The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-05
FELL C|TY'S NAME
 IS NO HANDICAP Industrious Citizenship is Mak- ing the Town Great LIES IN THE C0OSA VALLEY Rich Mineral Deposits, Good Railroad Facilities and Fine Farming coun-
 try Have Caused the
 Raplc. Growth.
LIES IN THE CO0SA VALLEY
BY FRANK V. EVANS.

Pell City. June 4.-Cspecial. )-Many warnings have been given against the naIsing of babies for living men and women, for the obvious reason that hu- man nature is so frail and uncertain as to make doubtful outward appearance and character, no matter how worthy and brilliant may be the reputation Of the individual thus honored. Many poor weak devil in human shape has been lifted high above his level by cir cumstances and environ. nents by luck you may say, to lofty position among his fellowmen, who had not the strength to hold up his own name nor the equi- pose nor the seeking qualities so essen- tially necessary to a happy ending of mortal life; and many an innocent baby las had to bear the stigma of failure on the part of one after whom he was named.
 There is only one instance, however, where an Alabama town was named in honor of a man, who once graced f- lancial circles, was a great developer and Financial Napolean, and who from po- sition so lofty fell like I.ucifer." and hat town is Pell City, named for George H. Pell, once president of the East and West Alabama railroad.
 Moral.-Do not name babies or towns after men until death lays cold hands upon the man sought thus to be honored and the grave closes his mortal career.
 Geercc H. .PelI.
 George H. Pell was a man whose scheming proclvites ana winning ways, left rla mi fu md chicanery touched the very pocket books of Wall street end for a time made him a power in this land. He built for others at the expense of many beguilded men and through his manipulations won the distinction of being a wise and good man. While in the zenith of his glory this place was formed and the immediate possibility having been brought about by president George H. Pell, Judge John w Inzer attorney and director of the road, and John Postel, general mana ger, named the town "Pell City"
 But there is really nothing in a name, for we are taught by the great Bard of Avon that even "a rose would smell as sweet by any other name."
 The. story goes that George H. Pell has served two terms in the New York peni- tentiary since Pell City was founded. The writer has not the records before him bu. this is the rumor that came over the wires to his erstwhile friends in Ala bama.
 For this part of it's early beginning the PeIl City of today Is not to blame and there Is not taint, nor a stain upon this goodly and progressive community.
 Story of PeII City.
 The story of Pell City is but the story of mineral development In Alabama, and will go down through the years to come as part of the history of the Seaboard Air Line railroad in this state. There fore 1t is not out of place to refer here to some facts connected with early post tellum railroad building in Georgia and Alabama. When the republicans and ne- groes were in assumed power in Georgia. controlling both branches cf the General Assembly and the executive department. H I. Kimball a real developer, who came down from Ma.re grasped an opportun- ity and utilizing political conditions, there begun the work of railroad build ing in Georgia on a large scale. These railroads were much needed for the de- velopment of the waste places in that favored state; and the sequel is that to- day there is wealth where poverty once nbode and there is enlightment where ig- norance prevailed; and no agency has heen more potent in this transformation than the railroads built by H. l. kindaH and associates. He issued bonds and they were endorsed by the mongrel crew who mismanaged the state of Georgia, sold in the markets, were fepudiated by the people of that state when they re- assumed control of the government and now lie dead in the bond morgues of the east.
 One of these Kimball roads thus built was the Cartersville and Van Vert, run ming out from the town of Cartersville, Ga, about twenty miles to the old towns of Van Vert and Rockmart, where stand mountains of the finest slate In all the south The original idea was to reach the coal fields of Alabama; and in this direction the engineer directed the com pass at the very beginning of the work. It all meant development of latent re- sources
 Consequence of Repudiatlon.
 When the crisis came the Gainesville and Van Vert road suffered the conse- quences; that is its owners did, and 1t be- gan changing hands. It was first oad-guage road, then changed to mar row-guage. then back to a broad-guage. Its name was changed to the East and West Railroad of Alabama. Its line ex- tended in 1883 to Broken Arrow, in St. Clair county, now Coal City, and later on to Pell City, where 1t taps the Southern railway. The little road suffered many changes until a few months ago when it was acquired by the great Seaboard Air Line system: and is today being trans formed into one of the most perfect mod ern railroads in all the land with road