The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-09
IS AMONG THE FINEST Health of Its People Is Almost
 Phenomenal MAYOR ON GOOD ROADS cliett Says Intensive Farming Schools, Etc, Are All Right But Good
 Roads Are Key to the
 Whole Situation.
ON GOOD ROADS
BY WALTER HARPER.

] ductive soil.
 It is a typical agricultural town with @ large and select country trade. There are several stores which enjoy a satis- factory annual business with farmers and a small number of employees from the l Childersburg charcoal ovens In the edge of town and the Childersburg Brick com pany's plant about a mile away. The charcoal ovens are operated by the Shelby Iron company, which concern uses all the output at its Shelby furnace. There are 10 ovens with a daily capacity of 50 cords.
 L. ". Clardy is owner and manager of the brick plant, which has a capacity of 600 brick per day The clays are very fine and the quality of the brick made here is said to be very superior.
 Spinning Mills.
 The Coosa River Spinning company's s mill at Bon Air, little more than a mile from Childersburg. is an important local industry, employing a large num- Der of people. Dr. D. L. Lewis is presi- dent and John T. Lewis is secretary of the company This is new mill Plans are now under way for the doubling of ] the capacity. The mill company is now | building a handsome new church for the use of the employees.
 The Alabama Trust and Savings bank opened a branch here in January. F. c. Gull Is resident manager. It is doing a successful business.
 A new brick postoffice has just been erected of childersburg brick. J. K. 1 Stewart is postmaster. Two rural mail delivery routes go out from this office.
 Town Improvements.
 Childersburg had a town dispensary before the prohibition law went into eff feet. With the proceeds from this insti- tuition during the last few years the town officials paved all the principal sidewalks with brick and erected a large two-story brick city building. These are valuable assets to which every citizen points with pride.
 The town has very fine public school system. A very successful term has Just closed. Prof. J. w. Brown Is principal. The other teachers already elected for the next term are Miss Mary Nixon and Miss Stella Powell.
 The leading Protestant denominations have good church buildings
 Is Old Town.
 Childersburg dates it's history from the time of the explorations of DeSoto, who Is said to have founded a village here. It was first known as Coosa, and later took the name of leading settler in the com munity, Childer Strange to say, there is not a citizen of the name in the entire community now.
 The physicians of the town are Dr. w. H. Hutchinson, Dr. T. J. Powell and Dr.. J. A. Harris. The community is so dis tressingly healthy that these gentlemen are compelled to resort to gardening and 1 poultry raising to assist in making a living. They sometimes go fishing also. i There is no undertaken in the place.
 A man died at Childersburg one time and an undertaken had to be imported.
 Home of Senator Johnston.
 Childersburg boasts that it produced one of the most prominent public servants of the state, Senator Joseph F. Johnston. While Senator Johnston was not born ! in the town, the event was near enough to create a pronounced demonstration It Is said that on that suspicious occasion the news was brought to town by mount ed courier, and holiday was proclaimed in celebration of the great event. Cliett Is Mayor. l M J. Cliett Is Mayor of Childersburg l He finds time between seasons of civic administration to conduct one of the ] largest farms in this section. He is a successful farmer and a fine example l for thousands of others around him. | He is welded to hobby or custom, but is always on the lookout for new ideas and methods for the improvement of agricultural conditions.
 He knows that when he makes a suc- cess with new venture his neighbors | will follow, and general good for the community will result
 1 There Is no such thing any more as an overproduction on the farms of this county.
 Progressive Farmer.
 MT Cliett believes in hay. grain and vegetables. though he produces consider | able cotton. He is experimenting with l alfalfa and finds that this soil and climate are we'll adopted to 1t, though the soil is l deficient In one or two properties that may be easily supplied.
 Wheat and oats do exceptionally well here, as is fully demonstrated by the l heavy harvests that are now being reaped 1 on MT. Cletts farms His crop has | been considerably damaged by recent storms but he is saving the greater DOT | ton of 1t by careful handling and by 1 means of improved machinery
 Mayor-Farmer Cliett recognizes great opportunities in vegetable growing in this | section, and Is turning much of his at- tention to these crops. Cabbage and Irish potatoes produce bountiful and bring large | returns
 Foolish About Roads. I said MT. Clett has no hobby He has l one, though 1t Is not a hobby in the strict sense.
 He is foolish about good roads
 Elevatng the key of his voice he said You may preach all you please about intensive farming, hay and vegetable growing, good schools and the agricul- tural uplift, but good roads are the key to all greatness and prosperity in this | state.
 Here is a subject that affects every man, woman and child in the state. Every business and profession Is or should be interested, the former most of all.
 ''I don't know what plan is best for the | building of good roads, whether bonds | or straight taxation, but it matters not | what the cost may be or how the roads | are built We must have them. They are | worth all they will cost. Indeed, they pay | for Themselves at any reasonable cost"