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UNION RECORDER, MILLEDGEVILLE, GA., JULY S. 1*2* Georgia’s Old Capital I .I f. Beautiful Capital City at Mil«J|eviU* ia 1M7 * F<J sSf£ w-* ^^t y Ye "‘ rf Pr#F " “* by ED A. TliiNER Ga. Fev: cities i® into existence with ^conception or wiser planning kin T , ^ h ich preceded the budding ITiV-Ul'. » ,,ich MrV ' d The ,iM s t»» for sixty years. The ' . lf ons back of the cho.e. P ;i '” c , ‘ wcr e that it was located £^rs«=; *nd that it was n I iiBviea blr stream. , nn l a Uh i \.ar 1803 our state nad so .’lit-If that the time was ripe S T. | cation of a permanent seat eminent. Two very import- ,actions had just taken place, , affecting Georgia territory. , ing rise to the question ol anent capital, first was the fiual se v a • reaty between the state and the United States, 1 riginal territory i> ,n »* . hattahoochec river ami comP"™ present states «f Alub which Ithi |\!i -issippi. This settlei the dispos izoo land contentio . brought fo •ouble- -educed bit- d and it also reduced the of the state to its present The other transaction was ^1*. a treaty and an outgrowth of • mentioned. It was one of the terms of this that the United States fcuuld extinguish, for the use of vrgia, the Indian claims to the «3s ><»uth of the headwaters of the palachee and Alcovy river* and :»een the Oconee and Ocmulgee Com«ni*MO“*rs Chosen Towards promptly fulfilling this reemenl the president r{ htc United ates appointed Jumes Wilkinson, lenjamin Hawkins and Andrew Pick- commissioners to treat with ntatives of the Creek nation, u commsisioners, after days of ation with forty chiefs .and rs, brought the negotiations to psj-ful conclusion. This meet- urred on top of a high, rugged cnee near the banks of the river two miles south of now Milledgeville. The place n in history as Fort Wilkin- med for General Jumes Wilk- The 1 of t hi {. erected a granite bronze tablet on the ago. On the occas- eiling of the marker place of this important trans- Ur. Kdmund Vittuni, then head department of English at the a State College for Women de- accurate and most overing this period •, ever heard in this H tfa< with pictures oper the : iettiqg, should icted repo •!i June. 1802. <j 0 - treaty not only provided that idian claims to the lands be- the Oconee and Ocmulgee be ruUhed, but that their claims to it'-r lands within the state be fed null and void. I II i-h all of this .assured Georgia • United States .the state was in the clear and immediately be- »think of future arrangements ivemment, | The first treaty, ratified by the ••f Georgia, June 16, 1802, ■rt Wilkinson treaty ratifi- h.ngton, D. C., January 11, -tried by Thoma* Jeffer- '•■ i. gave Georgia liberty -1 just five months tb the 1'. 1803, in special session assembly held at Louis- 1 state capital, the ques- • rmanent site came up. for Governor Milledge " nitration of the mutter , nd created not appear to have been dissension about the selec- I'lace or the name it should ■m . ’^ tre is chronicled, in the L rn J ! " of the legislature, an act ft e specifying that ^ ' w'r boundar y lJnes o{ Baldwin t ' “kinson counties had been fix- r ‘ e * counties having been creat- session of the legis- ing 3,240 acres, or, sixteen lots of 202 1-2 acres each, to be reserved and set apart for a town to be called and known by the name of Milledge- ville in honor of Governor John Mil- ledge. The act gave further directions to the commissioners to be named, to- wit, that they should, in what section of the town they saw fit, lay off lots containing one acre each und that they should lay a plat of said tract of land together with a plan of the town before the next general assembly which would convene in early Deoei her, 1804. Immediately following the pass- age of this .set in fact on the same day. May 11, 1803. there was a joint sesison of the house and senate—it seem* us if legislation truveled fast er in those days than now—and the senate journal of this joint session reads as follows: Senate Journul 1803 (Extra Sess ion), pp. 127, 130: "May 11, 1803. The senate repaired to the representa tive floor und being Hi-uted, proceed ed by joint ballot, agreeably to a concurred resolution, to the appoint ment of the several surveyors for the districts in the three counties lying southwest of the Oconee and Atama- ha rivers . . . (Baldwin, Wilkinson, Wayne). .mm "They also proceeded to elect five commissioners to have laid out, and fix on a fit and proper place for a town, on the *outh west side of the river Oconee to be called and known by the name of Milledgeville, and on counting out the ballots it appeared that General David Dickson, General John Clark, Lieutenant Howell Cobb, of the artillery in the army of the United States; Major David Adams and T. U. P. Charlton were duly elected.” Letter to Governor The following letter is evidence of how this commission worked out its arduous taak. It was written to the governor as a report of the progress made, two months prior to the time that the finished report was to be made to the legislature: . "Milledgeville, 27th Sepr. 1804. "Governor John Milledge, Louisville, Ga. "Dear Sir: The business upon which 1 came here, we have found to be etremely troublesome. To do it with accurucy and to the best advan tage required much time and laborl We have agreed on a plan and laid it to the ground; mude reserves of three squares of sixteen acres each; which I think .are eligible and well chosen. Say one for .a state house, one for the governor’s residence and the other for a penitentiary or such other public purposes as the legsiln- ture may please to apply them to. Two main streets of 120 feet wide; intended to front the state house; the lots laid off in squares of four acres, which are to be checked to acre lots, the other streets loo feet wide. The surveyor is to fini.4i laying off the lots and when he is ber 12, lb04, Milledgeville the perm anent seat of government. Movements were promptly inaugu rated for the clearing and develop ment of the site, erection of the state and other buildings. All of this required time and heroic service. Ceater of State Attention is called to u few of the diKinguished features and patriotic gestures incorporated in the capital site scheme as worked out by •pioneer citizens. First take the boat landing which meunt so much •heavy transportation and commerce —the broad thoroughfare leading from the main transportation depot up to higher ground where the seat of control is located in the center of the first sixteen-acre preserve Capital uquare. The street leading from the river to the capitol was the import- GEORGIA’S OLD CAPITOL Tag tnnt street made 120 feet wide and graced with the name, "George W’ash ington." The street crossing Capitol squure in the opposite direction the same width and bears the great name of Thomas Jefferson, point of intersection of these streets the state house was erected as if to say "On this foundation we build our state.” This spot, the middle of the capitol building, where the hall lend- nig through from the east to west entrance of the capital crossed the hall running between the house of representative* and the senate cham ber, was spoken of and designated as the center uf Georgia. In 1807 Georgia felt permanently settled down as she moved into her new home, and her people’s hearts were filled with satisfaction and pride to see their government occupying a handsome and commodious Kate capital. Encouraged by these accomplish ments and as eager in the spirit of ’76 as any of the thirteen orginal states to help build this republic, Georgia plunged in and established a high mark for material progress. Her Katesmen held high rank in the counsels of this nation. During this era she gained prowess und earned the name of "The Empire State of the South.” ber* of said corporation held In ac cordance with the charter and by laws of the same on the 9th day of June, 1928, a resolution was un animously udopted directing that the charter be renewed as authorized and provided by law, a certified abstract from the minutes of the corporation showing that the application for. re newal and amendment has been au thorized by proper corporate action, is here to attached and marked Ex hibit A and made a part thereof. Petitioner shows that as provided by law and before the expiration oi id charter, it files this its petition L E O A LS APPLICATION FOR RENEWAL OF CHARTER GEORGIA Baldwin County. To The Superior Court of said county and Hon. James B. Park Judge thereof, at chambers. The petition of the Rock Mill Christian Endeavor Society, a corpo ration of raid State and county, re spectfully showsCs 1. That on the 15th. day of July. 1908 at the regular July term of the Superior Court of Baldwin county, u charter was issued to it by said court at and for the term of twenty years, which appears in Minute Book J. Pages 535-537 in the Super ior Court, clerk’s office of said coun ty; and that said charter will expire on July the 15th, 1928 next-refer ence is made to said record an may he necessary in this procedure. That said corporation is a bene volent institution having for its pur pose and object of giving aid ta the sick and needy of its membership, to j properly ami decently bury the dead the office of the clerk of the Superior Court of said county, signed with the corporate name of the corpo ration whone charter is sought to be renewed. Wherefore, the raid ROCK MILL CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY prays that its charter be renewed for the term of twenty yenrs from July the 16th., 1928, with all :he powers, privileges and immunities hereto fore vested in it, in its original char ter and as may be allowed by law for corporations of similar character under the luws of Georgi Rock Mill Christian Endeavor Soceity By its Attorney* Sibley & Sibley P. O. Box 273 Milledgeville, Georgia Exhibit A At a special meeting called for thi purpesu, it was brought to the at tention of the Lodge that the present charter of the corporation would ex pire on the 15th, day of July 1928, and that in order for u continuation of its operation, it is necessary that the charter be revived. Upon motion made and unanimously carried, the trustees were directed to employ le gal counnel for the purpose of having proper steps taken in the Superior Court of Baldwin count) for the re vival and renewal of such charter. I, Ola Ford, secretary and custo dian of the minutes of ROCK MILL CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY do certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy thereof as it purports to be. This June the 12th, 1928. OLA FORD GEORGIA Baldwin County. I, J. C. Cooper, of said State and county, do certify that I am the clerk of the Superior Court of said county and that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the original application for a renewal of charter of the ROCK MILL CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR SOCIETY as filed in the office of the clerk of the Superior Court Witness my official signature this 13th, duy of June, 1928. J. C. COOPER Clerk of the Superior Court, 6”x36” cement concrete gutter or 2730 lineal feet of G”x30” combined concrete curb and gutter, 90 lineal feet of concrete header curb, 340 lineal feet of s'.orm sewer pipe lines, one manholes, six catch basin 1 , and 4400 square yards of pavement. ' Bids are asked on all of the raid work and materials for said improve ment. Each bid must be accompani ed by a Cashier* Check in the sum of $1000.00 made payable to the Treas urer of the City of Milledgeville, Ga., as a proposal guarentec. The plans and specifications may be inspected at the office of the Clerk and Treasurer of the City of Milledgeville and at the office of the Engineer in Milledgeville. The right is reserved to reject any and all bids. By orders of the Council this the 25th day of June, 1928. THE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF MILLEDGEVILLE, THE HARWOOD BEEBE CO. Municipal Engnicer* Spartanburg, S. C. : ’*his um and o cupying all the lands be- l( '°nee and Ocmulgee mmissionefs should be the legislature who the most eligible and at or near the head of the Oconee river in unoccupied territory 1 tract of land contain- structed by the commissi* port to the legislature. "Since my arrival here I have had a severe bilious attack so much so as to be confined to my bed for eight or ten days; but being able to pro cure the constant attendance of a pretty good physician I am now quite recovered and shall set out in the morning for Wilkes. I cannot ascribe any part of the cause of my indispo sition to this place. It is as well watered with good springs as any place I ever saw, und every other appearance in in favor of its being a healthy situation. "With much respect I am, "Your Excellency’s Hble, Servant, "JOHN CLARK.” In my opinion, history writer* of Georgia have not given sufficient praise and credit to these public serv ants who, by hard labor, conceived i a beautiful plan and wrought it in every detail so well for the purposes desired. Their names, as associated with this effici ent work, have gone unmentioned. Indeed, the writers of the intimate hsitory of Milledgeville have passed by the fact that in the location and the planning of this state’s old capi tal site no finer treatment, nor more appropriate and artistic considera tions were given to Washington as •Jte for the federa clapita! where about a decade prior, it waif laid out in the backwoods along the Potomac. Their fellow Georgians who members of the general assembly greatly admired the plans and plimented the committee by adopt ing them formally, making on Decem- .: •and I am in- : un j propagate the teaching of the Christian religion and therefore it' not for the purpose of pecuniary gain and has no capital stock. lineal feet of storm sewer pipe lines, one manhole, two catch basinR. and 2700 square yards of pavement. Bids are asked on all of the raid work and materials for said improve ment. Each b.d must be accompani ed by a Cashier’., Check in the sum of $625 made payable to the Treasurer of the Cty of Milledgeville. Ga., as a proposal guarentee. The plans and specifications may be inspected at the office of the Clerk and Treasurer of the City of Milledgeville and at the office of the Engneer in Milledgeville. The rgiht is reserved o reject an* and al! bids. By orders of the Council this the 25th day of June, 1928. TIIE MAYOR AND ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF MILLEDGEVILLE, THE HARDWOOD BEEBE CO. Municipal Engnieer* Spartanburg, S. C. NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed proposals for the paving and other wise improving of Street Improvement Section or Zone No. 45 in the City of Milledgeville, Geor gia will be received oy the Mayor and Aldermen of said City ut their office in the City Hall at twelve o’clock M. July 12, 1928. Said Street Improvement Section Zone No. 45 consists of that por tion of Green Street lying and being between the west property line of Clark St. and the East Property Line of Jackson Street. Bids will be received on 2” War- renitc-Bitulithic wearing surface on 5 inch cement concrete base with the necessary curb, gutter, storm sewer pipe lines, manhole* and catch basins. Approximate quanities are as follows: 1933 lineal feet of 5”xl8” granite curb with 1933 lineal feet of 6"x36” cement concrete gutter or 1933 lineal feet of 6’’x30” combin ed concrete curb and gutter, 30 line al feet of concrete header curb, 474 WANTED-Pupil. to coach. b.,ia- •a, Jul, 15th. Eitell. St.mbrU,.. Look at Youi Shoes NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed proposals for the paving and other wise improving of Street Improvement Section or Zone No. 46 in the City of Milledgeville, Geor gia will be received b) the Mayor and Aldermen of said City at their office in the City Hall at twelve o’clock M. July 12, 1928. Said Street Improvement Sectioi or Zone No. 46 consists of that por tion of Wall Street lying and beinj between the west end of the bridg< over the Central of Georgia li. R and the East Property line of th« Street known as the Mucon Highway Bids will be received on 2” War renite-Hitulithic wearing surface or a 5 inch cement concrete base will the necessary curb, gutter, atom sewer pipe lines, manhole* and catch basins. Approximate quanities art as follows: 2730 lineal feet of 5”x!R’ granite curb with 2730 lineal feet or "SUDDEN SERVICE" Phone 373 Blain Shoe Plant and Pressing: Club Dine Outdoors in ^Atlanta The Outdoor Dining Terrace ol thi Henry Grady Hotel, now open fo. the spring and rummer months, rightfully deserves hr reputation ar "Allan:- s cost delightful place to For here yea a-fll End detfu] variety of delicious dishes, perfectly picpaied served amid ThrTenaos overlook! Peachtree Street, the South's moat famous thorofiR, giving you an unob structed view oi one al its liveli est and moat colorful parts. And no matter how hot the night may W you an aura to find It pleasantly cool on the Terrace. When you an in Atlanta and enjoy the advan- of the Henry Grady. from $2.}<x Hotel Hotel to) teak IT COSTS LESS TRAVEL BY TRAIN THE SAFEST THE MOST COMFORTABLE » THE MOST RELIABLE *