The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-10

II bana in way hurt Dothan and in a better way helped the town. Part of Dothan's territory, part of the terri tory that gave the town its immense wagon trade, was necessarily cut ofg by the construction of the new roads | and the towns which sprung up along them. But what Dothan thus lost in It's retail trade was more than made up in it's gain of wholesale trade. l discussed this phase of Dothan's commerce with George H. Malone. banker, capitalist, late member of the Constitutional Convention, and one of the leading citizens of this section. | The new towns which have sprung up along the railroads. towns like En- ! terprise, Hartford, Slocomb and oth- l ers." said Mir. Malone. have taken necessities of life in plain foods, you might say. But these same small towns have resulted in q heavy fn- crease of the wholesale business of Dothan. The goods they sell their | small communities are largely, bought from Dothan. Moreover. Dothan as the chief trading center of this section sells all the finer grades of merchant disc, the higher class of goods. The | fact that Dothan's business last year was higher than that for. any previ-
  tinued growth and prosperity"
 Some Wiregrass Capitalists.
 There Is probably no man of the Wiregrass better prepared to speak upon existing conditions than George. H. Malone, being the most prominent of the well known Malone family, who | are said to control and own interests valued at more than a million dollars. The family of which George F. Malone fN aVaA &% xsy1x4 k.A aaaM H. Malone, D. R. Malone. A. r. MaMns and John Malone are interested in banking business at Dothan, Headlard, Enterprise, Elba and Graceville, Fla, Slocornb and Cottonwood and in mer- cantile businesses at Enterprise, Head land, Cottonwood, Slocomb. Columbia, Samson and GraceviIle. Fla. In addition to their other holdings the Malones control many acres of farming lands throughout this fertile section. Another important factor in the business life l of Dothan is D. c. Carmichael who has valuable interests in the Dothan Hard ware Company, in 6 drug business, a real estate business, and saw mill and turpentine industries. And there is the estate of the late Joe Baker sup posed to be worth over a quarter of million.
 These are just two or three signal
 
 been built up in and around Dothan. They are cited for no other reason than to show how private fortunes have swelled and grown with the section, to show that when lands, in a few years, increase in value 2,000 per cent the business interest of the section have a corresponding increase.
 An important factor, most vaiua- ble contribution to the growth of NN system. And it might be mentioned incidentally, that perhaps of all sec- tions of Alabama the southeastern por- ton of the State is most anxious, most eager on the subject Of education. Dothan more than any other town in this section has supplied that hunger for knowledge and for better things. Cfty's Fine Schools.
 It has been mentioned here that in one school building of the city over $S3,00O has been invested and 1t has been mentioned that it was found necessary to build an additional school Building on the south side of town at a cost of more than $13.O00. It is to be remembered that Dothan's first school house built at cost of over S1s,0o0 was destroyed by fire.
 These figures. in their own way, show what this town has done for the cause of education. But there are some more impressive figures to be given. For instance the schools of Dothan re- l qutre twenty teachers and there is now an enrolment of TOO pupils. Think of that, twenty teachers ana TOO pupils. And all of this in a town of 6,000 people a town which sixteen years ago was mere cross roads, proud of the fact that 1t had been made a postofice.
 The important bearing that Dothans schools have had upon its growth and development can not be appreciated by | those who do not know the high esteem in which the cause of education is held throughout the WiregFass. The prosperous farmer, the man who has more than enough to live on, and his name Is legion throughout this section, wants his children to have the best educational training that they can pos sibly secure. The town that has the best schools is the town that attracts his attention if he has children to edu- cate. Dothan's schools are absolutely free to all people, and the prOsperous farmer for miles around sends in his children to board or moves in himself that they may get the advantages of the best educational system.
 Modern Methods Used.
 | The schools are operated on the most modern plans and principles. The best, the characteristic features of the city schools have been adopted in Dothan. They have an art, music and elocution l department and they have mtd-season promotions as in the city schools. Not only are the schools absolutely free to all classes but books are fur nished them at a merely nominal cost. The pupil is only charged a yearly rental of between $2,50 and S5 for his books. He is of course charged for any damage or destruction he may do. The system serves a double purpose, first in supplying the pupils with books at very low cost and second of in- structing the pupil in economy and carefulness in the preservation of the books. The schools are under the su- perVision of Professor Howard Griggs.
 Like the Montgomery schools the Dothan schools have been taken out of politics and are not under the con trol of the City Council. but is man. aged directly and successfully by a city board of education.
 Features Of City Government,
 The municipal government of Dothan IS distinctly modern in the value 1t places upon franchises. As yet 1t has granted no electric light or water works franchises. These public util- ities' are owned and controlled by the city, and both of them are splendid systems. Artesian water is the basis Of the water works system. There are two big wells bored right in the heart of the city and about them the water I works system is built.
 he NrAIrs