The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-14
nr win n. sheehan.


 Elba, Feb. 13.-(Special Correspon- dence. )--A solid wall of masonry, shut in by a chasm whose two sides are or unyielding mari is thrown across the Pea River five miles from Elba- is said to be as fine a dam, as neat piece of engineering work as one couio find in all Alabama.
 It has stood the floods and freshets of two winters and two springs. It IS as stout, and as strong as 1t was the day 1t was built from mari wall to mari wall. k Nor has sand and water made any impression upon the mari banks in which the wall of masonry loses itself. The dam with a few simple appliances can generate anywhere. from 1,500 to 5000 horse power.
 Yet 1t has never moved a wheel nor turned a spindle. Not one atom or the immense power that has poured over the dam has ever been harnessed. The dam was built carefully through out and conscientiousiy, it was built to run mills and factories. But no mills, no factories have yet come to feed upon the power that goes to waste. They have firm hopes of the future, the men who built the dam, in their local pride, and in their desire to build up the town of Elba, hopes that the day Is not far off when the delayed mills will come.
 If local patriotism, if a helpful spirit are to be rewarded the coming of the enterprises should not for long be de- layed.
 As it stands now the dam is a monu- ment to the vagaries of fortune, striking proof that even foresight and energy can not prevail against per- verse fate. Local capital built the dam, so that it's power so cheap and so plentiful would induce the location of manufacturing enterprises at Elba. It was especially desired to bring in one or more cotton mills. At that time the prospect for such a consummation was very hopeful. The movers of the enterprise the men who were behind the building of the dam were in cores pondence with some cotton mill people who were thinking of moving their nlant to the cotton fields of South Alabama.
 The Hopes of Elbas
 That was three years ago. Then came the short crop and the famous bull movement which sent cotton up to IS cents. Men who were contem- plating building cotton mills changed their minds. Men who owned cotton mills. and who were thinking of mov- ing them did the same thing. Cotton NllAASs W1Nh IlG 0NeAbAO &Sl 4u SAut down in the South as well as in the North.
 No cotton mill was built in or near Elba. Sixteen cent cotton had destroy ed Elba's immediate realization of the dream which was born of the dam.
 So it stands today a s2O.000' enter prise, idle and unremuenrative while thousands of tons of water and thou sands of horse power flow over it's masonry day after day and night after, night. Every dollar put into 1t was a local dollar, a dollar which came from the pockets Of some citizens of Elba or of some farmer living near the town. stock company, the Elba Water Power Company did the work. The dam as yet has not brought in a dollars return for the investment put in it. The building of the aau In the style 1t was constructed. was 9 considerable undertaking. It is a Figure 4" dam 1894 feet long and 20 feet high.
 In the meanwhile the dam stands ready and willing for business. Its power is instantly available through the placing of some simple machinery, machinery that could probably be bought for less than s200. It offers fine chance to some cotton mill manu- facturer, or to the owner of a factory of any sort who wants to change his location and who wants to come South If there be any of this sort who should see this they will hear things to their advantage by communicating with the citizens of Elba.
 The existence of this dam is proof positive of the energetic spirit of the people of Elba to push forward their town. Elba's progress forward urged by this spirit has been opposed by un- avoidabIe obstacles.
 To begin, Elba is one of the old towns of the Wiregrass an old town like Geneva It is strange, but nevertheless true that when any sec tion is suddenly opened to great devel- opment and great progress the old towns are at a great disadvantage when compared to the new towns. The new towns have a smoother, an easier field for development than do the old towns. There be many reasons why this is assuredy true. One of two of