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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
MONDAY. APRIL 1, 1007.
MAGNIFICENT GROWTH OF ATHENS;
NOW A CITY OF MORE THAN 20,000
By D. G. BICKERS.
A THENS, Go., April 1.—During the
past few years Athens has pre
sented one of the most splendid
examples In the history of Georgia
cities of steady and rapid growth; she
Is now In as magnificent condition In
all the requisites which make a model,
prosperous municipality as any other
city of the size In the country, and the
outlook for even much greater things
In the Immediate future Is exceedingly
bright.
Established In 1801 as primarily
college'vlllagc, Athens grew 1 slowly t
steadily as the home of the Unlversl .
of Georgia, and later other elements of
the making of a city appeared, and
while there were vicissitudes and at
times misfortunes, within the past five
years the progress along all lines has
been phenomenal.
Rich in the years past has been the
contribution of the Classic City to the
history and the biography of Georgia.
About her old buildings and on every
hand are the reminiscences of the many
great who have lived, or have been
reared, or were educated here. But rich
as Athens has been in these things, the
present prosperity of the city in all
lines of material progress, industrial
activity and civic enterprise is the
earnest of the great Importance she
will be able to claim In the next few
years. Along with this wonderful Im
petus in these lines, the educational in
stitutions, which were the original basis
for tho building of the village 108 years
ago, have likewise plans for infinitely
larger things In the future than any
period of their existence has ever yet
known.
The population of the city and en
virons now number more than 20,000,
and It is confidently asserted that with
in five years that figure will be In
creased by 6,000 to 8,000 more. The
Increase for the past five years has
averaged 1,000 annually, and there nre
patent reasons for basing the prediction
that the proportional augmentation will
be greater for the coming few years.
UNIVERSITY’S GREAT WORK.
Of course, the University of Georgia
Is recognised as the head of education
al Institutions In the state and In Its
history and work has made Athens the
true follower of her ancient namesake.
Recently, when Miss Louise Dubose, of
this city, was selected to raise funds for
the $10,000 sliver service to be present
ed to the new battleship Georgia, It was
desired to engrave upon the comport
which Athens elected to contribute the
coat of arms and the motto of the old
college town. It was discovered that
the city had neither official design for
a coat of arms nor a motto. An ap
propriate design was made and has this
week been received. The motto was
furnished by I Chancellor Barrow:
"Oculus Georglae, artium mater.” “The
eye of Georgia, mother of arts.” It
at once appealed to those who know
Athens as a happy epitome of the his
tory of the city.
But If the university has done great
things In the past, the next years will
witness the making of a great universi
ty. the equal In slxe and equipment
with the larger And older Institutions of
the North. Pursuant to the great plans
which were dear to the heart of the late
Chancellor Walter B. Hill, and In which
George Poster Peabody became
thoroughly Interested, the work has
begun. The philanthropist, the alumni,
local and other friends of the univer
sity and of broad educational plans for
her for the future, and then by the act
of the legislature these Ideal dreams
are to be realized. Already land has
been purchased and given to the'uni
versity, which makes the campus more
thun 600 acres, one of the largest in
the country. The old Georgia boys have
pledged a magnificent Young Men's
Christian Association building, to cost
>50,000. As the annual appropriations
are available the plans for the new
buildings, the agricultural college, the
experimental farm, the horticultural
nml botanical gardens, the lake and
driveways, the arena, and all the other
Improvements will be gradually exe
cuted. It will require several years to
put out the $2,000,000 and more which
Is to be expended, but the work will
be begun this year and continued as
MAYOR WILLIAM F. DORSEY, OF ATHENS, GA.
Union will have as great and
ly well equipped seat of learning.
The State Normal School wilt con
tinue to grow In Influence and useful
ness. Here several hundred earnest
young teachers are trained nnnually,
going out into every county of the
state to do better work as teachers,
more consecrated to their work, and
more efficient In their service to the
cause of popular education,
Lucy Cobb Institute is one of the
oldest and one of the best recognised
colleges for young ladles In tho South.
The city has a splendid system of pub-
year to accommodate the rapid Increase
In the attendance. Whether there are
children, young men and young ladies
to be educated, or If teachers wish
training, Athens offers advantages
which can not be obtained elsewhere.
NEW COMMERCIAL COLLEGE.
If any branch of education could be
desired which the present facilities do
not afford, the movement on foot this
week will complete the list. Messrs.
Byrne and Glenn, of Tyler, Texas, have
been in the city the past few days at
the Invitation of the citizens here for
the purpose of arranging for the estab
llshment of a great business college
here for the teaching of all commercial
branches taught in any commercial
university. The citizens will purchase
more than 100 scholarships to Induce
the management to feel safe of sup
port from the start. Only a few more
scholarships remain to be taken—these
are all from Athens and the territory
and special advantages of Athens as a
location will make an annual enroll
ment of the business school easily a
thousand students.
NOT A SINGLE VACANT HOUSE.
A certain Index to the growth for
the past year will be apparent when It
Is recorded that the tax assessors who
have Just completed their work for the
present year have reported an Increase
of $375,000 In the valuation of real es
tate. The assessors have served for
several consecutive terms and their ap
praisement of realty has been uniform
ly conservative. Opening their office
for the consideration of objections to
their assessments, there has not been
one complaint. Another remarkably
encouraging fact was discovered In
their canvass. There was not a single
residence.-even a cottage, nor a single
business house In the city vacant. They
found that 165 new houses hail been
erected during the year—most of them
residences at an average cost of about
$2,000.
RAILROADS SPEND THOUSANDS.
More than two million dollars Is be
ing expended in railroad improvements
by the roads entering Athens. The
Gainesville Midland, which has Just
got fairly Into the city, Is, with the
Seaboard Air Line, putting ill about five
miles of belt line and sidings and yard
track. On Broad street In the heart of
the city these two lines are excavating
for the largest freight terminals of any
lie schools' abio, and two new public city "> the state, with the exeeptton
school buildings will be erected this I of Atlanta. The Central Is spending
thousands in their new terminal yards.
Tho Southern has under advisement
extensive improvements and additions
to their faclilttes. The Georgia will
likely overhaul Its lino from Union
Point, and there Is authoritative report
that at least two of the roads will
unite this year in a union station,
which will be a credit to the city.
• • • •
SEVEN-STORY OFFICE BUILDING
Since before the war Athens has
been famed for the number and beauty
of her rare old colonial homes,
addition to scores of these Imposing
houses, set back In old-fashioned
groves, there have been In recent
years erected scores more of modern
residences, some costly and handsome.
Along the residence streets the visitor
Is at once Impressed with the city as a
home town. In the business portion
of the city he Is Impressed with the
solid and substantial appearance of the
business blocks.
One of tho best business buildings,
the office structure of the Southern
Mutual Insurance Company, Is this
week being removed, stone by stone, to
a different location, where it will be
occupied as the headquarters of the
Athens Electric Railway Company, that
company having leased It for tho next
ten years. In place of the three-and-a-
half-story building now being removed
work will at once be begun on the erec
tion of the handsomest office b'ultdlng
In the state north of Atlanta. The new
Southern Mutual home will cost more
than $250,000. It will be seven stories
In height and will occupy more than
twice the ground room of the present
building. The material will be the best
obtainable and the furnishings and fin
ishing of the edifice will be elegant
and up to date.
• • •
A $100,000 HOTEL.
Athens Is also to have a magnifi
cent new hotel to cost $100,000. The
plans have already been drawn by a
well-known Atlanta architect and In
every appointment It will be one of
which the city will long have reason to
be proud. The movement for the new
hotel was begun by active, enterprising
citizens some time ago, who hod the
Interests of the city at heart. For a
while it seemed that a suitable site was
not procurable. The gentlemen who
have had the matter In hand, however,
have one or two propositions recently
made which make the new building a
practical certainty. Within a few days
the detutls of their plans will be made
public. .
Athens has one of the finest city halls
of any city of Its size In the Union.
Standing on a commanding eminence,
built of cream brick and white stone, It
challenges the admiration of all who
see it. Jt Is finished beautifully
throughout and will for years be ade
quate for the requirements of ail the
different branches of the city govern
mental affairs, and a pride and pleasure
to the citizens.
Across the street stands the large
Federal court building and postoffice,
quite an Imposing structure, and Inside
finished beautifully. The postotfice bus
iness here has been un accurate regis
ter of the city's growth and progress,
the receipts for the last month being
nearly 50 per cent In excess of the re
ceipts of the corresponding year
1906. If the Increase continues propor
tionately till the beginning of the next
qunrter the postofflee at Athens wilt be
entitled to rank as a first-class office
another year. The Federal court over
which Judge Newman presides fwlcl
year has the second largest business of
any Federal court In the state.
BANKING FACILITIES.
There are two national, two state
and two savings banks In Athens,
abundantly able to furnish facilities
for the business done here.
BUSINESS $25,000,000 ANNUALLY.
The annual volume of business of the
city In.retail and wholesale trade
amounts to more than $25,000,000. The
retail trade Is drawn from a rich farm
ing territory embraced In a radius of
thirty or thirty-five miles, easily reach
ed by the tines of railroad which ra
diate In six directions. The wholesale
business Is tremendous for the size
of the city and the competition which
exists In almost atl lines—especially In
groceries do the Athens wholesalers
reach out Into distant territory. In and
around the city are numerous factories
—cotton mills, knitting mills, machine
shops, and a variety of small Industries
which are the life of any community,
turning out a diversity of products, em
ploying hundreds of skilled hands and
paying them uniformly good wages.
VOLUME OF COTTON MARKET.
As a cotton market Athens does
heavy business. Last year’s receipts
were for the season closing In Septem
ber 93,000 bales, nearly half of which
was from wagon receipts. This season
to date the total receipts have been
nearly 106,000 bales. The local mills
consume a part of this marketed sta
ple, but the major part Is compressed
and shipped. There are this week In
the warehouses of Athens about 17,500
bales on hand.
THE CITY GOVERNMENT.
The city has never had a mayor and
council who rendered more faithful or
efficient service than Mayor William
F. Dorsey and the following eight al
dermen who have co-operated earnest
ly and harmoniously with him: First
ward, W. D. O’Farrell and W.
Weatherford; Second ward, C. T.
Young and E. G. Whitehead; Third
ward, F. A. Lipscomb and C. M. Shell
ing; Fourth ward, B. Y. Harris and H.
J. Rowe. The administration has care
fully safeguarded the financial Interests
of the city and even with heavy ex
penditures for public Improvements the
treasury Is In better condition than for
years. Every department has been
kept up to the highest standard
dltional street paving has been -put
down, macadamising the outlying
streets, new sewer laid, more, lights
Installed, the already efficient police
force and fire departments strengthen
ed, the city schools increased In effi
ciency, the night school and kindergar
ten taken under the care and direc
tion of tho city school department, and
various other considerable improve
ments.
M. G. MICHAEL.
President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce.
MUNICIPAL TAXES.
The vexed tax question does not
trouble Athens, and yet there Is ap
parent a strong and healthy conserva
tism wisely blended with enterprise
and public spirit and liberality toward
every worthy cause. The taxable prop
erty is slightly more than $7,250,000.
The tax rate has not exceeded one per
cent ad valorem, and while the county
Is carrying forward extensive road Im
provements there are only five coun
ties In the state In which the county
tax rate Is as low as that of Clarke.
The total debt of the city Is less thun
$275,000, of which $5,000 Is nnnually
retired and the Interest paid seml-un-
nualiy. Athens' credit is excellent In
the money markets and every obliga
tion has always been paid promptly.
Her assets are far In excess of her In
debtedness.
here of the big commercial college, the
perfecting of the plans for a magnlfl
cent hotel, the regulating of matters
such as railroad schedules, relieving
the freight blockade and other Impor
tant considerations. It has been in
strumental In consummating the Issu
ance of a >100,000 bond Issue for better
roads In the county; it raised $$0,000
hy subscription for the assurance of the
Gainesville Midland railway, which has
been running on schedule time for sev
eral months; It assisted In raising the
$14,000 fund for the university exten
sion which was given by the people of
Athens; It has entertained distinguish
ed visitors time and again, and has sent
its .representatives to the Important
commercial and Industrial meetings
over the country.
ATHEN8 REAL ESTATE.
In no way has Athens shown a more
decided Improvement In recent' years
Uma In the real estate line.
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
Within the past six years the city
has expended $300,000 in street paving
There hits been a marked advance In
real estate values here for a number of
years, until It now commands splendid
prices.
This advance has not been In the
nature of any boom, nor are the real
estate values of today In this city too
high. It represents a steady and con
servatlve advance along with the
growth of the city, which has for the
past few years been something phe
nomenal.
This growth of the city has made a
demand for good lots, and those on the
car lines and on the sewer lines and
within reach of the Halit and water
Bervlce of the city have come to bring
excellent prices. This has created a
demand for even less desirable lots and
thus the real estate market has ad
vanced and Is today In a most healthy
condition.
Tills great growth In the population
of the city has been steady and has
been on account of the ninny advan
tages offered by the city In many ways.
The people who come here have to have
homes, and these homes have to be
located on land. This demand causes
the price of the land in Athens to go up
and to remain at splendid values.
Just now the problem In Athens Is
how to build more residences and more
store property. It Is recognized that
there must be a large number of new
houses built at once. Borne of the citi
zens of Athens are building a number
of neat and attractive cottages and
others contemplate doing so at once.
The problem with the real estate
agents of the city now Is not the find-
CITY HALL AT ATHENS. GA„ COMPLETE D IN 1605.
e houses In which
to put the people. The way of tha
real estate agent In Athens Is hard,
because the people besiege him with alt
kinds of Importunlngs and let him have
no peace until he finds them homes.
. _ In some way or other the enterpris-
and more Is contemplated this spilng,. | n(f rea) e „ tatc aBem „ find a p i ace t0
the business portion of the city being
paved with vitrified brick, the heavy
grades with belglun block, and the res
idence streets In macadam. It Is al
together one of the best paved cities
In Georgia.
It is likewise one of the best lighted
cities In the South. One hundred und
seventy-five 2,000-candle power arc
lights furnish street light, and Cost
about $60 per lamp per annum. Power
plants which furnish current to lhe|
splendid street effr line also furnish In
candescent lights; there Is also a good
gas plant.
The fire and police protection are the
best. A chief of each department and
sufficient men to maintain these organ
ized bodies. The different departments
of the city are under the following of
ficers; City clerk and treasurer, W. W.
Turner; city attorney. H. S. West; city
engineer and building Inspector, J. W.
Barnett; chief of police, J. 8. Mackle;
chief of fire department, George W. Mc-
Dorniun; sanitary Inspector, J. A. Men
tor; superintendent waterworks. W. L. i
Wood; superintendent of city board of
education. Professor G. G. Bond.
STRONG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Athens Chamber of Commerce, |
the strong and active business organ-]
I tzation, was founded In 1003. Us ex- j
perlmental stage has passed, and now I
numbering most of the leading citizens,
It Is accomplishing much for the up-1
building and progress of the city. The
•officers ore: President, M. G. Michael; j
[first vice president^ A. H. Hodgson;
'secretary. T. W. Reed; treasurer, Wil
liam Fleming. The Chamber of Com
merce has been persistent In Its Intel
ligent advertising of Athens among the
I residents of other sections of the city.
It has now In hand the establishing
put each person who comes, but It Is
often hard work. If one hundred new
residences were erected today there
would be a demand for all of them
within thirty dnys, and the greater
number would be rented before the
lumber could be placed on the
grounds.
The demand for store property Is also
good, and a number of new stores
could be rented easily.
Just now there are In process of erec
tion In this city not less than fifty resi
dences, and tho labor market Is prac
tically exhausted In the effort to secure
enough hands to do this work.
Michael Bros. Company la erecting a
handsome three-story brick adjoining
the present five-story building of the
company, on Clayton street, and Cap
tain James White Is preparing to erect
a neat and commodious two-story brick
store building on Broad .street. The'
Davlaon-Nlcholson Company will add a
story to their building on the Wash
lngton street end soon. Other store
buildings are In contemplation during
the year, including the building to be
erected by Mr. R. J. Hancock on Broad
street aqd also the building that Mi
Bernstein Is to erect on that street
Lynwood Park, a beautiful tract, for.
merly the old Phtnlzy homestead. In a
fine residence portion of the city, was
a few months ago opened to the public,
and scores of beautiful lots have been
purchased there by home-builders,
stipulation In the sale contract la a __
qulrement to erect a residence of cer
tain cost and quality, which Insures a
beautiful section of residence territory
building there.
COMING CONVENTION CITY.
Athens this year will be a conven
tion city. The Mayora' Association of
the state meets here the latter part of
April. The Great Council of the Im
proved Order of Red Men of Georgia
and the associated Grand Lodgo of the
Degree of Pocahontas will convene
here In May. The local Odd Fellows
are to Invite the next session of that
great body of fraternity men to meet
here next year, when it is more than
likely the present deputy grand master,
Hon. J. H. Dozier, of this city, will be
In the chair as presiding officer.
INSURANCE CENTER.
Athens has won the reputation of
being the Hartford of the Bouth—hav
ing no less than two established and
successful fire Insurance companies,
two mutual life Insurance associations
II with their headquarters here, be
sides the general agencies of a num
ber of other companies.
NEW HOSPITAL.
recent addition to the features
which add value to the city Is the St.
Mary's hospital, beautifully located on
an elevated and beautiful site on Mil-
ledge avenue, it was only a short time
ago established by Drs. It. M. Fulll-
love and P. J. Proctor, and haa recently
been Incorporated and added a depart
ment for the education of trained
nurses. Already the benefits derived
from the presence'of this hospital have
been Incalculable.
ANOTHER $1,000,000 COMPANY.
Athens has also the distinction of
being the headquarters of one of the
largest gold mining companies In the
South, the Loud Gold Mining -
pany. limited, having been only a few
weeks ago chartered here, with R. K.
Reeves at Its head, associating with
himself a number of capitalists from
Canada, to operate the celebrated
Loud mines in White county. The
company la capitalized at a. million
dollars.
CHURCHES OF ATHENS.
The numerous churches of the city
compare most favorably with those of
other cities. The First Baptist Is one
of the handsomest church buildings in
this part of the state. Tho First Pres
byterian has recently been almost re
built and is a magnificent building.
Tho First Methodist has beep this year
repaired and a handsome new pnrson-
age will be ready for tho occupancy of
the pastor by April 15. The other
churches of the city havo pretty edi
fices. THo pastors nre universally pop
ular and Athens Is known ns a church
going and church-supporting city.
TWO CURIOSITIES.
Every visitor to Athens, besides see
ing the historic homes of the great
Georgians who have lived bore—the |
Orudys, Cobbs, Howells, Hulls, Hills,
Toombs, and many others—Is Inter- 1
csted to see two curiosities which tha ]
Classic City claims. One Is the "Tree I
That Owns Itself." This tree was years j
ngo given a deed to Its home. Thej
deed was recorded, and this year]
George Foster Peabody provided that
neat stone and chain fence should bo'
placed around It and the little piece
of realty which Is owned by tho
ancient tree shall be kept. Tho other
is tho only double-barraled cannon In
existence, which stands on tho city
hall squnre between tho Elijah Clarke
monument nnd tho Confederate shaft.
It was made os an experiment during
tho wnr, to carry two balls and a chain,
but after trial was found to be a fail
ure.
THE COUNTRY CLUB.
The Country Club is an Important
feature of social life. Clovcrhurst Is
now un attractive place—tho club
houso Is admirably located nnd is a
charming spot. The g"ir links and
drives nnd tennis courts aro all that
could be asked. r.m ih>- Huh only last
week purchased an extensive tnut amt
will ill mice begin tie- making of prac
tically a new place far exceeding In at-
t raet iveness tile present site.
ANOTHER GREAT MILL.
tending business man stated this
week that when Athens can get cheap
electric power In greater quantities
there wilt bo n million ilolbir mill be
gun hero nt once. Tho development of
Anthony Shoals Is now under way and
that plant will bo In rench of this city.
Negotiations aro pending to secure the
transmission of a large part of tho
power there generated to Athens and
when tills is accomplished tho big mill
will then bo assured. There nro al
ready more than a dozen large fac
tories and manufacturing plants In the
city, anil about forty smaller enter
prises of manufacturing nature.
MAIL ORDER BUSINESS.
Athens la rapidly coming to the
front as a matt order business center.
Its territory growing every day and
stretching not only ovor the state, out
reaching Into other states ns well.
With Increasing railroad facilities this
Important branch of business will
greatly Increase.
FIVE MORE RAILROADS.
Athens will have direct communica
tion over five other lines within tho
next ten years,” remarked a citizen
who Is high In business circles nnd In
close touch with the situation. “Ono
to Chattanooga, two to Savannah, onn
to Charleston, and one to Anderson, S.
I should be willing t• > l ink my Judg
ment ell 111" assertion Unit Ibi- line to
Charleston will bo under way within
the year. This Is not tnlk-ln-the-ulrp
know what I am speaking of.”
Y. M. C. A. ANDY. W. C. A.
The Y. M. C. A. building of Athena
Is one of tho best In tho state, Waltea
Forbes, the general secretary having
built up a magnificent organization. In
every department It Is excellently man
aged and has done untold good.
Tho Y. \V. C. A. Is also now a strong
factor In the, life of the city. A beauti
ful hall, lunch room nnd rest rooms, a
fine membership, hearty cooperation of
ull tho citizens und faithful work upon
tho part of tho leaders havo been tho
features of Its work. Plans are now
jerfectlng for a Y. W. C. A. boarding
louse, where tho young ladles employ
ed In the city can secure home Ilf,' and
social pleasures and conveniences.
VIEWS OF PROMINENT STREETS OF ATHENS.