The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-06-05
GADSDEN IS CLOSE KIN ID BIRMINGHAM How The Two Cities Have Ben-
 efled Each Other S CITIZENSHIP New Building and Evidences of Pros perlty Do Not Offer Encourage
 ment to crers of Hard
 Times.
VIGOROU s CITIZENSHIP


 Times.
 By WALTER HARPER.
 Gadsden, June 4.-(Special.)-If Bir- mingham had not have happened Gadsden would have been the greatest industrial center in Alabama and that would have meant in the south.
 But Birmingham had to be and we Gadsden people are glad of 1t. That great city helps to advertise Gadsden and is necessary to complete that won derful element. the great Alabama min eral and manufacturing district.
 Both are essential to the magnificent whole and each Is proud of the other. Each has some distinct advantages over the other and there you are. Both are great and that Is satisfying. So closely identified are the two cities in their in- terests that they would annex each other if it were a physical possibility, but AL toona, Oneonta and Springville object and these difficulties cannot be easily sur rounded.
 Full Grown City.
 
 But Gadsden is a full grown city with In itself and can get along without an- nexing Birmingham or any other town. It has a variety of industries, all backed by notable supply of raw material that would make a prosperous community anywhere. It has the advantage of bounteous water supply, river and rail transportation, coal. iron, limestone, mar ble timber, clay, sand and indeed, most every material needed in general manu- featuring enterprises
 It Is also in the midst of a fertile and well developed agricultural section that brings its trade to Gadsden and nearby towns.
 Gadsden has population of about 5000 people Greater Gadsden. including Ala bama City and Attalla, all connected by the trolley system, has a population of 15,OO0
 Stood Panic We'll.
 Gadsden and it's varied business and industrial interests withstood the recent financial depression wonderfully well. The city has gone steadily forward in every line of development and especially in building and in municipal improve ments.
 About 20 miles of cement sidewalk has been laid, ten miles of additional water mains have been placed, and plans are now about completed for the paving of l all the main business streets. This work l will begin in a few weeks. I More than s1OO,O0O has been spent in new buildings during the past year.
 Some New Plants. Some of the new manufacturing plants that have been put in operation during l the panic are as follows: 1 The Campbell Manufacturing companys 1 plant with a capital stock of $50,0o0 and the Gadsden Shovel Works with a capi- tai of s2O,OO0. A new opera house has just been completed at a cost of $4O,000. Work has just begun on the erection of new union passenger depot to cost $50,- coo. This is being built by the Louisville and Nashville railroad The Louisville and Nashville railroad Is also getting terial on the ground for the rebuilding of it's bridge over the Coosa liver here. This work calls for the expenditure of not less than s75,000.
 All this looks good for alleged "hard times'' and we Gadsden people are feel ing good over it. The future is promis- ing, indeed. The general return to in dustrial activity is more apparent every day and the prospect Is that Gadsden has just before her the brightest era in her history Gadsden is preparing to accommodate a population of 50,000 pros porous and busy people and will not be satisfied with less.
 Some of the Enterprises
 There are here two progressive daily
  the best public school systems in the estate, handsome and well attended churches of all denominations, and the following railroads Nashville, Chatta- nooga and St, Louis, Chattanooga South ern, Louisville and Nashville, Southern and Alabama Great Southern. The Ala bama City, Gadsden and Attalla Street Railway system connects all points in Greater Gadsden.
 Gadsden has splendid sewerage sys- tenn to which nine miles have just been added The natural drainage of the town and section is good. The average alti- tude above sea level is 900 feet It is one of the healthiest communities in the state The town boasts of the fact that 1t has never had an epidemic or quarantined against one.
 The moral tone of Gadsden is far above the average for a manufacturing center It. has always had more churches than saloons. UHuer prOnlDlIlOn IL mas less violations of the law than any other large city in the state, it is claimed The city and county officials are dili- gent in the matter of enforcement and they are strongly backed by healthy public sentiment.
 Distributing Point.
 Gadsden has several large wholesale houses and is coming to be an important distributing point. It is the second city in Alabama in railroad tonnage and re- ceives about 75000 bales of cotton an- nually. The Dwight Cotton Mills at Ala bama City require 10000 bales annually. Alabama City and the plant of the Dwight Manufacturing company deserve surrounding conditions have Just been tl- spected by State Inspector Bush, who de- clares this to be the most ideal cotton mill town in the south. It has many features that distinguish it from all others. Some of these are noticeable to the casual observer passing the place on the cars.
 The Coosa river will be opened to navi- gaton to the gulf some day and this will give Gadsden and this busy section a great advantage over most every other place in north Alabama.
 It will then have a direct waterway to the Panama canal and other port cen ters for it's coal, iron. steel and other manufactured products The river is now open for 200 miles.
 BARBECUE
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