The Adair County news., 1913-08-20
An Old Citizen interviewed.

Meeting on the streets the other
day an old citizen of Columbia, whose
memory runs back sixty years or more,
we aked him to tell us of some of the
changes in the old town within that
period.
''Why, said he, the old town is gone
it is mere memory to US of the
older generation. The men and wo-
men who walked its streets then are
seen no more, and the names of many
of them are forgotten to you, of the
present generation.
look around the public square, and
L see but two of the old houses which
were standing then.
The old courthouse has been re.
moved, and one more commodiouS,
and slightly has taken its place.
Where Jeffries Bros. building stands
was an old brick, in which McBeath
& Baker sold goods: OH the site of the
Tut building was the residence of
Milton p. Wheat, part of it used as
store from which he sold goods, at
cost, to the purchaser: there was a
business house on the corner now Oc-
cupied by the Bank of Columbia,
owned by by Willis Wheat, who was
also merchant; just beyond this was
the store-house of Josiah Harris, an
other prominent merchant; on the
corner of Greensburg street was a
grog-shop and a ten pin alley; where
Russell & Co.'S. business house stands
was little ragged saddlers shop. Be-
tween t h e buildings named were
smaller shantieS and open lots. Many
of you can remember these.
At that time there were only two
church building-Baptist and Metho-
dist. The Baptist church was located
as at present: the Methodist church
was back of the lot on which Henry
Miller's residence stands. There were
but two residences beyond the Pres
byterian church, on Burkesville street
the Frazier property, and the now
Jeffries property. Since then both of
these houses have been torn down
and new ones erected OH the same
sites.
On Bowmer Heights there were on
ly two houseS-the Wilson brick, and
the Russell brick, both still standing,
On the Lindsey Wilson grounds was
an old log house erected possibly about
the time the town was located.
The Garrett building, the only other
residence in that part of town, was
erected about that time, and was a
one story, or story and half building.
After its purchase by Judge Garrett,
it was renovated and enlarged. A
tannery was located on the branch
near Eubank's shop, tie watts in what
is now the Scott Montgomery yard.
An old carding or WOODEN mill stood
on the ground now occupied by the
Hec Judd residence.
Yes, the old town is gone, and many
of the families that gave life and tone
to its society are without representa-
ton in our midst. The names of
many Ofthem are scarcely known to
the present generation. 1t was about
sixty years ago when the Colum bia M.
and F. High School was erected. 1t
I'LL OOOO liz" ItlO lllOO OItC OOhIl, luSl
as the Lindsey-W Wilson brought US new
life half century later.
There is one consolation, even if the
old town is gone, we have better
town now than we had then, More
and better SchO0ls-more and better
churches streets and pave
ments-better business houses, and as
good as the people were then, We trust
that the people now are just as good,
ard may be, in some respects, little
better. Ii they are not, they ought
to be. We hope to meet the old gen.
tlemen again, and gather other facts