Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-21
Her BANKS AND BANKERs-HEF
SPLENDID CHURCHES.
Her Public and Private schools,
and her Bright Prospects
fer the Future,


We purpose in this the Christmas
number of the CHRONICLE, to say
something about GAINESVILLE and
her business.
The City of GAINESVILLE
was founded about sixty years ago.
The first brick house ever erected
here may still be seen, just across
the street west of the Southern
Hotel. While her growth may not
have been as rapid as that of some
other cities, yet her increase has
been steady, solid and substantial.
There Is nothing of the mushroom"
about her growth, and to-day
GAINESVILLE, as a collection of men,
Is one Of the most solvent towns, if
not the most solvent, in the whole
country. Situated upon the left
bank of the Cumberland, which is
navigabIe nearly the year round {;
in the centre Of a wide belt of the
finest lands in the United States, on
which is produced every variety of
cereal, besides the great staple of
this country, tobacco; with railroad
and river connection with business
points north, south, east and west;
surrounded by an industrious, ener-
getic and intelligent people, whose
school houses and churches crown
every hill and dot every valley; a
people who are able to buy and pay
for not only the necessaries but the
luXuries of life; we say with such a
business constituency GAINESVILLE
possesses advantages owned by but
few towns, and her solid growth
from trifling village into an inn
pOrtant city has not been accidental,
but is the result of natural causes.
The
Population of GAINESVILLE
is now about $500, including the
suburbs, which from Extraordinarily
are naturally part of the town. AT
present the city is growing more
rapidly than was ever known be-
fore, and within five years, at the
present rate of increase, the pOpula-
ton of GAINESVILLE will number ten
thousand. There is not an unoccu-
pied dwelling 10 be found, while a
great number Of dwelling houses
are constantly being built, and as
soon rs one is finished there Is a
family ready to move in. The
Business Of Clarksville
has increased even more rapidly
than her census. 1t may not be
known to some that the largest
tobacco market in the United States
save New York, Louisville and
Cincinnati-is GAINESVILLE. 1t Is
naturally, and we may say necCs-
sarily the case, in the very midst of
the most extensive tobacco district
in the country; with facilities for
handling, selling and shipping to-
baccO unsurpassed; and with a
board of buyers-about twenty In
number-at the sample table, repre-
senting and controlling millions of
money, we say it Is perfectly natural
that the tobacco from this whole
district" should seek market in
whose financial stability the pro-
ducer may confide, here in Clarks-
willie. In roticing the business of
the city, let us first glance at the
Warehouses,
of which GAINESVILLE has four, and
which for extent and facilities for
handling the weed are not equaled
by any other warehouses in the
West. The
Grange Warehouse,
situated on the corner of Front and
Depot streets, is perhaps the most
capacious establishment of the kind
in the United States. This house
Is a joint stock concern, under the
control of twelve directors, all of
whom arc farmers, who are elected
annually by the stockholders. 1t is
under the immediate supervision of
Mr.. T. Herndon, Sup't, who is one
of the finest business men to be met
with here, or anywhere else. Under
his management, this house sold
last season ,237 hOgsheads of to-
bacco, amounting to $9S $40 O3; an
average of Sc 45 per 100 lbs. for the
entire sales, which embraced a very
large per cent. of low types of to-
bacco from remote regions, not
usually sold on this market. The
Grange Warehouse has a storage
capacity of 1890 hogsheads without
crowding, or can handle with ease
rs, 900 hOgshcads during the season.
We next come to the
Gracey House,
on the corner of Commerce and
Second streets, fronting on Second.
The old Gracey House, which was
burned in our big fire, has been re-
plaeed by a handsome and Substan-
tiaI brick structure at a cost OF about
f25. 600. 1t is splendidly adapted
20 the business, being large, well
lighted and convenient. This house
Is occupied this season by Shelby,
Hart d O'Brien, an able and eX-
,erieneed trio. The Gracey House
has a storage capacity of 5000 hogs
heads. 1t handled last season 1904
hogsheads, as shown by the books
,f the firm. We come next to the
Central Warehouse,
m Front and Main streets, near the
new Tobacco Exchange, and front
ng the wharf. This house in point
II structure and general manage
meut Is not excelled by any house