Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-05-17
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD.
Pen Picture of East Lake, That Most Delight
full of Suburbs,

To be able to escape from the smoky at
mosphere and noisy conditions peculiar
to large manufacturing center like Bir-
mingham, and within few moments ar
rive in midst of beautiful scenery, whose
charms are constantly being enhanc-
ed by art, is something of an achievement
to boast of with pride. Five miles dis
tant from the Iron City, East Lake pre-
sents this possibility. Fastidious indeed
must the person be who desires a more
delightful retreat, for East Lake is vast
garden spot surrounded by hills, verdure-
clad, and Is natural paradise, with its
lovely valleys, innumerable springs, its
grand Lake Como and it's noble undu-
lating landscape, which is never touched
by the CRIME of furnaces or the smoke Of
factories.
The projectors of this remarkable
suburb have conferred an inestimable
boon on the people of Birmingham. BY
their enterprise they have not only Great
ed a splendid rural site for homes, where
one can live undisturbed by the thousand
and one inconvenience to city life, but
they have provided pleasure ground for
thousands who cannot, for one reason
or another, permanently reside even a
short distance out of town. The latter
are enabled to have an enjoyable time at
a nominal cost. Steam cars, soon to be
displaced by an electric system, convey
passengers to and from East Lake for a
half dime each way, and this trip alone is
worth a great deal as a health promoter,
for it brings you in contact with
vigorous breezes which make you
feel like new being.
Residentially speaking, East Lake
leaves nothing to be desired. 1t Is laid
out artistically with a view to making 1t
a city of homes. 1t has fine churches and
school buildings, the latter including the
imposing structures of the sfar-famcd
Howard college and the Atheneum. 1t
has many stores and conveniences for
the residents, telephone and electric light
plants, etc. Most of the private resi-
slences are very attractively built, in
outlay. What with it's unsurpassed To-
cation, pure air, inexhaustible supply of
spring water and other advantages, East
Lake is properly regarded by Birming-
ham as suburb whose value cannot be
estimated on a basis of dollars and cents.
1t is at once an immense park. field of
educational progress, natural SANTA
rum, health resort and rational pleas
ure ground. There are boating, fishing
and other pastimes-at the command of
both residents and visitors, making East
Lake a rendezvous of peerless attractive
ness.
Pretentious arrangements are being
completed for making the forthcoming
summer season at East Lake surpass all
it's predecessors. The pavilion has veen
dition of a new stage. There will be
summer opera for music lovers and thea
trical entertainments to please the null
titude. The grounds have been remodel
ed and laid out with care and the great
| est taste, so that the floral ornamental
tions will be superior to anything ever
| seen there before. The lake will be lit up
by electric lights and the entire grounds
will wear carnival aspect of gaiety and
enchantment. A toboggan slide is to be
erected and various novel features of an
amusement character are to be intro
/ duced.
There will be three military encamp-
ments at East Lake during the month of
| June, which will add to the social attrac-
| lions of the season. Altogether the man.
agement Is to be congratulated upon
| their determined effort to go on improv-
| ing East Lake in every respect calcu-
lated to popularize 1t both as a summer
resort and residential locality.
The introduction Of the electric system
of railroad on the tracks between Bir-
| mingham and East Lake will enable the
| company to have fifteen minutes
| schedule, and here again the public will
| gain by the enterprise of the Btrmlng-
| ham Railway and Electric company.
| The following extract from beautiful-
| ly illustrated souvenir issued by the
| East Lake Land company speaks for IL
| self: ae.
| East Lake Is In the fertile Ruhama
| valley and fronts on the finest artificial
| lake in the south. fed by mountain
| springs and well stocked with trout and
| other fine fish. A smaller lake adjacent
| is stocked with carp. East Lake is zoe
| feet above sea level and enjoys the COO
| breezes from the mountains which make
a grand background to the landscape
| An abundant supply of the purest spring
| water is furnished FROM . large spring
| owned by the company, on whose property
| there are more than .flftyi living springs
| The yield IS some 100000 gallons daily
and from this aboudant source IN extern
| sive system. of water works win be sup
| piled. An electric light. plant has beer
| introduced and East Lake will enjoy al
the facilities and convenfences of modern
| city fife =
| Over 100000 are being expended OF