The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-26
.DECATURS PROSPER
AS NEVER BEFORE
Growth of Towns During Year
Is Marvellous
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE
Rurris cowen Meets With an Accident
In Belt at Shops Which May
Prove Fatal-other De-
catur News.
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

Decatur, December 25.-(Special)-
Never before in the history of Decatur
and New Decatur have these two cities
the Twin Cities of Alabama-been in as
prosperous and growing condition as they
are now, at the close of the year 1906.
Fortune has smiled most beautifully upon
them during the year. The Decaturs have
received more than their share of the
good things that have come to the entire
country on the wave of progress which
has swept over the land during the past
twelve months.
Today the merchant, the professional
man, the mechanic, and, in fact, all
classes of people in the two Decaturs.
who labor and toll and think for their
daily bread. are better situated, from a
financial point of view, than ever before.
The wave of prosperity, too, has visited
the rural sections of this portion of the
state, and has left it's imprint there The
farmers of the Tennessee valley of North
Alabama are financially better off today
than they ever were before. Last season
they raised a fairly good crop of cotton
and received good prices for it. As a re-
suit many of the farmers have bank ae-
counts in the Decaturs. This is sonnet hing
that was rarely ever found before among
the farming classes of this portion of the
state. At home the farmer has well filled
corn cribs and smoke houses, and on this
Christmas Day he is sitting by his fire.
side, with his family about him, as happy
as king. He feels good for he has plenty
and is eontented.
Year Has Worked Wonders.
1t is safe to say that there is no other
city in Alabama if not in the entire
south, that has grown and thrived and
prospered to such a great extent as have
the Decaturs during the past year 1.-THE
growth of the Decaturs during the last
eighteen months has been wonderful it
has surpassed the growth of any other
town of the same size In the state" said
a travelling man in the lobby of one of the
hotels the other night. This man went
on to explain that during the past year
and a half he had been in many of the
larger cities and towns of Alabama, and
continued he said, You people who live
here don't seem to realize how rapidly
you are growing. You don't talk and add
vertise your town, either, as you should
do, and as other towns of the state are
doing. Your natural advantages here are
as good as most any and better than
many of the towns and cities not only in
Alabama but in the entire country. Do
you know that you have right here at
your doors one of the greatest rivers in
the United States2
only few days ago." he said, Il
visited the Muscle Shoals. but few
miles below here and saw the great work
that the general government has done and
is doing there. And what wonderful
water power that is at the shoals. / am
reliably informed that it is second to the
power of the mighty Niagara. The gov
eminent engineer at the shoals told me
that there were more, than 100000 horse
power there. What power that is. One
can scarcely conceive of its greatness and
might. This wonderful power ! was re-
liably informed will soon be harnessed,
and will be used to turn the wheels of
the factories of this wonderful valley of
the Tennessee. When this is done it will
be but a matter OF a few years until the
Decaturs Will be great city. Factories
and mills of various kinds will line this
old river here for miles, and their wheels
will he turned with the power from the
water which now floats wour steamboats,
here on the Tennessee
New Buildings Erected.