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THU ATLANTA GEORGIAN AxND NEWS. GRIFFIN, THE GEM CITY OF THE EMPIRE STATE OF THE SOUTH, ENJOYING ERA OF PROSPERITY UNPRECEDENTED IN HISTORY City Where Munici pal Ownership Has Been Success. PUBLIC UTILITIES BRING INCOME Will Vote Bond Issue to En large and Improve Public School System, By JACK L. PATTER80N. Gftflln, Ga., May 27.—Griffin, the Gam City of the Empire State of the South, la pleaeantly altuated treat knoll abopt 1,000 feet above the eea level, In the central district of Spalding county, of which It la the capital. To the careful cltlsen of Spalding, among the Orel In agriculture In the state, wise Investments for his capital, Griffin presents many splendid oppor tunities. Being the terminus of the Chattanooga division of the Central of Georgia railroad and the principal point on the Macon and Atlanta divi sion of the Central and the Atlanta and Columbus division of the Southern rail way, It la easily accessible from all di rections. Twenty passenger trains dal ly; telephone and telegraph facilities, furnish Instant communication with all parts of the country. There Is no long er and such Inconvenience as distance. Growing City, The rapid growth of the city has at tracted the attention of thousands of people and Its wonderful possibilities hare already Induced the Investment of millions of dollars In manufacturing enterprises. With the wealth of the South In creasing more than 17,000,000 every twenty-four hours, greater than the in crease of Great Britain within the same time limit, It la Interesting to contemplate that the Georgia "Gem City" contributes Its pro rata share to this enormous accumulation of wealth. The annual volume of business trans acted here, according to recent Inves tigations, aggregates about 140,000,400. An Ideal Home City, The home seeker Is usually satisfied when he arrives In the county seat of Spalding, with Its many advantages. It Is now, and has been for the past few years, enjoying a substantial gTowth that Is not born of any one condition or cause, but Is the natural result of direct application of the suc cessful rules of business. The vast amount of Improvements and buildings along Industrial lines for the past ten these Is reduced to a minimum light, water and sewerage commission, which la composed of H. n. Iiasa, Charles Wheeler and E. C. Bmlth, three successful business men who have had experience along many lines of In dustry. Two years ago, by the Issuance of bonds, a ftfi.OOO sewerage system was Installed, which Is giving entire satls- years have Induced many new cltltens faction. B. Oxford and Paul Flynt. These gen tlemen are all substantial gentlemen, and under their wise administration prosperity Is blooming everywhere, a recent session the council voted In favor of a bond election for the amount of ISO,000, (30.000 to be devoted to the purchase of a close-in lot and the erection of a handsome city hall, with qunrters for the paid fire department, which renders excellent service at all times. Police headquarters will also be connected with the city hall. The police force, of which Pate F. Phelps Is chief. Is probably one of the most efficient In the stnte. The remaining 126,000 will be Invcat- I In permanent Improvements on the rents. The sidewalks In the business section are paved with the best quality tiling,, which will probably soon be ex tended to the residential sections. Municipal Ownership. Being a city of wisdom and progress, Griffin believes In the municipal own ership of public utilities. The superb light and water systems have been operated by the city at a profit for to locate here. This has acted In sev eral ways to enhance the value of real estate, which Is Increasing at the rate of 3100,000 a year. New enterprises have been launched and are now past the experimental stage. It has been necessary to erect new buildings In residential sections for the accommodation of now cltl- xens. who at once become Imbued with the "Griffin Spirit.” Houses Ocouplsd. The houses are all occupied and many othera ara In courie of construe- tlon. The Influx of people continues, i and the total population of the city la now about 10,000. Theso new arrlvala neeeseurlly Increaee the volume of busi ness, thereby Increasing the prosperity of the community. With the advanced wages prevalent throughout the entire South, a demand for better and more convenient homes Is confronting the real estate dealers. The Georgia and Alabama Realty Com. pany In two weeka Improved and aold many desirable lota on the north side, known as Griffin Heights. Ths sate of these lota will cloaa May 30, bringing a I handsome profit to the realty company . and a good Investment to the purchaa- • ars. / City Wide Awake. 1 The Northern tourlat, en route South, aa he views the hustling city. Imagines that It has at least 30,000 tnhabltante. Magnificent mansions grace the streets In the residential sections and the buet. ness section pireaenta an Imposing ap pearance throughout. The three-atory Masonic tempts Is centrally located, and was dedicated years ago with trapresstvs exercises. The tnres-story building of the Odd Fellows end a substantial three-story office building, constructed of material produced at the plant of the Griffin Concrete, Stone and Brick Company, are both among the largeat and moat costly buildings of the city. The entire •econd floor of the Odd Fellows build- ,!ng la occupied by the Bijou theater, and the management presents many excellent attractions every season. Government Building. In consideration of tha Increasing Itnp-rtanco of the city, now the ninth In else of tha state from the point of population, congress last year appro priated $7,600 for the purchase of a government building site. Following this tha postofflet department allowed the Griffin office an additional clerk, marking four besides the postmaster, who gets a salary of $2,200 per annum. . Later three city mall carriers were put on. and the steady increase of the re ceipts of ths office make It probable that another clerk and carrier will be appointed during the present year. These acta of recognition on the part of the government are regarded ae In dications that an early session of con gress will vote an ample appropriation for the erection of an adequate build- . lag on the valuable site recently ac- - qulred. Besides the city business, the office has six rural free delivery routes, all self-sustaining. Health Resort, Because of its altitude, perfect cli mate. natural drainage and excellent sanitary regulations, Griffin la one of tha healthiest spots In the world. The daath rate was amaslngly low last year, and the tendency continues downward. Epidemics of any kind are as rare as dissatisfied cltiaens. The . board of health la composed of citi zens who mest regularly to discuss the ' again of their department. Municipal Officers. The municipal affairs are under the direction of Hon. U. B. Dreary, mayor, and Aldermen J. Henry Smith. J. Ell Brewer. Douglas Boyd, M. F. Morris, The municipality owns one of the most complete electric power nnd wa ter plants In the state. Tho value of the property Is on the Increase and tho city geta $14,000 worth of freo lights and water every year. Besides this the advantages of control places council In a position to give the patrons low rotea nnd elllclent service. Mu nicipal ownership Is regarded one of the most conclusive Indications of Grif fin's progress. Griffin Churches. Griffin lias fifteen white churches, live Baptists, four Methodists, two Presbyterians, one Episcopal, one Christian, one Free Methodist und one Primitive. Four of the churchee, the First Methodist, First Baptist cud Episcopal, are located In the business section of the city. The First Baptist, of which Dr. B. H. Aero Is pastor, has a membership of about 4S0, and the First Methodist, In charge of Rev. John B. Jenkins, has a membership of 460. The First Presbyterian, under the pas torate of Dr. W. A. Murray, has a largo membership, as hus also the Episcopal, with Rector Daniel R. Hoko In charge. The members of the Christian church recently sold their old building and expect, at an early date, to bsgrn the erection of a beautiful edifice on a new lot centrally located. The erection of Catholic church la being contem plated by me members of that de nomination. The home of tho presiding elder of the Griffin district, Dr. Joel T. Daves, le located In this city, the Methodists having recently purchased a district parsonage for about $3,000. The mem bers of the First Methodist church lost year purchased a large and valuable building lot on one of the principal •treete of tha city for $5,ooo, and they expect In a few years to erect a mag nificent church cdlflce and parsonage on this lot. The members of the First Baptist church will In a few days begin work on a large annex to that build ing, at a cost of about $10,000. All churches have been very active during the past two years and hundreds of pew members have professed faith. Improvements are also being contem plated for other suburban churches of this city. City Hospital. Tha city hospital, organised about four years ago, la Griffin's only organ ised charity. It has never been run on a paying basis, yet It Is a first-doss Institution, to the maintenance of which the cltltens gladly and liberally con tribute. Charity patlenta receive the samt careful attention accorded the wealthy. An annual appropriation from the city and county of $750 each Is cheerfully granted. A convenient build ing was recently purchased near the center of the city at a coat of $3,000. The wants art comfortably furnished and the oprratlng room Is one of the best equipped In the state. The Insti tution Is under the auperlntendency of Miss Julia Dowell, a trained nurse, who Is assisted by from two to live pupils. The resident physicians are always subject to the call of the hospltel board. Develop Water Power. The capitalists of Griffin, men who have the power to accomplish results, are manifesting an Interest In the com mercial value of water power, Tho rivers and other streams of Georgia posnesi power which. If developed, would, operate the lights, the electric lines and the factories of the state. Be cause nf this fact a party of Griffin capitalists have Invested about $100,000 In a great dam and electric imwer plant at High Falls, on Towallga riv er. IS mile* from the city. A line of wlree connects the two places and sev eral of the cotton mills are using elec tricity as a motive power. The pri mary tulc of modem Industry Is to re mum and thereby derive a greater profit. Tho tlmo will probably come when all tho cotton mills of the city will he operated by electric power generated at High Falls. This company will also furnish power for the proposed Atlanta, Grlflln and Macon electric railway, ns sovcrr.l Grlflln gentlemen have large Investments In both enterprises. The success of this venture Is no longer a ■natter of speculotlon. and when the rippling streams nf Georgia are per forming some useful service us well as making music for the fish, another Intelligent cltlxenry than an efficient school system, that of this city being of particular excellence. Professor C. B. Mathews, the energetic superintend ent, Is a graduate of the University of Georgia, and has taken a special courae In the University of Chicago. Under his careful supervision the schools huve steadily Increased In attendance, until the aggregate Is more than 1,200. The Grlflln High School, of which Profersor Joseph D. Smith haa been the principal for the past few years, la one of the few high schools recog nised by the state colleges. Professor Smith has been elected superintendent of the Second District Agricultural College, at Tlfton, and recently an nounced his acceptance to the unani mous regret of the patrons. The gram mar school, Professor J. Robert Berry, principal. Is enjoying the largest at tendance In years, and the past year witnessed u remarkable advancement along educational lines. Monuments of Industry. The greatest and most remunerative monuments of Grlflln are Its twenty- live manufacturing enterprises, with which the $2,000,000 sales of the 125 retail stores hnd the $1,000,000 Bates of the three wholesale stores do not compare. As a manufacturing point, the city Is rapidly advancing to the front ranks. The aggregate capital Invested In va rious manufacturing enterprises Is $3,- 200,000, giving employment to over 3,000 people. Its six cotton mills rep resent an Investment of about 31,387,- 600. The Griffin mill is the largest, the taxable value being $469,000. The Kincaid milt Is second, with 30.000 spindles, which will be Increased to 60,. 600 ns soon ns work now In progress on the addition Is completed. The Bnyd-Mnnglmm, Spalding, Rushton and Central mills, as well as the larger ones, are being operated at an enor mous profit for the stockholders. Be sides the annual crop of 20.000 bales of cotton handled by the city ware houses. the mills purchase about 10,000 bales from other sources, which at the present price calls for an expenditure of 31.620,000. The products of the mills are the best on the market, and are In demand everywhere. The operatives live In comfortable houses, pleasantly situated, as all except the Griffin and Central mills are located In the sub urbs. All the mills are provided with Mark J, Janes, Georgs XV. Hanson, E. duct tbs cost of production to a mini' RESIDENCE OF HON. ROBERT. T. DANIEL, GRIFFIN, GA. ODD FELLOWS’ BUILDING, GRIFFIN, GA. work of progress will have been re corded. Socret Orders. There are In the city two Masonic lodges, two Odd Follow lodges, one Knights of Pythlaa lodge, two Junior Order United American Mechanics lodgoa, one Improved order of Red Men and one Woodmen of the World. All are In a flourishing condition, and new members are being constantly re ceived. Grand Chancellor David J. Bailey, of the grand lodge of Knights of Pythias, Is one of Griffin's most pop ular and energotlc citizens. Hon. Rob ert T. Daniel, past great Incohonee of tho Improved Order of Red Men, Is probably the most prominent secret order man |n the stutc. Judge Dan iel la also gyand representative of the grand lodge' of Odd Fellows. It was an address delivered by him in Wash ington last year that made a Red Man of President Roosevelt. Both Mr. Dan iel and Mr. Ilallcy aro successful or- gunlxers and devote much attention to secret order work. Banking Intaraata. With live prosperous banks, Griffin perhaps has more of these Institutions than any other city of Its else in the state. The three state banks, one na tional and one savings bank combine a capital of about $60U,000. There has not been a bank failure Id Griffin In more than thirty years, and only the oldest cltltens can recall the last occurrence of that kind. The dif ferent Institutions are barked by un« limited capital and are under the man agement of substantial cltlxens. who enjoy tho confidence of tho people. Board of Trade. The Griffin Commercial Club, organ ised In June, 1900, Is an Institution that lias accomplished much for the social and commercial welfare of the city and county. The club occupies the eutlrv second floor of the Mer chants and Planters' Bank building, and the rooms are comfortably und at tractively furnished. It Is. here that tired business men assemble for rest and pleasure and to discuss affairs per. talnlng to public Interests. Recently out of the Commercial Club the Bonn! of Trade was organized, of which Hon. David J. Bailey was elected president, and Judge W. H. Beck, secretary. Mr. Bailey Is also president of the club, and through his Instrumentality a freight rate conference with Important offi cials of the Central and Southern rail roads was held In the guest halt of the club lost year, which resulted In the reduction of freight rates to this point and a saving of thousands of dollars annually. The officers of the Board of Trade will gladly furnish Information to any desirable person contemplating locating here. Six Newspapers. Grlflln has six newspapers—The Dal ly and Weekly News and Sun, The Dally and Weekly Call, the Weekly Echo and The Weekly Negro Journal, the two last named being owned and edited by negroes. The News and Sun, of which Hon. Douglas Glessner Is editor and pro prietor. has been one of the leading political paper* of middle Georgia for more than thirty year*. The ('all Is published by Charles Al bert Loop, nnd ns yet Is In Its In fancy. being less than two years old. Excellent School System. Nothing is more appreciated by an churches and .schools, and have good attendance. The mill owners of the city are com plying with the child labor law, and do not consider tt a great hardship. Captain W. J. Kincaid Is president of tho Griffin and Kincaid mills, chairman of the board of directors of the At lanta, Grlflln and Macon Interurban railway and first vice president -of the proposed Maeon and Albany Electric railway. He Is also Interested In other enterprises. Other Enterprises. Besides the six cotton mills, tbs city has various other manufactories In a substantial financial condition. The Griffin Oil Mill, with a taxable value of $30,000, Is one of the largest In the state, and pays the largest price for cotton seed at all times, which are converted Into high-grade ell anfl meal. Walker Brothers operate a $26,000 oil mill, which Is also one of the best smalt mills In Georgia. The Gresham Manufacturing Company operates one of the largest buggy body factories In the state, and mnke a side line of sash, doors, blinds and lumber dress Ing. The firm of Osbornd & Wolcott manufactures chairs, doors, blinds, etc., and repairs machinery. The plant of the Griffin Ice and Bot tltng Works, In which about $40,000 Is Invested, is complete In every detail. The capacity Is thirty tons per day. The factories of the Elk Buggy Com pany nnd the Griffin Buggy Company are famous for line vehicles. Both are doing a thriving business. SItuatetl In West Grlflln Is the plant of the Griffin Cement, Stone and Brick Company, valued at $26,000. Several miles from the city Is the yard of the Griffin Press Brick Com pany, with tho largest single machine f dant In the state. The dolly capacity s about 120,000 bricks. Griffin also has two large Job print ing establishments, with best equip ments In middle Georgia; large rock quarry and stone crusher, marble and monument works; backhand factory, roller covering factory, cltyland coun ty convict system, machine shop and many other small shops. The annual output of the various manufactories Is about $5,000,000. Griffin’s Advantages. In Its strenuous way, the city Is try ing to meet the demands of the times. It has twenty passenger trains and fif ty freight trains dally. It Is In direct connection with the great lumber, coal and mineral fields of this and other states. The staje encampment Is situated Just outside the city limits. Griffin's Needs. Perhaps Griffin needs a magnificent hotel, but the Nelms House supplies the present demand for a first-class hotel. The great need of a comforta ble passenger station for the three rail roads Is apparent to even the most In different observer. The railroads d» an Immense passenger business at this point. But more than all else, resi dences are needed—comfortable and convenient houses In desirable locali ties. For many years Grlflln has been developing Into an Ideal home city. Property ts Increasing In value at the rate of $100,000 per annum, but this Is only a faint Indication of the wealth of the city, the actual property value of which Is about $3,000,000. Tho tax able value ts more than $3,000,000. Another need that can not be much longer neglected Is a spacious audito rium. Griffin has no difficulty In se curing conventions, even without ade quate accommodations. With a large auditorium it would easily bo one of the leading convention cities of the state. Surrounding Country. To ufrlte of Griffin without alluding to the surrounding country, where many prominent citizens are profitably engaged In agricultural pursuits, would not be a fitting appreciation of this great era of prosperity. The little farm houses that once dotted the hillsides have long since disappeared and beau tiful country homes have been erected ooorywhere. To the well-directed ef forts of these substantial' cltlxens Is largely due the prominence and prog' ress of the city. 'Already 20,000 bales of .cotton have’ been weighed by the Griffin warehouses the present season, and 12 cents per pound for the left over bales Is persistently refused. The farming land of Spalding county Is of the most productive In the state, being especially adapted to the production of cotton. Truck farming Is also receiving much attention of late years, a ready demand being found for vegetables at all times. There Is In ths county one truck farmer who has grown rich In the pursuit of his chosen avocation. The fruit Industry, which several Volume of Business Marvelous During Past Year. ’1P9 BANKING HOUSES ALL PROSPEROUS Mills and Factories Run ning at Full Capacity, Employing Thousands of Operatives. years ago engaged the attention of all the farmers, has run Its course, as con. dltlons have not been favorable for fruit production. Tho Georgia experiment station, with an annual appropriation of $30,000 from the United States government, Is lo cated Just outside the western city limits. Model farms are located throughout the county. This government farm Is regarded as one of Spalding county's most valuable assets, and 100 acres of additional land was recently leased the government for experimental purposes. The people of the county are among the best In the land. Churches of all denominations are found In all the rural districts. From an educational view point the county is advancing and an election will be held this year for the purpose of dividing the county into school districts, according to the pro visions of the local taxation law. A consideration of the many advan tages of this fertile section and Ideal climate Is evidence conclusive that Spalding county Is pre-eminently the county of prosperity and promise. BALLARD BIFOCAL AND TORIO OR CURVED LENSES have gained a reputation In two yean no other firm In the entire South has made In a half century. Not these lenses atone gave us the lead, but op tical service In every way not usually found elsewhere. Ask any Atlanta man about us. WALTER BALLARD OPTICAL CO, 7b Peachtree Street. $TL40 Savannah and Return Via Central of Georgia Railway. Account Georgia Bar Association, Tybee Island, May 30-81; dates of sale May 27, 28, 29, 80. Tickets limited Juno 3d, returning. Trains leave Atlanta 8:00 a. m. and 9:16 p. m. W. H. FOGG. D. P. A.. Atlanta, Ga FEDERAL DECORA 7JON DA Y ■SK^SSVSS.. A 7 MARIETTA ONTHURSDA Y Decoration Day, when the memory of (lent) soldiers who wore the uniform of blue lu the Greatest struggle the world ever saw Is honored, will lie fittingly observed on May 80 at the national cemetery -In Marl* etta by exercises under the auspices of the O. 81. Mltchel Post No. 1, O. A. K. Memorial sen*lees wers held In Atlanta Sunday at tho Central Congregational church by Her. Dr. A. P. Sherrill, and they were largely atteuded by comrades of the Atlanta O. A. It.. Womau'a Relief Corps and the Sons of veteraus. Special preparations hare beeu made for the observ *■— — — — uext. May . . made with the Georgia trie Company for cars to Marietta. These special cars will leave the Atlanta termluus of the road at the electric and gas building at 0 o'clock n. ui., and a aohediile at 9:30 o'clock will lie started for those not able to leave on the first cars. A freight car will be provided to transport flowers which may be sent to decorate the graves of the Unlou soldiers. These may be left at the gas and electric bulldlus up to 9:10 o'clock on Decoration Day, and they will be properly cared for. March to Cemetery. Upon the arrival In Marietta of ths cars s procession will l>e formed under the direc tion of Comrade W. M. Sfcott on Washington avenue on the north able of the square and the march to the national cemetery will commence. The procession will form In the following order: O. M. Mltchel Poet No. 1, Atlanta; J. B. Bteedmau Post No. 4, of Tallapoosa: Woman’s Relief Corps and eltt* sens generally. The following program will be carried out at the cemetery: Assembly Music*-? The instinct and habit of 4600 years have proved wheat the one absolutely necessary food for man. Latter day science has (proved the soda cracker to be the most nutritious of all wheat foods. Modem skill has given to the world Uneeda Biscuit, the only perfect soda cracker, i In dust tight. fi M moisture proof packages. chaplain United States prison, Atlanta. "Duty of the Day”—Comrade W. B. Miles, commander department of Georgia, Grand Army of ths Republic, p$$st No. 4. Reading of Department and National Or ders—Comrade W. M. Scott, adjutant, Post No. 1. Music. "America"—Choir and audience. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address—Comrade C. P. Fairbanks. Post No. 1. "Festival of Our Dead"—Comrade Lucius Perry Hills, Post No. 1. Music—Choir. Address—Rsv. Rush R. Shtppen, D. D., pastor Unitarian church. Atlanta. Memorial Poem—Comrade J. W. Scully, Post No. L "Star Spangled Banner"—Choir. Taps. Benediction. Decof ‘ The so that none will be overlooked. ANTi-SALOON LEAGUE NATIONAL BISCUIT COMPANY i - CORPSE OP PRIEST IS POUND IN TRUNK i Left by Two Greeks to Se cure Overdue Room Rent. New York, May $7.—The body of Father Katpar. of the Armenian Apos tolic church, Hoboken, has been found with his neck broken strapped In a trunk left by two Greeks..for room rent In a tenement occupied by Mrs. Henry Sherer. They rented the room three weeks ago. The lodgers disappeared last Thurs day and ths trunk wss broken open. The ghastly find almost overwhelmed the woman! The police were notified and the body removed to the morgue. Two Greeke Were arrested on suspicion Sunday. East Point School Closet. After a most successful year, the Eaat Point school closed on Saturday. There has been a record-breaking at tendance since the school opened last fall, 490 pupils having been enrolled. Profeaaor James T. McGee, who has been principal of the school for the past four years, Is being congratulated or. the successful term, as the record made has been largely possible because pf bis untiring efforts. Special to The Georgian. Moreland, Go, May 27.—J. B. Rich ards, associate superintendent of tho Georgia Anti-Saloon League, delivered an address at the Baptist church Sun day morning at II o'clock In the Inter est of a atate-wlde prohibition move ment. Mr. Richards spoke for one hour to a large audience, made up from all the churches uniting for the occasion. The speaker handled his subject very skillfully and demonstrated the fact that he has given It much thought and consideration. Mr. Richards Is the founder of the Antl-Bftlooil League work In Georgia, and ta a very enthusiastic advocate of the principles for which It stands. At the close of the service a local league was organised and a neat little sum contributed for the support of the state work. Following are the officers elected: H. A. Martin, president; R. L. Pitts, first vice president: J. W. Camp, second vice president; P. A. Carmichael, third vice president; Mrs. Gordon, secretary and treasurer. Petitions Were Denied. Special to The Georgian. Macon, Ga, May 27.—Nothing of un- usual Interest or Importance came up for the consideration of the county road board at the meeting held Satur day morning, routine business taking up the ttm# of the board. Petitions for the opening of several new roads were denied. DR. TALKS OP FOOD. President of Board of Health. "What shall I eat?” Is the dally In quiry the physician Is met with. I ao not hesitate to say that tn my Judg ment, a large percentage of disease 1s caused by poorly selected and Improp erly prepared food. My personal ex perience with the fully-cooked food, known aa Grape-Nuts, enables me to apeak freely of Us merits. "From overwork, I suffered several years with malnutrition, palpitation of the heart and loss of sleep. Last sum mer I was led to experiment personally with the new fqod, which I conjunction with good rich cow’s milk. In ft short time after I commenced Us use the disagreeable symptoms disap peared. my heart’s action became steady and normal, the functions or the stomach were properly carried out and I again slept os soundly and as well In my youth. I look upon Grape-Nuts as ft P* rf * c ‘ food, and no one can gainsay but that tt has a most prominent place In a ra tional. scientific system of feeding. Any one who uses this food will soon be convinced of the soundness of the prin ciple upon which It Is manufacture!! and may thereby know ths facts ** t 11s true worth.” Read “The R°sd Wellvltle," tn pkgs. "There a ft