The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-04-16
Carbon Hill is Ont of Aa-
 bamas Mining Centsrs MANY STRONG COAL co $
Mining PayroIIs Make Local Trade ProsperouS-NcW Bank Buiidinu to Be Erected-Churchc
 and Lodges Thrive.

Carbon Hill, April 15.-(Speoial. )-But few towns in North Alabama have shown equal growth and enterprise with Carbon Hill during the past two years. And there seems to be no check in the rapid strides that this place is making.
 Carbon Hill Is strictly a mining town but Is peculiar unto itself. One misses the smut smoke and dust common to most places supported by the mining in- dustry and many people have to be told that within radius of few miles are several of the largest mine openings in the country About the only sign one sees is the cars loaded with coal in the railway yards. and there are hundreds of these every day.
 Mayor Charles Roland. (Charles Is one of the best men outside the Hall of Fame), puts the populat tion of his town at 25O0 and 1 think this a conservative estimate.
 About one hundred dwelling houses have been built in the past few months and number of substantial business houses A new Presbyterian church has just been erected al a cost of POGO. One two-story brick business house has just been com pleted at cost of $6000. A new city hall with lodge room above is to be built at
 
 furnish half the money and the three secret orders, Masonic Odd Fellow and Knights of Pythias, are to furnish the other half. This building is to go up at once and will be of brick. The brick will be made in fact are now being made within the town limits by l. M Townley, who has just established a> brick plant at great cost He has put in the best and most improved machinery for the making of fine pressed brick. He has a very fine quality of brick clay.
 New Bank Building.
 The Carbon Hill Banking company, which. by the way. is a new concern and one of the towns most important bus mess institutions, has let the contract for the erection of a bank building at the corner of Maple and Main streets. This building will be of pressed brick and stone and will. cost $500 It will be. two stories and handsomely furnished for the banking business
 The officers of the Carbon IIli Banking company are: Lee Stone president: G. B. Mccormack of Birmingham, vice pres ident and J. H. Bemiss. cashier. The bank is capitalized at s25. GOO. and Is doing a most successful business.
 Prof A. B. Cornelius Is principal of the graded public school, which is one of the best in the county. About $500 has been recently spent in repairing and Furnishing the school building. The enrolment is very large.
 Electric light and water plants are to be put in soon. Arrangements for these Improvements are now being made. Two eght-lnch wells will be sunk to secure the water. The town has one well of this kind already furnishing good, pure water Carbon Hill has three hourshing churches with large congregations. They are the Methodist. Rev. Robert Jones, pastor; Baptist. Rev. Will T. Davis. pas tor; and Presbyterian, Rev w c. c. Foster, pastor. All have large Sunday schools.
 The secret orders Of Odd Fellows. Ma sonic and Knights of Pythias have strong lodges here of about sixty members each and are all in very fine condition and growing The officers of these lodges are as follows: Odd Fellows. John IT. Wood noble grand; M. T.. Patterson, vice grand J. M. Townley. secretary. and j. F. Ander- son. treasurer. Masonic pr. c. s. Glider worshipful master D. J. Parker, senior warden, and J. R. Bucha nnan, Junior warden. Knights of PYthias, George Shaw chancellor commander: George Ganzemler. keeper of the records and seal and master of the exchecquer.
 A Faithful Mayor.
 Charles Roland has served one term as