The Green Forest tribune., 1909-04-02
ED lOS VISITS ALPENA
ou0 2. stantial Improvements Are
 .Iade the Past Two Years

I When Will Jenkins conceived the idea little over two years ago of putting in bank at AL pena and started the erection ot ] a handsome brick building for a home for the institution, he in- troduced a spirit of improvement in our neighbor burg that has almost revolutionized things over there, and the end is not yet. Following the co mpletion of the bank building, the first brick or stone, in the town, W. H. Au- man, Jenkins & Can trell, W. H. Kirkpatrick and E. G. Whitaker have all erected stone business houses of a modern type. The last named gentleman has only recently completed his building and it is a beauty in every re- spect being full two story and as nearly fire proof as you will find in any country town.
 Other business men are se- riously contemplating replacing their frame business houses with brick or stone and it is undoubt- edly only question of time un- til the old frame now on Main street will present a solid front of substantial new business houses.
 There is spirit am ong Alpe- na's business men that if pro- perly cultivated is going to build good town. A majority of the business men realize that they have needs that can only be se- cured by digging up" and they are beginning to "dig.' A short time ago the question of school building began to be agitated. The taxatian route being so long it was suggested that thousand dollars donation by popular sub- scription be offered. The paper was sent around and over thir- teen hundred was pledged. 1t is expected that work will begun on the building to cost not less than S30O0 within the coming few months, some preliminaries be. ing necessary before the scheme can be perfected.
 There was an active movement to secure the establishment of a cannery in Alpena this year, but time has crept on so swiftly that it seems the matter will be pass ed up for the present season. It is to be regretted for the general good of the country that it was not secured. Experts on tomato soil say that the lands surround ing Alpena are equal to the best for tomato production.
 Alpena is a good business point. The timber shipping in- terests have aided materially in building up the town. The Fay etteville Wagon Wood & Lumber Co.,, which maintains an immense arehouse here, hauling from the Osage country, has a large pay roll that helps Alpena's merchants greatly.
 The business of the Bank of Alpena speaks we'll for the com- mercial interests of the town. Under the skillful management of the Cashier W. A. Jenkins, that institution has been a pay ing one from the start. In spite of the blighting effects of the money panic, Mr. Jenkins earned 10 per cent for his stock. holders last year. The deposits of the bank are now up to the usual standard and everything presents a healthy appearance There may be lots of nicer men in the world than Will Jenkins. but we have not met many oI them. While he guards hi; banks interest with an eagle eye, yet he is the soul of accommo. dation and good nature. He is the right man in the right place
 Alpena has developed into quite a telephone center, leading Green Forest in the amount o1 "boxes" in use. E. G. Whitta ker, the pioneer merchant, con ducts an exchange as a side. line, which operates 115 phones while the Farmers Union main tains an exchange with quite g