The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-07-24
HALF MILLION IN
new BUILDINGS
CLAIMS 70 De "LivEsT CITY IN
MississIPPl"-NoT ON
A BOOM.
CLARksDALE MAKING GOOD
over $4,000 Worth Of Buildings Have
Been Contracted For in Six
Months-Most Costly Ia New
Aicaxar Hotel,

...E.. --H. I"H|'=.. a'hoSh
Not on a boom" which It has never
had and does not cars for, Clarksdale
Is nevertheless proceeding to grow In
q manne. which is making 1t famous
not only throughout the far-famed Mis-
sissippi delta, but all over the state as
well, and commercial travellers whose
homes are here report to the Progress.
sive club that In their peregrinations
they daily hear Clarksdale spoken of
as "the livest city in Mississippi" Per.
haps the best evidence of rapid growth
is in the matter OF building operations.
Many new buildings are now going up,
many more are soon to begin and still
others are being planned. A conserva.
tive estimate of the expenditures
which will be made within the next
six months places the aggregate
amount at more than $500, 900; that lis,
contracts have already been made or
are about to be made which will total
that amount, and a littl above.
The most costly undertaking is the
new Alcazar hotel, well along in con.
struction at this date, the cost of
which will be about $l03 900. Con-
struction will be completed In three
months, and the architects say it will
be the most modern hotel building in
the state. The new Hopson.Peacock
office building, five stories in height,
has already been decided on, and work
will begin in the ear future. 1t will
be erected at a cost OF 6 5000, exclu-
sive of the land, and will be Clarks-
dale's tallest structure. Within the
next few months expenditures Of some
thing like $40, 900 will be made in i'm.
proving the Coahoma county court
house here, which will make 1t n of
the show places Of Clarksdale. Assur-
ances have been given that the gov
eminent win shortly re-let the contract
for Clarksdale's federal building. to
cost $685. 600, and that actual work Is
to begin within the next few months.
The Methodist denomination of the
city Is engaged In raising $4,000 to
be spent in a magnificent new home
for that religious body, and will pu,
this project through as quickly as pos
sible. The Delta Grocery & Cotton
company is erecting a large warehouse
on Sunflower avenue at a cost of 3d.
00s. The Clarksdale lodge of Elks Is
expanding $4,000 on improvements to
its new home, already the costliest
and most ornate Elks' building In Mis-
sissippi. G. w. King has begun work
on a two-story brick building on Delta
avenue, which will cost $4,000 and per-
haps more. The city commissioners
are having built across Sunflower
river a modern bridge at an estimated
cost Of $4,000. There is a strong prob
ability that the Hickman wagon works
will remove its plant, now located at
Hickman, KY, to Clarksdale, and the
Sunflower Lumber company, owned by
the same parties who control the
wagon factory, will o o rebuild Its
plant, recently destroyed by fire. Talk
is heard on the streets Of another Of
Ace building, to cost at least $4,000,
and it is said that a contract for It's
erection will soon be let, though moth
ing authoritative has been given out.