Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-05-08
finest business blocks in any inferior
city Of the State.
THE PUBLIC schools.

eu WIN 0Z4 pupils ana seven teacn
crs Feb. 7, 1881, and to-day the twelve
rooms are crowded and the enlarge.
ment of the building is a question
that must be seriously considered in
the near future. The enrolment i,
now about 100, Notwithstanding the
fact that there are two colleges and a
high school in the city, all well pat
ronized.
The colored people have building
which was erected at a cost Of $4,000
and with competent corps Of teach
ers maintain an excellent school ten
months in the year.
In 1883 the number ofchildren of the
school age in the city was l347-64i
white and 703 colored. In 1891 the
number was increased to l575-770
white and sos cOlored. This shows in
one year an increase Of II per cent,
due largelyto the influx ofimmigrants
attracted TO our superior educational
facilities both in the free schools and
colleges. AS ii has been year since
the census was taken, we may safely
place the number of school children in
the corporate limits OF 1900 at the
present time.
THE POPULATION ESTIMATED.
There has not been complete cen
sus Of the city taken since 1880
at which time there were 4, 229 inhab-
itants. In 1884 the legal voters num-
bered l22S-6S2 white and SAG colored.
From the data furnished by these
figures and the school reports, the
present population is estimated at
$500, which we believe to be very
nearly correct. The city extends in
every direction one mile from the
court house and vacant lots are rapid
ly filling up with dwelling houses in
every part of the city. Some very
elegant residences are to be seen on
the fashionable streets, a number of
which have been built within the
last few years. The demand for
tenement houses continues to exceed
the supply, although scores of cottages
for rent are put up every year.
MANUFACruRlNG INTERESTS.
At the present the manufacturing
interests Of the city are represented by
three large Touring mills, two ice
factories, two hogshead factories, one
broom factory, three brickyards,
two carriage factories, two cabinet
shops, two candy factories, and seve-
raj smaller concerns that supply,
local trade. A saud-machine has re-
Gently been started near the city
which grinds sand rock into pure
sand for building purposes. Here
tofore the sand has all been dug from
banks.
Not the least important enterprise
in the city is the foundry and ma
chine repairing establishment, a
sketch of which appears elsewhere.
The Building ami Loan Associat ion
may perhaps be mentioned under
this head. 1t is one of the most i'm
portant factors of the city's progress.
TIE MERCANTILE INTERESTS.
The mercantile business of the city
is of a strictly, local character ana the
stores will compare favorably with
those of any of the smaller cities of
the state, both in arrangement and in
the stocks goods contained in them.
The merchants as arule are enterpris-
ing progressive and energetic. The
better class ofdealers are liberal ad-
verlisers. and their success is to be at
tributed largely to the judicious and
effective use of printers ink. Our
best and livest merchants and
business men will be found
represented in this issue,
almost to a man. 1t is to the pro-
gressive business men of the city that
we are indebted for the substantial
cooperation that enables us to pre-
sent this review of the business inter-
ests of Hopkinsville.
OTHER MATTERS.
HOpkinsville has three banks, the
Bank of Hodkinsville, the Planters
Bank and the City Bank. There are
two hotels, the Phoenix Hotel and
the Lewis House, beside the Bur-
bridge House, a private boarding
house with hotel accommodations.
There are five large tobacco ware
houses in the city and number of
grain dealers and other commission
merchants.
CITY GOVERNMENT.
The city is governed by Board OF
seven councilmen elected annually i'll
December. The Chairman of the
Board is mayor, ex officio. The
council at present is composed of the
following gentlem r. 7. Petree,
Chairman; w. NJ. Hill, E. b. Long,
/ f. j. Drownell, VIM. Ellis, j. M.
Starting and Geo. 0. Thompson.
Politics seldom enters into city cleo
ton. Though the city is Republican
by about 200 majority, the council
stands four Republicans to three
Democrats. Financially the city is
in a good fix and comparatively free
from debt. Its outstanding bonds
are paid promptly on maturity and
will be paid off in a few years more