The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-04-09
HIGHEST RAILROAD
POINT IN STATE
Boaz is an Ideal Spot for
Homes
SCHOOLS WELL ATTENDED
Despite Reports to Contrary Sand
Mountain Lands Are Very Product
i've and Town Ships Immense
Amount of Produce.
SCHOOLS WELL ATTENDED
BY FRANK v. EVANS.


OF Sand mountain 1910 feet above tide
water the highest railroad point in the
state, is what these Boazites claim for
their town. Boaz is just half way be-
tween Alfalfa and Guntersville on the
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis
railroad. 1t is in the southern part Of
Marshall county, just half a mile from
the Etowah line, and commands a de-
| lightful view of the surrounding country
The atmosphere is bracing and invigor-
atlng, the water pure, wholesome and
plentiful. 1t Is notably true that In the
| center of the main street of the town
is a we'll Of genuine chalybeate water, as
line and as pronounced as any mineral
water In the mountains of Virginia This
Is public well and am told that people
come from miles around to partake Of its
lie giving qualities. Besides this there
are numerous wells and springs of free
stone water in and around the place.
Like all Of these mountain towns Boaz
is a delightful dwelling pace-an ideal
| spot for homes for schools and for
churches. No liquor is sold here or at
any other point in Marshall county; and
If there be some citizens who sometimes
"partake" they must needs walk or ride
across the line into Etowah, lust one
mile away, where saloon graces(O the
other border
three churches and two large flourish
ing schools are here located, and the
moral atmosphere Is all that could be de-
sired. One of these schools has a hand
some brick building and is under the
auspices of the Methodist Episcopal
IN rf /, I,to,,
trustees are erecting a handsome dormi-
tory to be called Girls Home" Here
the young ladies are to do their own
housekeeping and domestic work and to
live, while at school, at minimum cost.
The building and grounds cost about $10,-
ooO. About forty-five boarding pupils are
now In attendance at this institution.
The public school is also largely at
tended, and occupies a splendid modern
building, which Is quite imposing 1t is
not yet fully completed. but enough
rooms are finished to accommodate the
present attendance, which is large and
rapidly increasing. This school is under
the superintendency of Prof j. T. Terry,
and corps Of able assistants.
The Masons and Odd Fellows both
have fiourishing lodges here. There are
preachers in this town galore. A Ma
sonic lodge here with a membership of
twenty-three, has among the number
eleven preachers BY this standard Boaz
| can be accounted a goodly town
There Is not lawyer in the town, but
the signs of -four doctors show that some
pills are used even in this "land of the
sky"
The town government consists of
mayor and five aldermen There are no
policemen. not even a town marshal
The tax rate Is low. An election has
Just been held this week. and the fol-
lowing Is the new board: Mayor, Hon
p. M. Baker; aldermen: W. e. Snead e.
c. Snelgrove. II. M. Bennefleld. E. f.
Whitman and Eugene Williams. The
city has no debt.
Boaz is not only an agricultural mar
ket' but has important manufacturing in
terests. There Is here $4,000 nail and
lSeg factory and planning mill and oil
mills and steam gnnery which cost $40,-
600 They gin and press both the square
and the round bales. These give employ
ment to quite a number of workmen
There are twenty-nine stores In Boaz,
some of them substantial brick buildings,
and the number is annually increasing.
am told that twenty-five new buildings
have been erected in this town within
the last two months; among these there
are many handsome cottages.
While the Sand mountain lands are re-
garded by many people of the lower Sec
not seem to be fact, judging from the
immense amount of produce shipped
from this point Boaz receives about
5000 bales of cotton, and chickens and
eggs by myriads. Said a gentleman to
the writer today: If Collinsvlle beats
Boaz as an egg market, she will have to
beat the world for one firm in this town
shipped last season 5000 worth of eggs.
at an average price of 10 cents per doz-
en-" The reader has often read the sta
tistics which show that the American
egg crop produces more money than the
American cotton crop. yet such figures a $
the above put BoaZ not only ON top of
the mountain, but on top of the egg mar
ket The statement was verified by sew
eral witnesses. Surely these Sand noun
tain hens got busy" last year.
Much corn. oats. wheat and the grasses
are grown hereabouts, and the farmers
are in splendid condition. paying as they
go, increasing their acreage and apply
ing improved farm machinery to the
filling of the soil and harvesting of the
crops There are many signs of pro-
gress.
Fruit culture is also receiving more at
tention here than ever before. Peaches
apples and pears grow to perfection, and
are found to be quite profitable. Three
miles from this place, at Mountainsboro,
Mr.. Charles Ewing of Gadsden. has an
orchard of about 2U,oU0 ElDerta peach
trees which give promise of an immense
yield, and most probable returns.
There are but very few negroes in
this section, white labor performing all
farm work And by the way Boaz is
about evenly divided politically between
democrats and republicans. There are
no populites here, the line being drawn
on strict party lines. with the negro left
out. Your correspondent is informed
that there is not five majority on either
side. Perhaps no other town in the south
presents this singular condition The To-
cal newspaper here, the Enterprise, is
pronounced republican paper. and is pat
ronized by the community in general.
There seems to be no bitterness here be-
tween the political opponents
The only hotel here is the Mann House,
which entertains well the many travel
ing people who visit Boaz 1t Is under
the management of Mr.. and Mrs. G. M.
f. Mann.
This Sand mountain country is quite
close to Birmingham and these people
contribute largely to the general growth
and prosperity of your city.
Vote for John d. Strange