The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-10
RAPID DEVEI, ,OPMENT OF
 FAYETTE IN PAST FEW YEARS
By J. W. M'LEAN

I from various sources. One of these is the abundant supply of natural gas
 wells within a mile of the town. These
 gas wells have already displaced all other kinds of fuel and lights and makes the town a delightful and eco nomical place to live in. The city has recently installed complete water and sewer system. costing in the neigh borhood of s25.OO0, and is now planning to lay several miles of concrete side- walk.
 Within the past year several new streets have been opened and quite a , number of cottages and residences erected. many of which are much cost Her than any ever built here before.
 The Basket Lumber and Manufacture ing company is rapidly pushing for
 ward the work of grading and laying the track of the Fayette and Elrod rail- | road Ten miles of this road is now complete and has an excellent roadbed and track It is being built by Lee
 Basket of Henderson, Ky, and will in- tersect a fine body of pine and hard wood timber along the Sipsey valley. Though the road will be used at pres- ent for the purpose of manufacturing lumber Nil. Basket expects to connect with the Mobile and Ohio at Elrod and will then operate regular trains be- fA require several years to work the tim
 Der through which the road runs and | all of this will be manufactured at Fayette.
 The farmers of the county are keep ing abreast with the town in making
 improvements. Probate Judge E. P Goodwin states that the county com
 missioners have arranged to employ a full time county farm demonstrator, a man qualified to aid the farmers in every department of their work. This action was taken right recently and they hope to secure suitable man within a few days. one qualified to in- struct them in farming, dairying, live stock raising and fruit growing
 The farmers of the county are supply ing themselves with good livestock. With better livestock and farming inn plements a corresponding increase in
 production is being made each year, raising more corn and cotton than ever before. Among the better farms near Fayette are those of Mcconnell brothers. Senator J. H. Bankhead. A. J. Wright and others on which are grown from 100 to 250 bales of cotton each year.
 The county commissioners are now assisting the farmers by building bet ter roads, The Fayette division of the Birmingham Columbus hi ighway is now
 being graded and will probably be com pleted this year. They are planning to build a highway from Fayette to Win | field as soon as possible. The county has recently purchased a complete rod outfit. consisting of improved road ma chinery. II mules and has a permanent | force of men to do the work.
 Dr. Caldwell of the state health de- partment is making a very thorough going campaign against the hookworm parasite. He and his helpers have been in the county for couple of months
 and have made wonderful progress ir relieving the indigent hookworm chill fdren of the county. They report that a quantity of the children are infected with the parasite and that the people of the county are responding rapidly to their service.
 The schools of the county. according to officials are being greatly improved each year. At a state examination.