The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-10-19
PROSPEROUS
SHELBYVILLE
TOWN HAS HAD \ WONDERFUL
GROWTH SINCE THE A5oLl-
TIoN OF SALOONS.

has only recently returned from a
visit to his people in shelbyville, was
interviewed by a Herald reporter in
regard to the business situation in that
town since the abolition Of the saloon
and the adoption Of the four mile or
Adams law. When questioned about
the growth of the town and the effects
the removal of the saloon from the
town had had on business, he said
in part:
1T has been nearly fifteen years
since lived in Shelbyville, but have
visited there from time to time since.
was there one year ago and also
two years ago, and while there two
years ago took particular pains to in
quire into the matter as at that time
We were fighting for the dispensary
in Columbia, and naturally | was in
terested in the effects the removal
: of the saloon had had on the town.
Two years ago when l was there, the
town had not had time to recover from
:. the radical change from saloon to no
. saloon, but even then there seemedto be
hopeful air, and nearly every man,
when asked how he liked the dry
town" would answer that it was the
best thing that had ever happened to
= Shelbyville, and say the town was
, beginning to grow, and predict that
within three years the population of
IS the town would double.
n DO you think the population has
e doubled?' the former Bedford coun'
e tian was asked.
r mo, hardly that he replied, but
| do know that it is Increasing at such
a rate that people have to live in
n almost any kind of house, and will
p pay almost any kind of rent for the
Is privilege of living in Shelbyvllle
There have been over 100 cottages
erected in that town since the last
n time | was there, "a year ago. anC
u about twelve handsome dwellings
costing anywhere from $4,000 to $l0,
. 900 and $4,000. And there are tiy'
rs. dwellings in the course of construc
IN ton now on the principal street OF tn
T. citv that will cost not less than $500
TX to $4,000 each.
re. "How about the business houses?
re he was asked.
ey 'There is not a vacant store-hous
lin in the CITY,"
"Haye any new ones been built?'
Eyes, a few; but you must remen
her that there were about ten house
= that were occupied by saloons that ar
now occupied by merchants In IN
ew drv goods. clothing and grocery bus
hn ness And | might mention here tia
for since the abolition of the saloon frol
eg, the town there have been two penc
lgo factories. one large planning and sa
! mill, buggy factory, new theatr
ing and new hotel built, and the o.
the female school that had been closed Il
cry wears has been opened and Is IN
fiourishing condition, and building
- being equipped now that Will De
)IE cupied by a large pants factory.
Nv How about the tax rate?
..rbe tax rate is not as high as
is in Columbia. The city owns
own water works, new streets d
being opened and the corporation III
will be extended and more terrific
will be taken in. Sales are held apo
twice each year, when tract Oh lai
,s Ont up into lots and is sold at pu
liz auction and is quickly bought u
Abont 200 cottages and residences W
=. no built within the next twelve monIl
l was told"
"1. tbere as much drunkenness
- there used to be-"
"No there is not one-tenth as mnc
q neither is there one-sixth as mu
S. Iouor drunk. OF course you Will
l M drunk man occasionally, but IT
N 90 seldom that the people look up
W him as a curiosity. You rarely see
* man who has been drinking at
n And best of all, while there saw m
W .. work who used never to think
IS working, and rarely were able to WI
W straight. All they did was 10 y
w around the saloons and drink all III
* could pay for, and all they could ma
X como one else pay for. These 81
u same men now look well-to-do, and
W con 90 into their homes and you
~ see a vast difference. There you
v n moot cheerful and happy wife, briI
d Il and loving children and everytn1
~ looks bright and prosperous My VI
NJ ,,;noad me- thoroughly that