentials had a
doubtful countenance and his Flowery
Branch story was thought to be a
little too flowery. The judge deferred
sentence and remanded Liddell to
jail.
Tuesday morning in the jail he
tried anew stunt in a pretended
attempt at suicide. A pair of greasy
suspenders were tied to a post in the
gallery of the jail and then around
his neck and he was posing for a
“jump to death” when the negroes in
the jail rescued him. Whereupon he
had a “conniption fit” and went off
into wild delirium. Dr. Griffin was
sent for and found the “lunatic
preacher” in a fairly normal condi
tion and concluded that he was very
probably “possuming.”
The News man got to the jail soon
after Dr, Griffin left, expecting to
find a raving maniac or a demented
lunatic in the cell, but when he was
cautiously let into the jail by Deputy
Warren Tinsley, who was onto the
preacher's racket, there stood the
preacher—lunatic—suicide in the door
of his cell complacently and com
posedly rolling a cigarette! He was
caught napping, so to speak, and was
off his guard. When asked for an
interview he began to roll his eyes,
sway his body and moan to beat the
band. Instantly he was “crazy as a
bed-bug” and dumb as an oyster.
Evidently he prefers to do time in
the lunatic asylum rather than break
rocks in the chaingang.
The “Reverend Virgil Liddell” may
be a preacher, or he may be a lunatic;
but tne chances are about ten to one
that he is a fraud and a fakir of the
first water and will have to take the
chaingang cure for about six months.
He doubtless regrets the day that he
fell into the hands of a Baptist judge,
Baptist witnesses and a Baptist fore
man of the jury. These Bartow
Baptists draw the line on preachers
of the Liddell brand.
PATRIOTIC PINE LOG.
Eagle Prepares to Scream
and Soar.
Music and Eloquence Mixed With Bar
becue and Basket
Dinner.
There is to be a great gathering at
Pine Log Saturday, July 1. The pur
pose is a patriotic celebration and an
educational rally.
Saturday’ July 1, has been select
ed, instead of Tuesday, July 4, for
the reason that it is more convenient
for the country people to meet on
Saturday and the speakers for the
occasion cau better attend on Satur
day.
This is not the first fourth of July
rally at Pine Log. Last year the
people met there and turned their
patriotism into practical lines bv ad
vocating the building of a local col
lege. The suggestion met with en
thusiastic approval and the result
was a modern, well arranged school
building that is a credit to the com
munity and a blessing to the people.
This year there is to be a greater
gathering and more enthusiasm.
Sheriff Robert Maxwell, whose home
is at Pine Log, is moving actively in
the matter and will be master of cer
emonies for the day. It is under
stood that every citizen in Pine Log
is interested and will co-operate to
make this the greatest occasion in
the history of the place.
The exercises w ill begin at eleven
o’clock. The declaration of inde
pendence will be read by Judge A.
W. Fite and the patriotic oration
will be delivered by John T. Norris,
Esq., an attorney'of the Cartersville
bar, who has a s* >te-wide reputation
for chaste and el queut speech.
At noona barlw cne and basketdin
ner will be serv- \ This means at
Pine Log a vAf table feast of fat
things. They feed up there with
free and lavish 1 ■ spitality, and those
who suffer w ith indigestion had bet
ter sta' a\\iiV. t
Hi the Htterno? > jiere will be other
ape'ejie.-t. fnhv :■•"T i,a {rW*- and easy
exchange ,>t' views tYnw.g.the people.
(.Col. Sam I' Maddox, of Lalton, nas
| been invited to deliver an after-din
ner speech. He is a fluent and force
j ful talker and very popular at Pine
1 Log.
Judge Thomas W. Milner and Col.
T. C. Milner, of Cartersville, have
both been invited and will attend.
Judge George W. Hendricks and Mr.
Will C. Walton are also slated for
the occasion. Will J. Neel, the jun
ior editor of the News, has been invi
ted and will go. So altogether Car
tersville w T ill be w'ell represented and
there will be no lack of chin music
and patriotism. If there is anything
else you want to know abont this
great day at Pine Log Judge Fite or
Sheriff Maxw'ell can tell you.
ASK BETTER SCHEDULES
Merchants and Business Men of Car
tersville Moving for Better Service.
The merchants and business men
of Cartersville are moving with great
unanimity and earnestness in the
matter of securing a better passenger
service to and from Cartersville on
the Seaboard Air Line to Rockmart.
The present schedule is such that
the people along the line cannot come
to Cartersville to transact any busi
ness and return home the same day.
There is a train leaving Cartersville
in the morning at seven o’clock,
returning at 10:45, leaving again at
11:15 and returning at about four
o’clock in the afternoon.
This would seem at first glance to
be a rather liberal service, but in fact
gives the people along the line no
chance to get into Cartersville, do
their trading or marketing and get
bach home the same day. The morn
ing train has about 30 minutes here,
which is not enough for any practical
purpose.
The merchants of our city are
working earnestly to remedy this
inconvenience and are very hopeful
of securing a better schedule. Mr.
H. T. Bradley had the petition in
charge yesterday and secured scores
of signatures. It is a gratifying fact
that the business men of Cartersville
are pulling together better than ever
before.
Important Meeting.
There will be a very important
meeting of the music club Saturday,
June 17th at 4:30 o’clock at the club
room.
All members are urged to be pres
ent at this meeting, w’hen important
business will be transacted.
CITIZENS CLAMOR
FOR NEW COUNTY.
Fair and Fertile Fairmount Calls on Fite to Further
New County Fad.
PROF. SEWELL ELECTED.
City Schools to Have New Superintend
ent for Coming Year.
Prof. H. L. Sewell, of Hogansville,
has been elected superintendent of
the public schools of Cartersville.
The school board met Monday
night and after careful consideration
of the situation and all applicants
selected Professor Sewell. It is un
derstood that their action was unan
imous and it is believed their selec
tion is a most excellent one.
Professor Sewell is a Polk county
man and was superintendent of the
Cedartown schools for many years.
He went from Cedartown to Hogans
ville where he has been for four or
five years. The schools at both
places, under his management, have
flourished.
Miss Ella Baker taught with Pro
fessor Sewell at Hogansville the past
year and she speuks of his ability as
a teacher and his worth as a citizen
in terms of the strongest commenda
tion. He is scholarly, tactful and
firm, possessing in a high degree the
gift of teaching and the capacity for
control.
He has a charming and cultured
wife. The school board and the city
are to be congratulated on the selec
tion.
No action was taken Monday night
on the election of a teacher for the
high school department, but the
matter was left open with the view of
securing a man for this place if possi
ble. Miss Mary Dwelle filled the
position last term and performed
most efficient service as a teacher,
but there are some boys in this de
partment of the school who need
rather rigid discipline and the mem
bers of the school board seem to feel
that a man might cope with these
boys more successfully than a woman.
T his is understood to be the reason
! tor v-ii 0 . ,
There is a general feeling of relief
and gratification in the city that the
selection of a superintendent has
been so promptly and so satisfactorily
settled. Prof. Sewell and his wife
will be heartily welcomed to Car
tersville.
——
METHODIST CHURCH.
Work Begins at Once and Will be Rap
idly Pushed to Completion.
The new Methodist church will be
begun in a few days. The ground is
cleared off and everything is ready
for active work.
The plans have been agreed upon
and the specifications are prepared.
; Architect Downing, of Atlanta, who
prepared the plans and specifications
has been delayed in getting them
ready foi the local committee, but
everything is now about ready for
actual W'ork to begin.
Rev. George W. Duval has done
active and efficient service in press
; ing and preparing the plans. He
| thinks the new church will be a
| beauty in architecture as well as a,
model of convenience. Mr. Duval
has had the cordial co-operation of
his building committee, of which
Col. L. S. Munford is the efficient
chairman.
The people of Cartersville, irre
spective of denomination, are anx
ious for the work to begin and will
watch the progress of the new build
ing with great interest. The finan
cial arrangements have been made
for a $20,000 church. The Method
ists have been liberal in contributions
and pledges, while other denomina
tions have helped. Any prudent
business man is glad to contribute to
such a cause, for the reason that a
handsome new church will add to
the value of property and contribute
in many ways to the growth and de
velopment of our city.
At the earliest possible time the
News will present to its readers a cut
of the new Methodist church. Mr,
Eugene Smith will have charge of
the work of construction whica is a
guaranty of careful and efficient
service.
Card of Thanks.
We desire to extend thanks and
expressions of sincere appreciation
to the many friends who showed their
sympathy and attention during the
long illness and at the death of our
husband and father, David M. Taff.
Mrs. D. M. Takf and Family.
The people of Fairmount and sur
rounding country are beginning to
move in the matter of anew county.
A meeting has been called for Sat
urday, June 24, at Fairmount, and
Judge A. W. Fite has been invited to
address the people on the new county
project.
Parts of six counties will be repre
sented at the meeting, towit, Gordon,
in which Fairmount is located, Bar
tow. Cherokee, Pickens, Gilmer and
Murray. It is argued that Fairmount
is the geographical and commercial
centre of that section and should be
the county site.
Those who are moving in the mat
ter suggest that Fairmount and the
surrounding section is cut off from
court liouso conveniences and county
privileges. It is twenty miles from
Cartersville, twenty-two miles from
Hpring Place, Eighteen miles from
Ellijay, nineteen miles from Jasper
and twenty-one miles from Canton.
It is not known that Judge Fite
favors the new county, but he has
received a pressing invitation to be/
present.
It is probabla that a big crowd will
attend. Fairmount is taking on new .
life and growing both in size and am
bition. The new railroad from Car
tersville to Fairmount will be run
ning before the end of the year. The
town is taking on city airs.
But it is doubtful if the new county
idea will win. It would have its con
veniences, but there are many things
to be considerel. It is expensive to
build court houses and jails. It
would increase the tax rate. It
would displace and disturb present
conditions in many ways and in
several counties.
The new railroad will obviate many
of the inconveniences heretofore ex
isting in that section about getting to
court and to market. Travel will be
made quick and easy. The need for
anew court house can be greatly
lessened by the opening of the rail
road. ,
TIITSIBa .
counties and none of those now ex
isting will be disposed to surrender
citizens or territory. Fairmount and
surrounding country is the fairest
and richest section in north Georgia.
The citizens are of the best type—
law-abiding, industrious, prosperous
and hospitable. Certainly Bartow
county will be very reluctant to lend
either territory or population to a
new county.
REV. SAM P. JONES
Cordially Endorses Movement for New
Colored Methodist Church.
Editors Nkws:
I am greatly rejoiced to see the
church ouilding boom in Cartersville
now being taken up by the colored
people. The Rev. S. G. Means, pastor
of the St. Lukes African Methodist
Episcopal church, is now at work
among his people taking subscrip
tions for anew church for his con
gregation, and these subscriptions
now amount to several hundred
dollars.
He has appointed the fourth Sun
day in this month as the day when
he will have his church rally in that
interest, and he wants a subscription
from every member of his church.
The pastor called on me yesterday
and we discussed his plans and pur
poses. It is his desire to put up a
neat building to cost $2500.00. The
contractor and builder agrees to put
up such a church for his congregation
for SIOOO.OO cash and three deferred
annual payments of #500.00 each.
He says if he can raise the thousand
dollars to make the first payment, he
will have no trouble raising the
deferred payments among his own
congregation.
This article is to call the attention
of the white people of Cartersville to
the above facts and to commend Rev.
Means and his cause to them. I
gladly contribute #IOO.OO te his enter
prise and hope every good citizen of
Cartersville will contribute to this
worthy local cause that means so
much to the moral influences among
our colored people. He and his
church represent largely our best
class of colored people and it goes
without saying that we ought to do
what we can for the moral and
spiritual uplift of this people in our
own midst.
Sam.P. Jonks.
NO. 29.