The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-01
GROWTH OF SELMA
GOOD BUSINESS SHOWN BY GEN.
 TRAIL CITY.
Cotton Receipts Greater Than the Prc- vfous Year and Other xsines of Business Made splen-
 did Record.

Selma as well as the residents.
 The city has grown in many ways during the year and this growth has been most material and will be felt du- ring future years. With the opening of the new year the period of commer- cial. lethargy which has been expe- rfenced during the past few weeks of hot weather will be thrown off and the city will awake to new prosperity and greater business undertakings.
 The past year has seen the establish ment in Selma of several industries. These industries have been located in the eastern part of tine city and nearly every one of the manufacturing con- cerns which have located here have purchased additional acreage so that they can enlarge the plants. One new industry will be stave fac tory and the work upon the erection or the plant will be started within the next few weeks. Besides the new manufacturing plants which located in the eastern part of the city during the past business year the concerns which were already doing business there have each Increased their facilities. With these added facilities their business has increased and they are now con ] sidering the question of still further enlarging their plants.
 With the manufacturing growth Of the city the nlerehandise growth has kept pace Many new business con- cerns have opened during the year In the business district of the city Each one of these new concerns has been most successful and has enjoyed the prosperity which has been felt by ev> cry business concern.
 The business interests of the city during the past business year have suf- fered but little from financial disasters. During this year there have been but ten houses in the city which were forced to suspend business on account of financial embarrassment. &
 The financial condition of the city was never better than 1t is today. The statement of each of the banks of the city shows a large increase in indivfd- ual deposits. To the financial tnstitu- ttons of the city there was added fourth one a few weeks ago which started out in business with capital of s100,oo0. Since this bank opened It's doors for business 1t has prospered ana daily is entering new names upon it's books.
 The population of tho city has in- creased during the year. During the year a large number of families have moved into the city. Each new resi- dent has found employment and ap- pears to be doing well and where the last government census gave Selma a
 
 now estimated that the population of Selma is close to 2s,o00.
 Tine real estate market in the city during this period has been extremely active and several hundred pieces of property have changed hands during the year. The most of the real estate details have been Tor lots il new addi- tions to the city and the majority of these lots have been purchased by the man of small means who will build his home upon the piece of ground which he purchased.
 Besides the many homes which have | oeen built in ali sections of the city during the year there has been q great deal of improvement In business prop arty. Many of the store houses have been improved and many of them have 1 nut in new and handsome fronts. The permit book of the building inspector shows that from his of1ice during the year permits to the amount of $24s,05O have been issued. The majority of this was expended in the resident section of the city in building and improving homes
 The cotton receipts for the city due ring the year are larger than was ex- pected on account of the bad condition l of the cotton crop in this section of the. l Stare last fall, and the iateness of the cotton crop this fall. But even with
 
 will be in the neighborhood of iiO,i7b bales against 107.5s0 received here last year.
 The work of drilling the first well ln the oil field at McWilliams, Wilcox county. will be started about the mid dle of the coming week. The company which was formed some months ago to bore for oil near McWilliams has had considerable difficulty in getting the machinery shipped to that point. The machinery would only reach that place in small lots and for that reason the boring of the first well will be started many months later than was supposed. Humane Society Doing Good.
 The Humane Society which was or ganized in Selma few weeks ago has done much good during the time of its existence. The members of the society are taking a great deal of interest in the working of the society and are do- ing much gaod and as result of their work the dumb animals in and around the city are being better cared for. During the existence of the society sew eral arrests have been made for cruel ty to animals Tn each of these in- stances a nominal fine has been as- sessed against the offender.
 To the membership of the society new names are being added each day and those citizens who have not joined the society are fast becoming mem bers. Rev. E. w. Gamble, one of the officials of the society, yesterday at Bnrnsville organized an auxiliary to the Selma society. This branch started out with a membership of fifteen and the indications are that this member ship will be rapidly increased.
 Will Resume His COuEse.
 Brandy Converse will leave tomor- row afternoon for Troy. N r., where he will resume his course In civil en- gineering at the Rensselaer, Polytech- mic Institute MT. Converse did his first work of civil engineering during the past summer in Selma. He sur veyed the principal business streets of the city and made estimates and upon his estimates and survey the bids for the paving of the streets of the city will be made. He is an exceptionally industrious young man and will gradu- ate with honors and has bright future before him in his chosen profession.
 Social and Personal.
 Probably the last of the informal dances given this summer at River view pavilion will occur next wednes- day evening, this occasion being given complimentary to young ladies and gentlemen who will leave shortly for different colleges.
 Mir. and Mrs. Julien Smith and chill dren have returned home after two weeks stay at Borden Wheeler Springs.