The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-07
HANCEV|LLE HAS
 A FINE LOCATION
Has Pure Water and Is Immune
 from Disease
A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY
Mercantile Business, Industrial Enter prise and Agriculture, Progressive and Successful Citizens, Flour
 ishlne Churches, Etc., Etc.

Hanceville, November 6-(Special.) )-Af- ter writing my Culman letter l discover ed by diligent search two negro men on the streets there and upon inquiry found that neither of them was an inhabitant of the city of Cullman. They were from this, the so-called "black belt' of white Cullman county, and were present as witnesses in the circuit court, now in session. By the way, singular to relate these negro men had great difficulty in finding shelter and food in that southern city of 5000 inhabitants, though each was fully provided with all necessary expense money. But Cullman people are not un- kind nor ungenerous. There are no homes for black people there, so the keeper of a hotel placed the two in an outer room, furnished them with old bedding and fed them in the kitchen. They were of course gratefully surprised This fact Is related simply to show the conditions in the unique southern town of Cullman. President Roosevelt could not meet Book CT Washington on social terms in Gull man. It is a noticeable fact that there are no keys to hotel rooms in Cullman, yet there are no losses of valuables The reason for this may be obvious to most of your readers.
 Hancevile's Location. Today the writer finds himself in the clever little town of Hancevlle, and still in Culman county, ten miles south of the city of Cullman, forty-four miles south of Decatur. Hancevile is delightfully."- situated on Sand mountain. The air is salugrious and the water from it's five bored wells and chalybeate springs near by insures immunity from ill-health. Here about five hundred (50O) people bask in the sunshine of every natural comfort. And they are clever people, energetic, hopeful and hospitable. There are six or seven prosperous merchants here, to-wit: c. Burkhart & Co, who do a business of about $lO0,O0O per annum; Asa Griffith, with $75,000 patronage McEntire x Co.,, about $50'000 more; Crundey & Holmes, N. Schlaf, Allison Drug company and B. E. Styles.
 In the manufacturing line three steam cotton gins are established by the first three named above. N. Schlaf conducts a whisky distillery and saloon Gibbs & Shaver are also distillers.
 The Hustler.
 Prominent among the developing agen-
  Hustler. owned and edited by Mrs J. H. Gillespie, who is also proprietor of the Gillespie hotel, and the only notary pub lie in the town. She is an all round de- serving business woman, with a gift of the pen which should make some of us ashamed of ourselves. Hanceville is just the age of the South and North Alabama railroad, but has become part of Gull man county only within the past three when RlQnnt vial goodly portion of it's territory to the county Of Cullman. This was done it is supposed for prudential reasons. both in- dustrial and political. In thus gaining ter ritory from Blount. Cullman embraced a negro population of several hundred but these remain in this section of the coun- ty. The writer is informed that only one of them is registered voter and that they are humble orderly and industrious. ana not objectionable to those accus- toned to their presence In fact they say, there is room and work for more.
 While the Haneeville section of Gull man county is not so distinctively Ger man as the upper part of the county. A large proportion of the farmers and mer- chants here are Germans, as will be mo- tced from the names above presented.
 These are mostly truck gardeners- iruit, vegetable and potato producers in which industry they are very success lui' let many or them have taken m the cultivation or cotton in connection with their other crops. Germans are great uiversihers, and this is the modern indus trlal idea that must win. Mir J. M Rhea agent for the Louisville and Nash Vile railroad, furnishes the information that about 3000 bales of cotton finds a market at this point annually He says the other principal produces shipped from here are strawberries and potatoes and give some facts and figures on the en- ormous profits derived from these which must induce the investment of still great CT capital and industry in these splendid ly productive lands
 There are no lawyers in HanceviI1e TWO physicians. Drs George McPberson and w. H. Martin care for the sick
 Quite recently the town of UanceviIIe has erected handsome new academy and college, over which presides Prof. I. l.. Gibson, principal, and Miss Carrie Thompson and Miss Alfred, assistants Two hundred bright pupils are enrolled in this school, and the attendance ia steadily increasing
 Religious Denominations.
 The religious denominations here have two Methodist churches, the M. E. soutb and the M. E.; one Catholic and one Lutheran church, the latter perhans tba stronger. The Rev. NJ Nierman is lie pastor and resides here permanently
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