The Adair County news., 1907-04-24
MONTICELLO.
A Town That Has Jumped to a
Young City In The Last
Eight Years.
Much Interest in Oil and Railroad
Soon Expected.

Sunday forenoon, 14th inst, at Ills,
in company with Mr.. r. L. Boone, a
real estate agent of Paris, KY, [ left
Columbia for Monticello, the capital of
Wayne county, arriving in that city at
O'Clock in the afternoon. We stop
ped at the Hotel Ramsey, receiving
courteous treatment during our two
days stay.
Monticello is growing as fast per-
haps as any inland town in Kentucky,
and the present indications point to a
city of five or six thousand inhabitants
in the next few years. The town is
soon to be connected by rail, the con-
tract calling for the completion of a
road from Tatesville. Pulaski county, to
Monticello within the next ten months.
The work of building the road perhaps
was commenced last Wednesday morn
ing, two carloads of tools having ar
rived at Burnside the morning of the
18th inst Quite number of the cit
liens of Monticello and of Wayne coun-
ty have taken stock in the enterprise
from $500 to $4,000 each. | did not
strike an individual during my stay in
Monticello but had full confidence that
the road would be built and completed
according to contract.
The recent advance in oil has put new
vim in the companies operating in the
Wayne county fields, there being drilled
at this time from seventeen to twenty
wells. did not learn the number of
producing wells, but was told by an oil
man that ten thousand barrels were
piped to Somerset weekly. He also
stated that he was satisfied that there
was more oil in Wayne county than in
any other field in Kentucky. There is
also an abundance of coal, and with oil,
coal and railroad, the reader can
plainly see that Wayne county is pro-
duclng what will necessarily make
Monticello thriving business place.
Eight years ago there were only
five or six hundred inhabitants. To-day
the number of people who are living in
the corporate limits, reach fifteen hum
dred and ffty-two. There are very
few business houses and dwellings in
Monticello to-day that were standing
eight years ago. A splendid fire visit
ed the place, wiping out many of the
old shacks, and those that were not de-
stroyed, have been removed and COM
modious business houses and handsome
residences erected. The street leading
to the Burnside Pike is the principal
thoroughfare of the city. On either
side of this street to the end of the
corporate limits are modern, inviting
homes. The old citizens of Adair coun-
ty, especially the Democrats, remem-
Der Col. Jim Chrisman, who served in
the Confederate Congress, and who
was a noted politician in Kentucky and
lawyer of great ability. His home
was in Monticello, and the residence he
occupied was brick building located on
Columbia Street. The grounds are
beautiful, but the old dwelling is now
being RACED by the present owner of
the property, who will erect hand
some, new residence in its stead.
While in Monticello had the pleas
ure of meeting nearly all the Attor-
neys, and they were loud in their praise
of Judge ]. F. Montgomery, who re-
Gently held special term of Circuit
Court, lasting five weeks, in that place.
One of the oldest members of the bar,
and very successful practitioner,
said to me: 'eYou people ought to
make an extraordinary effort to get
Montgomery on The bench. He has not
many equals as lawyer, and he dis
patches business. He does not have to
spend all his time looking up author
tiles. He knows the law"
There are two banks in Monticello,
and both are doing good business. The
Monticello Banking Company is the
oldest, and it's cashier is Mr.. w. L..
Baker, a former citezen of this place.
He informed me that his last statement
showed, if remember correctly, $780,
600 and that there was good demand
for money. The other bank has Judge
Chas. McConnaughy employed as its
cashier. had the pleasure of meeting
him, and was told that his business was
very satisfactory. The merchants and
other business men of the place are well
pleased with the outlook for an in
creasing trade, the drygoods houses en-
ploying q number of statesmen.
The Cumberland Grocery Company