Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1898-07-08

Banks. Newspapers and Hotels
Carmi. White county, Ills, is located
JpOn beautiful level plat Of ground
gently rising from the west bank Of the
Little Wabash river and possesses su-
perior advantages as n residence town.
Ii has complete system Of water
works. is lighted with electricity, has
splendid school and church advantages,
first class railroad and mail facilities.
pure water, an excellent climate aud
good health. The people are generous
and hospitable, and the moral and in
tellectual tone of the community is Of a
high grade.
The town is an old one. first springing
into existence in 1916, a year after the
formation of the county. Its growth has
not been rapid, but it has steadily adj
vanced with the development Of the
country until IL now reaches popula-
ton of about 1, 900. 1t has had but few
booms, consequently few setbacks. The
old town was laid off with the river,
the streets pointing in many directions
and crossing at various angles, while
here and there some old landmark stands
to remind one of the pioneer days. The
new Carmi, however. is more modern,
with straight streets crossing at right
angles. The streets are all in fair con-
dition, graded and we'll shaded, and all
the principal ones have good, broad
brick sidewalks. The business houses
extend from the river on either side of
Main, Walnut, Chestnut and Smith
streets to around the Union station.
These streets are paved or macadamized.
The business houses are for the most
part brick and present very creditable
appearance.
The business men of this community
are in good shape financially, discount
their bills and are not borrowers, very
few Of them ever having any paper at
either of the local banks They are
alive to the interests Of the town, read
the metropolitan papers, are posted on
the markets Of the world and keep their
stocks up in good shape.
There are certainly more coy, pretty
houses than in many towns of three
times its size, while there are q few
palatial residences that would be cred
it TO any city. The lawns as a rule are
we'll kept, and flowers are planted ev.
erywhere The drainage is good and the
entire city is exceptionally tidy and free
from ponds, malaria breeding sink holes
and filthy black alleys, presenting al
air of thrift and cleanliness seldom
found in town of this size.
The county courthouse stands on
Main street and is an imposing build
ing 1t was erected in 1888 at a cost OF
$25, 900. 1t is built of native brick
trimmed with limestone, and is commo
dious and handsome.
The opera house is in the center o
the business section, the lower story
being used as business houses. Tn,
building Is Of brick and cost some $40,
O0O The hall has seating capacity o
600 and has a good, large stage, Al b.
100 feet, we'll supplied with scenery
dressing rooms, etc.
This city has complete system o
waterworks which would be credit T.
city of twice its size The plant wa
put in in 1894 at cost Of $37, 500 ant
is owned and operated by the city. Tn
pumping station is neat brick building
OH the banks of the river. from which tn
water supply is secured above all DANCE
of contamination from city drainage
The two Deane pumps have capacit.
of $4,000 gallons per hour. Water
pumped into a standpipe lie feet higI
and l6 feet in diameter, and from ther
distributed through the city by mean
of seven miles of mains.
The volunteer fire department is vel
organized and very efficient and is wei
equipped with all the necessary appli
ances. 1t has an enviable record an
the support of the community.
The electric light plant is also frs
class, and the entire city is lighted b
80 arc lights. This plant is valued a
$4,000 They have both arc and IN
, candescent dynamos, with capacity c
, 60 arcs and /, 500 incandescents.
Possibly no town of this size has a
complete telephone system or as man
instruments in use. There are two eA
changes, one operating 1876 instrument!
. the other 10.
The people of Carmi take great prid
3 in their public schools and give them
l cordial and hearty support. The enr
meration of the district is 1900, {
: which 100 are colored. The colored PIT
pills are taught i'll separate schools, hay
ing good frame building and tw
teachers. There are two school builc
a ings for the use of the whites. the mort
' side and the south side These are moo
ern two story bricks with eight room
Q each and cost about $l2, 500 each. TIL
8 schools are thoroughly graded and hay
e most excellent high school course {
= four years. They are supplied with
- good library of 700 volumes and $50
a physical and chemical apparatus.
!, Very few towns of this size can boal
Of two church edificos costing $500
g and $4,000 respectively, besides 81
Q other good church buildings.
n That this is wealthy and prospero,
community is fully evidenced by tt
fine showing of the banks of Carm
There are two good, substantial banl
q ing concerns.
q The newspaper field is we'll file
Il here by two live and progressive weel
n lies, The Times and The Courier, DO,
l. of which are replete each week wit
T. the local news of the section.
y y The main line of the Louisville az
y Nashville railroad from st. Louis
Louisville and the Cairo division of Il
from, Gni..a IL na.,xr.llo