The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-16
EVERY MAN IS BUSY ABOUT CAMP HILL People Have Recovered from
 the Late Election IS A FL0URISHING TOWN All Alabama Fruits Grow Here In Abundance and 5000 Bales of
 Cotton Are Received
 Each Year.
$ A FLOURISHlNG TOWN
BY FRANK V. EVANS.

Camp Hill, April 15.-(Special) )-When l asked by the writer how this fiourishing ] little town in Talladega county, seven miles east of Dadeville, derived its name. prompt answer came from one of the clever natives: "This hill was once a reli- gous camp ground" Of course this Is a | fact, and the name is a worthy one. The old time ''camp-meetings," where the re- | ligious fervor of the devout church folk was annually observed. is now passing away. Who that can remember the tent ed fields. the bush-arbor the homespun dresses, the scoop bonnets, the plentiful baskets of "yellow-legged" chickens, and who that heard the long sermons, the de- vout prayers and the joyous shouts of fathers and mothers, Is not today im- pressed by the change to stately temples of worship, with cloud-reachng spires, pealing organs and salaried choirs?
 However, it is not the province or the purpose of the writer to moralize. He only means to note how time changes conditions; and that time has transformed this beautiful hill into a veritabe young city, with a population of about 700 souls, who are proud of their town and hope for steady growth and advancement.
 Third Largest Town.
 Camp Hill Is the third largest town in Tallapoosa county. It is over 700 feet above sea level and is in the midst of an agricultural section far richer than the average East Alabama lands. This mar ket receives about 5000 bales of cotton, an average crop year, besides other agricul- tural products. All kinds of Alabama fruit, grapes and berries grow well here. but the writer is informed that as yet no attention is paid to this branch of in- dustry. The farmers and gardeners grow only enough for home consumption Some attention is paid to poultry and eggs and many of these are shipped from this point. Said one citizen today: This country will produce any and all things that any other part of the state grows if our farmers would only give 1t 8 half chance" And the remark struck the writer as being en- tirely correct.
 City Officers Efficient.
 Hon. c. F. Akin Is the mayor of the city, and the aldermen are, j. w. Farga- son, Dr. w. T. Langley, w. R. Duncan, W. T. Slaughter and J. K. Watkins. They administered well the affairs of the town have a low tax rate and support a good public school system. The town is highely moral and very orderly. There are no saloons here, but Camp Hill has a dispensary, which began operations Jam uary 1 It is said to be a source of con siderable profit though the Camp Hill people do not claim to be it's chief pat rons, and I do not believe they really are
 fo,, o1,r a11o Cf the most f1ourishing of which is the Uni versaist church, with a membership of 220. The Rev. A. G. Strain is the pas tor: and the denomination has a strong hold in this community. The other churches here are the Methodist, the Mis- sonary and the Primitive Baptist.
 Has Strong Institution.
 Camp Hill is the home of the Southern Industrial institute. This institution was founded in 1898 by pr. Lyman Ward, young educator who halls from New York He was attracted to Camp Hill by the excellent location, the fine water and the healthy atmosphere. He opened his school for white boys and girls, adopt ing methods similar to those of the Tus- kegee institute. Dr. Ward began with out money or land. The institute was chartered or incorporated in 1901, and
 
 no appropriation from the state and no endowment, but generous friends at home and abroad have presented gifts from time to time until now the school has 400 acres of land with several good build ings and farm outfit, all of the value of about $25,000; and each year the dona- tions are increasing MT. Carnegie has presented $5O00 for the building and fitting up of machine shop, and the students have just begun work on this structure. This is an industrial school the boys and girls being required to work their way through. The faculty is composed of six well qualified teachers. and the course of study is thorough and practical. The boys cultivate the farm lands. saw the timber and build all the houses and fences. The buildings reflect credit upon their skill. The girls do all the domestic work, the dairying. the poultry raising, the sewing, laundry and the cooking, and for each of these they are under special training. The lamented Congressman Thompson was a great friend of this in- stitution and did much to encourage it's management in both an advisory and a practical way.
 No Manufacturing Town.
 Camp Hill is not a manufacturing town, but it has a fourishing steam gin and grlst mill, ana variety ShOp. IhlS town is an important shipping point for cot ton seed. Corine & Co, the gin men, have shipped 100 carloads this season. and they tell the writer that most of 1t went tc Birmingham. considerable amount of cooperage or stave timber is shipped from this point.
 The town has about eighteen stores. two hotels and a newspaper-The Tines, by Editor Payne, which keeps abreast xxrlt 4I,@ Nf a,,1 fu surroundings. The Boon house is a new and handsome hotel, rooms newly fur nished. metal beds, perfection mattresses, etc. The cuisine Is excellent.
 The people at Camp Hill are rejoicing that the campaign is over, and seem sat isfied generally at the result. Wasted campaign literature is seen scattered fore and aft hereabouts, and the people say, Pity 'tis that all could not win" It's business now; the farmers are behind their blows and the business men up and doing at Camp Hill.