The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-12
DECATURS MODERN
 AND ENTERPRISINC
Fine Buildings Attract Atten-
 ton of a Visitor
PRIVATE HOUSES HANDSOME
The Twin Cities Have Everything That Goes to Make Up Larger Cities and Show Much
 Progress.

and Show Much
 Progress.
 Decatur, November 10.-(Special)- If there is any one feature about the Deca- turs which impresses itself more forcibly than another upon the visitor 1t is the substantial business blocks which adorn the streets of the two towns.
 Nearly every one of the old wooden structures in the older Decatur have been torn down to make way for these modern buildings of stone and brick, and New Decatur began its very existence with modern structures which were meant for 1 permanent occupancy. There are build ings in both places which would do credit to the larger cities of the country.
 Besides these business houses the private homes impress one with the thought that these goodly people are here to stay and are comfortably and happily ensconced.
 Churches of the several denomlnations ornament both cites-The Methodist pos sessing the more imposing structures.
 Business Organization.
 
 able direction of the following public spir- 1 ited officials is constant in its efforts to build up and develop: President c. Ed Ables; vice president T. C. Jones; secre tary Walter M. Grubbs; treasurer. John A. Thomson.
 New Decatur has its commercial club, which is also moving in the direction of development. MT. W. w. Maxwell is its 1 secretary.
 The Newspapers.
 The Decaturs are locally represented in the Journalistic field by two excellent 1 weekly ewspapers-the Decatur News by 1 Walter M. Grubbs, editor and proprietor, ! and the New Decatur Advertiser by the venerable Col. J. C. Hildreth, both of whom are wide-awake in their respective fields. If one Is to judge of the public spir- 1 it of the merchants of the two Decaturs ] by the amount of advertising which em- 1 bellish the pages of these two worthy l journals, he must decide that the towns are fully up to date.
 Editor Grubbs is the only son and suc- eessor to his lamented father, the late Dr. L. Henley Grubbs who was well l known and much admired as a journalist 1 and as a citizen. pr. Grubbs was one of 1 the pioneers of Decatur and he left his impress here. His son Is a worthy scion 1 of the noble stock; and finds time to de- vote his intellect and his energies to public l service in laboring for the advancement of both the Deeaturs. As secretary of the board of trade he politely, inteligently and gladly answers all questions about the twin cities and the great county of Nor 1 gan.
 New Decatur.
 The people of New Decatur account their city much in advance of it's older sister Phey claim a population Of 1000 people and feioice in1 referring to the fact that nearly every one of the large manufacturing concerns to which refer ence has heretofore been made are To- cated in the younger city.
 The cltys Strength.
 MT. Guy F. Ponder, the efficient city clerk of New Decatur informs the writer that the assessed values of this city ex- ceed S1, 100000. The tax rate Is one half of 1 per cent for general purposes, and three mills for the schools. The license income is about S6000
 Eight saloons are here located, which pay tax of s4OO each. It requires only three policemen to guard and protect the city which indicates that law and order here prevail.
 It Is estimated that the payrolls of New Decatur aggregate S14O0O0 per month.
 Municipal, educational, Etc. Three white schools and one colored are ] sustained by the city, under control of l a board Of education elected by the peo- l pie.
 The city administration Is composed of a mayor and eight aldermen, two from l each ward. Mayor Blackwell Is at the head; G. F. Ponder, clerk, H. A. Seelye, ] treasurer J. NJ. Robinson. marshal. 1 The health of New Decatur is excellent; the death rate light. Like Old Decatur, the city enjoys water works gas works, electric lights, telephones, street cars and all necessary public institutes.
 Consolidation of the two Decaturs seems l not to be so favorably considered In New. l Decatur as in the older city New Decatur has excellent banking fa- cilities-the Morgan County National bank handsomely accommoda ting the | merchants and business men.
 The Hotels.
 Both the Decaturs enjoy excellent hotel accommodations-th Hotel Bismarck and | the American at Decatur and the Tavern, a modern structure. at New Decatur l Your correspondent finds himself com 1 fortably quartered at the Birmarck, now under the management of MT. and Mrs. R. E. Sanders. with the clever and af- fable B. l.. Sweeney as clerk The Bis marck has for a long time been the stop l ping place for commercial drummers and 1 for passengers transferring to the other road. The rooms and beds are now clean and comfortable, the cuisine excel lent, the service most satisfactory.
 Morgan County.
 Morgan county. in which the two Deca- l turs are located, is one of the leading counties of the state. rich in agricultural i lands, in timber and now in manufactur- l ing concerns. 1t has tax values to the amount of about s6,0OO.OO0, and a low tax rate with no bonded debt of any conse- quence, to-wit, sl5,0oo which is soon to be wiped away.
 County's Progressive Spirit.
 The county spirit, in keeping with that of its cities and towns, is progressive. It l is now proposed to issue $150,000 thirty l year, per cent bonds. for the purpose of public road-buildng; and looking to 1 this end election is to be held in the i county on the 16th of this month that the l people may express their wishes on the subject. The writer is informed by those who seem to know that the proposition will be endorsed by an overwhelming vote.
 By the way, singular to relate, the De- caturs have their streets macadamized with gravel brought from northern Mis- sissippi. while the central and southern