The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1899-04-14
COLUMBIA.

|
| Columbia, the capital city OF
Maury County, famous for fifty
years as the garden spot of Tonnes
see, the home of culture, the seat of
learning, the abiding place of beau
tiful women, chivalrous men and
fashionable folk, Is taking its sec
ond and better growth. 1t is hold
ing to all that Is good, discardlng
that that is not, and waxing stronger
every day.
The desirable residences are all
occupied, and the cry is for more.
The business houses are all in use,
and the demand Is Dot yet satisfied.
There are more substantial build
ings in course of erection (not in
ending the burnt district) than at
any other one time since the boom
time when the Bethel House aud
the Masonic Temple were erected.
There Is noticeably fewer idle men
on the streets, than for years; the
skillful mechanics are all employ
there is not an idle printer, plasterer,
painter or carpenter in town, unless
it be that he is waiting on the
weather, or some such temporary
hindrance; even the common day
laborer who works at odd jobs, the
hod- carrier, the dirt shoveler, the
cart driver, has employment, or else
he is an idle fellow who does not
want it.
One reason for this is the great
demand for strong, able-bodied men
at the phosphate mines in this
county. Another reason is the mile
or more of new double tracks the
railroads are preparing to add to
their yards. Another is the tearing
down to rebuild seven new three
story brick houses on Seventh street.
Another is the number of small
buildings in course of erection, here
and there all over the city.
Columbia is not only growing in
size, but in solid financial strength,
in better morals and in more ration
al living. Taken as a class, the
merchants are in better financial
condition and are doing more sat
isfactory business, than at any time
since the war. The one big reason
for this is, that they are more near
ly on a cash basis than ever before.
The people as whole are more
solvent than they have ever been (;
and the one big reason for this is,
that the foolish idea of outshining
their rival in the social world, does
not dominate Columbia society
as it once did. The extravaganza of
our fashionable set was very cost
ly experience to them, but an object
lesson from which Columbia of to-
day learned valuable lesson in
economy, conservatism, and "mod-
Grafton in all things" No people
can give and enjoy more elegant
functions to-day than the people of
Columbia; but they have learned
(what they once did not know not
to. indulge in these extravaganza lux
uries more often than their incomes
can afford.
Society has improved in another
respect. The morals are better than
they were ten, fifteen or twenty
years ago. They are nothing to brag
about now, only in improvement.
: Living witnesses can recall the time
when prominent business and pro-
fessional men made frequent daily
) visits to their favorite saloon, and
l after business hours, together with
: their Junior partners and clerks in
dulged in an evening of draw poker.
Such practices bankrupted more
than one firm then in existence and
dissipated the fortunes of many a
promising man. To-day, the mar
: who has a reputation for drinking
=, and gambling is almost ostraciseC
l from business circles, and society
gives him much cooler reception
than it once did.
d These thoughts are not the vaga
s ries of an optimist, but a sober state
o ment of undisputed facts; and tn,
l purpose of their mention is to give
o emphasis to this proposition; tina
l from a business, social, climatic
g present or future point of view
o there is no better place for one tt
y make his home, than Columbia, the
/, capital city of Maury County, Ten
d nessee; and those who go elsewhere
q seeking the ignis fatuus of "roya
|, road to fortune" will return, nine
v times out OF ten, sader but wise
n men.
% THE Nashville Banner says tina
n -