A Death With a Benefit?

From The New South dated January 3, 1901......terrible news that "Brother Elliott" "committed suicide in Atlanta week".

The paper reminds readers he's the man who established the Austell News "a few weeks ago".

But don't worry the paper seems to say - "take the sweet consolation that his delinquents were few".

I guess it's a good thing to look at things from the sunny side, right?

Local and Personal News for Douglasville - January 31, 1901

From the Douglas County Sentinel – January 31, 1901

Mrs. W.A. Nee spent last Monday in Austell

Mr. and Mrs. S.A. Griffith spent Sunday and Monday in Atlanta

Mr. Lonnie New spent Sunday here with his people. He is still in the railroad service and is making his employers a good man.

Mr. J.T. Duncan bought 20 acres of land from Mr. W.F Entrekin Wednesday. The property is located in the southwest portion of <town>.

Mrs. G.B. Lindsey who was on the sick list several days of last week, as about recovered

One week ago Miss Mildred Thompson changed her place of abode from Douglasville to Elberton this week. She was joined by her mother. Mrs. Thompson left for her new home Wednesday.

Fresh garden seed and onion sets at Duke’s Drug Store.

Just received a fine line of crockery and glassware at Stokely’s

Mssrs. J.T. McElreath and J.M. Morris  exchanged horses this week and they have talked so much about swapping since the trade that they are about to be styled as regular horse jockeys.

Mr. and Mrs. Boatwright were here Saturday getting pension money and were made to feel good by the manner in which they had been remembered by the <….>. They reside in Wisconsin.

Valentines! Valentines! Young men buy one for your girl at the drug store.

Miss Carrie Bennett has returned home from Atlanta  Her visit to the Gate City was an extensive one over several weeks and she was several times complemented in a social way while there.

Friday evening the Literary Society will assemble at 7 pm at the residence of Col J.S. James

The municipal elect will take place next Monday and it will be about as quiet as an event of the kind could be.

The ticket nominated at the recent ordinary <…..> put in office without any opposition.

Will Riley jumped from a runaway team last Saturday and broke one of his legs The wagon was loaded with wood, was drawn by two mules ad were the property of Mr. J.S. Abercrombie. No damage was done to vehicle or mules.

Rev Fletcher Walton, new pastor of Epworth Church in Atlanta is constantly improving in health when in Douglasville. He was quite feeble and his friends here will be glad to know that he is getting the better of his affliction. Mr. Walton states that he intends some time in the near future to make another visit to douglasville.

Mrs. T.A. McLarty, Mrs. W.H. Roach, Mr. John Roach, Miss Maud Roach, Mrs. E.C. Haynes, Mrs. Lizzie Dixon and Mr. Henry Reese returned to their respective homes in Texas and Arkansas last  week. They were here visiting relatives and Mr. AG Weddington announces that he has heard from all that they arrived at their destinations safely.

In commenting a few days ago about the need of a public library in Douglasville, Col. JR Hutcheson advances some fine ideas and said that were a movement started for such an institution he would contribute $10. That a public Library would be a help to our town there is no question and there are enough people here to establish one, but will they do it? It is a matter well worthy of consideration.

Several bales of cotton have been on the streets of Douglasville this week and there is more in the county yet to be sold. This is evidence of prosperity and a good one.

On the night of January 3 a group of men armed to the teeth entered the home of a negro man who resided in Campbell, just across the line from Douglas County, and when they left his dwelling place he was dead. Three men arrested in suspicion have been bound over to the superior court and warrants are out for two more. The negro had been demanded to vacate a place he had leased for three years and his failure to do so is supposed to have led to the unlawful deed.

Miss Nannie Lewis is on a visit to relatives in Buchanan and will spend several weeks there.

J.Q. Entrekin & Company is the name of the firm that is doing business at the stand of the Douglas County Cooperative Store. They bought the stock of goods carried by the Co-operative Company The firm consists of J.Q. Entrekin and J.T. Duncan.

Because of his failure to lower the flag over the city hall in respect to England’s dead queen, Mayor Edwards has laid himself liable to criticism. It is not supposed  Mr. Edwards would intentionally omit a thing of this kind and it is likely that the reminders he has received will culminate in bringing the flag to half mast Saturday, the day of the interment.

News from the Daniel's Mill Community - January 31, 1901

Here's the news from the Daniel's Mill community for January 31, 1901 from their correspondent at that time....."Wild Bill".

We have been having some bad and rainy weather for the past few days and most of the people in this community who are trying to farm are looking very sad.

Our postmaster, Mr. Aderhold made a bus trip to Atlanta last Monday.

Mr. L.D. Dodson of Winston was in the vicinity last Friday.

Mr. Joe Giles, one of Pumpkintown's hustling young men was here last Saturday visiting relatives.

Hurrah for the boys who attended the entertainment the other Sunday night.

Misses Myrtle and Nannie Baggett, two of Winston's most charming young ladies were here last Saturday, the guests of relatives.

Mr. J.S. Giles went to Douglasville last Monday with cotton.

Miss Sudie Williams was the guest of Miss Willie Aderhold last Sunday.

The entertainment given by Mrs. Emma Daniell last Saturday afternoon was well attended and enjoyed by all present.

Signed

Wild Bill

Douglasville - Bitterly Opposed to the Railroad

I recently ran across an article in "The Southern World, dated October 1, 1883 and titled "The Georgia Pacific Railway".

The sub-headings said, "Facts about the great highway - Atlanta looking for a boom that it would bring."

The article confirms many things I've written before regarding the railroad including how work was actually begun before the Civil War, but the war put the project on hold.

The article provides the year 1854 as the year the Georgia legislature chartered the Georgia Western Railroad Company, and mentions work was done including some grading in Fulton and Cobb Counties, but it was abandoned where it remained at a stand still until 1872-1873.

"Work resumed to meet the fate that compelled so many other enterprises to succumb in that period of panic and business prostration..."

Yes, war has a habit of doing that.

In June, 1881, the Richmond and Danville Extension Company organized in order to complete the rail "highway" construction.  General T.M. Logan was president, Major John W. Johnston was VP/General Manager, Major R.H. Temple as Chief Engineer, G.W. Perkins as Treasurer, and Thomas Seddon as Secretary.

One of the great things this article provides is a description of the land west of Atlanta including the land around early Douglasville before and after the railroad. 

The reporter states, "I shall never forget a trip I made across the country on the line of this road. The country was truly a howling wilderness. Without any means of communication with the outside world except the "pony post". The people seemed to belong to another generation; the few little towns along the line appeared to be falling to decay and a lethargy and indolence to have taken possession of everything and everybody."

But after the railroad?

"Towns have sprung up - little places wakened to new life."

The reporter states he can scarcely realize the places along the "road" are the same as two years before.

Heading out of Atlanta one can see the Chattahoochee Brick Yards eight miles of Atlanta making 100,000 bricks a day.

At Austell, the junction of the ET, Virginia & Georgia and the Georgia Pacific.....it was entirely built within the last eighteen months....now with several stores and is rapidly building up.

At Salt Springs - today's Lithia Springs - just a mere twenty-one miles from Atlanta, the depot was established there on June 14, 1883. The reporter states the little town "now has three stores, a printing press, and a population of about 100. The buildings are neat and the citizens are enterprising to push it ahead."

The information regarding Douglasville is most interesting.

"Douglasville - twenty-seven miles from Atlanta, the county seat of Douglas County, and when the "road" reached this town the population was barely 400."

"Many of the people were bitterly opposed to the road, as they feared on account of quick transportation the business of the adjoining country would seek another outlet. Since the advent of the road the population has doubled, the business has increased in proportion and the old fogy notions are fast dying out."

It's interesting to note the folks in town not only opposed the railroad.....they bitterly opposed it, and some folks here were accused of being old fogies.....In 1883!

"The place now boasts 22 stores, 3 hotels, Baptist, Lutheran, and Methodist Churches, 2 academies, and is indeed a prosperous and thriving place."

"Much of the success of this and other places along the line of the road is due to J.S. James who so ably represents this county in our legislature."

Rest assured, J.S. James was one politician who totally looked out for himself even though he was the linchpin to the city and county's early success.

And don't forget Villa Rica......

The depot there was established and lots sold on August 14, 1882. The depot was built within  a half mile of the old town and the place as grown if by magic. There is a "population of 400, 21 stores, livery stable, 2 hotels, a good school, and a great many buildings in the process of erection."

 

Community News for Ephesus, January 31, 1901

The tagline for the paper in 1901 was “published in the interests of Douglas County”.

Many of the early issues of the Douglas County Sentinel were filled with community news.
 
Here are the social notes of the Ephesus Community on January 31, 1901. The correspondent is signed as “Hope”.  I have no idea…yet….who this was.

The many friends of Mr. John Boatwright of Bremen, son of Mr. W.V. Boatwright of this place will learn with regret that he is very sick.

Miss Ethel Heaton of Winston visited her sister at this place last Friday

Mrs. Boyd Saver and brother were guests of Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Clinton Sunday.

Owing to the inclemency of the weather church services at this place were not well attended last Sunday.

Mr. Tom Dorsett we are glad to learn is convalesing.

Mr. J.M. Roberson has moved to Mr. John Johnson’s place on the Carrolton Road.

Mr. and Mrs. Lee Hunter entertained their many friends with an informal dance last Friday evening.

Miss Mattie McKoy of Winston spent last Sunday with Miss McLarty

Mr. John Sayer together with his friend Mr. Davenport attended church services at this place Sunday

Mr. C.M. Clinton is the proud father of a boy who promises to be the Sampson of his day being only seven months old and weighing 30 pounds.

Signed Hope