The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-15
Rich But Inaccessible Section of Alabama.
story of the RehabfIitation of Town Destroyed sy Fire Four Years Awe-Enterprising Cities of
 Mountain Country.
By Bruce Kennedy.

Alexander City. April 14.-tstaff Cor respondence e)--Montgomery needs q railroad to Alexander City. Alexander City and all of this section of Alabama needs a railroad to Montgomery.
 within an hours ride of Montgomery by rail, if there was a railroad, and yet as Inaccessible to the Capital City as it was before the war between the miles northeast of Montgomery. By rail over either of the two. present routes, it is more than 100 miles and a The same Is true of the route of travel to Dadeville. Camp Hill, Goodwater, Syiacauga and other important towns of this growing country .y.ss of now reached either by way of opelika and over the Central of Georgia Rail- road or by way of Calera and the Ala City from Montgomery by the Opelika route 1t is 113 miles. The distance by way of Calera is somewhat greater and two changes of cars are necessary.
 Route for . Railroad.
 While no actual steps have been taken to build a railroad from Mont. gomery to Alexander City the pro1eet has been long discussed, and the people County city are eager for t. The route of such a railroad would foIow northeasterly course from Montgom ery-sand 1t is proposed by those wno aie ,s earnestly interested in it to make IL an air line from Montgomery to Annis- ton, a distance, as the bird flies of nine. ty miles. Wetumpka would be the nrst Montgomery Thence the road would traverse Fillmore County and strike through the southeast corner or Coosa County near Equality, reaching AIexan Sa1. . edge of TalIapoosa County. From Al exander City to Anniston the distance is fifty miles through a mountainous re- North from Alexander City through the gold fields of Clay County, across Clay with it's rich deposits of ore. through the eastern end of Iairadega tes sontharn Godny part of Calhoun County its terminus. At Anniston such a railroad would con meet with lines to Atlanta, Birmingham and other important cities.
 It is doubtful if there is railroad m Alabama which traverses ninety miles of territory as rich as that which this ninety miles are found some of the most fertile fields of the State. vast timber forests, and deposits of iron, coal, gold pyrites, mica and marble.
 Would Reach Live Towns.
 With Montgomery at it's southern end and Anniston it's northern terminus and with Alexander City midway pe- tween, the line would begin with manu, facturing industries sufficient to supply would be made at Alexander City for Dadsville. Camp Hill and Opelika on the East and Goodwater and Sylacauga on the West Opelika, with its 7,00o people, is forty-seven miles from Alex lander City. Camp Hill and DadevilIe lie between The former, with 1.00o people, is twenty-five miles east 70. ol county seat of Tallapoosa County. with its 2,000 people, is seventeen miles east of Alexander City. Goodwater the largest town in Coosa, with 1,50t [ popuIatfon is twelve miles west ol ! Alexander City and Sylacauga, tht modern little city and seat of the srea marble quarries, is twenty-nlne mile. west of Alexander City. Sylacaugs claims a population of 2.000 bama which had it's making on th' ruins of a disastrous fire. The catas trophe which visited these people toul wears ago drew them close together Theirs was a mutual loss. They stoot true to their town when they saw Il in ashes and they went to work to re build it. Today Alexander City Il lager, more prosperous and doing more business than ever before in Its his tory.
 population was. 1885. census taker this year by the municipal govern ment shows that the town has a frac tion over 2,20o people. It is estimated that at the time of the fire in 1902 tn, population was 1,S00.
 Rehabilitation of Alexander City.
 Friday, June IS, 1902, was Alexande Citys dread day, the day that will eve be remembered by the loyal citizens