The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-07
ARKWRIGHT COMES FROM HIDING PLACE Intangible Population Runs Into
 Thousands STORY OF ITS RAPID RISE Located On Two Trunk Lines and coosa River It Is Well Calculated to Become a FIourishlng
 City.
STORY OF ITS RAPID RISE
BY WALTER HARPER.


 ton to it or perhaps I was reading the last number of Awfulbert Fearnot as the train went by.
 Arkwright is in Alabama; yea, within 10 miles of Birmingham
 It is in the acute eastern part Of Shelpy county. one-eighth of an inch from the Coesa river, according to Rand-McNally' travelling map of Alabama. The town does not appear on the map, however, for the reason that there is not room. The pub fishers probably have special map or the place, but I have not yet had It.
 Arkwright is located in the northeast corner of the junction of the Central of Georgia and the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroads, 100 yards north Of the tracks of the latter and about the same distance west from the tracks or the former road, respectively. It Is easily dscernible to the naked eye on clear day.
 Has Two Names.
 The name of the railroad station as won approach from the Central of Geor- ria is Libby. I bought a ticket written to order at Childersburg and when l presented it to the conductor he had to he shown. He accepted the ticket only after had agreed to flag him when l wanted off.
 Why 1t is necessary to burden the town with two names has not been explained to me.
 The principal suburb of Arkwright is Vincent, an old settled place on the Gen. traI of Georgia, one and quarter miles north of the business center of Ark wright.
 give these minute details for the benefit of the future traveller who may desire to visit Arkwright.
 About the City.
 Now for something about the city it. self.
 The Bank of Arkwright was established and opened for business about year ago. The postoffice was established three months ago yesterday. Thomas w. Carr, the postmaster, runs store in connec- ton with the postoffice.
 The bank occupies half of a large brick building The other half is occupied by P. L. Ray, who does a really large mer- cantile business. This was the only brick building in the place with the exception of the Farmers union warehouse, 6 days old
 Behold the marvellous change today. The Intangible population Is estimated at more than 100000. Vincent and Libby have been swallowed up in the cavern ous maw of one of the greatest com mercial and industrial cities of the south.
 Birmingham Second Place.
 Birmingham has been compelled to take second place, but gladly gives all honor to it's more enterprising and precocious sister. Broadway street, running east and west, by where a few weeks ago stood the old farmers warehouse and the bored well, is a solid mass of mag nificent department stores and fashion able shops of every description. This street extends for several miles toward the heart of Shelby county.
 Bank street Is the financial center and is lined all the way from the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad de- railing switch to Claude Browns old cabbage patch with brokerage and bank ing houses of stupendous proportions.
 The manufacturing district lies south of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic to the corporate limits of Childersburg, in Talladega, and along both sides the Coosa river as far as the mouth of Ke- ley's creek.
 An astonishing variety of manufactured articles are turned out here, from second hands for watches to bridge spans.
 The residence district lies north and west on the highlands and is reputed to be the finest in the south. There are many mansions here that will compare with the famous "castles in Spain."
 And this is not all; Arkwright is still growing. There is no rule by which the end can be computed. It is simply the Af fl,A will be taken tomorrow. The last was taken Wednesday,.
 This Is No Fake.
 Now, I want my readers to under stand me. There may be some who have never visited Arkwright that will dis credit this account. Some people are too ready to critcise without full knowledge of the matter under the microscope
 Envy may lead others to dscredit these claims for Arkwright. Envy is a vice and should be appendiciticized
 I said that the intangible population of Arkwright is more than 100OO0 I wish to explain that all this population has not yet positively arrived, but 1t exists and within the state of Alabama. It Is in shape for all counting purposes Some of 1t is still busy trying to round up the years crop in it's temporary abode, and other parts of 1t are busy winding up various business affairs that impede tHc iiHdi CAoduS lO ATh wright. But 1t is coming. It Is now getting ready to come, and everything is ready for the coming. There is room for all
 The large mercantile and manufactur- ing plants have not yet been put in opera tion,. but nothing remains but the small matter of putting up the buildings and placing the machinery. The sites are all ready, mapped and charted
 This is not intended as a burlesoue Arkwright has unusual advantages for the building of great city. It is sup ported by large and fertile agricultural section. It has two trunk railroads and the Coosa river.
 The present actual population is one bank, one postoffice, two stores, one hotel, one cotton warehouse, one gin, three bored wells, three cows. two horses and 13 people.
 There was a time and not many years ago when Birmingham could not claim so much and hold its membership in the lodge.
 Ari<wrght's Future.
 Really and truly Arkwright has a fu- ture and will be heard from early and often in the strong development that has set in in Alabama. It has been started on the right lines. Its promoters have aimed high and have steady nerves. Great cities have been builded upon founda- tions much less promising.
 Indeed Arkwright combines many of those valuable natural resources that are tnecessary to the development of great