Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 2 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South. Thomas H. Martin
volume of business handled by the railroads running into Atlanta has increased enormously in ten years, and the facilities for handling this business have been almost doubled in that time.
There are now about 700 manufacturing industries in the city and immediate vicinity, and about $15,000,000 is invested in these enterprises, which employ 16,000 persons, and which pay in salaries and wages something like $20,000 a day, and turn out products which sell for $21,000,000 per annum.
The importance of Atlanta as a manufacturing center has been increased by the erection of a large number of new cotton factories, machine shops and enterprises of a similar character, and any number of smaller institutions which employ skilled labor have been erected.
While Atlanta has about the same number of railroads that it had in 1890, there has been a marked improvement in the railroad facilities and business. In 1890 nearly all the railroads running into Atlanta were either in the hands of receivers or were in bad financial condition, and they had not expended much effort in upbuilding the city and developing the territory in its vicinity by encouraging the establishment of manufactories and shops as has been done by the railroads in the last few years. Now all the railroads are in a prosperous condition, and have been taken out of the hands of the courts, and every railroad running into Atlanta is in fine condition financially and otherwise, and they are doing a great work in the way of building up the territory through which they run. Many factories and all kinds of industries are being established annually along the lines of all the railroads, which show that they are receiving encouragement. Atlanta is recognized as the first important railroad center in the South, and it is possible to reach from Atlanta all the southeastern states from Virginia to Texas in less than 24 hours, and the principal points in North and South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, can be reached in twelve hours or less from this city.
The splendid railroad facilities of Atlanta have encouraged the location of a large number of business and commercial enterprises in this city and this is especially true in the matter of making it southern headquarters for nearly all the great life, fire and other insurance companies, and a large number of general railroads of the north and east, and of other institutions seeking business and investment in the South have been located here.
In the eleven years since 1890 Atlanta has expended or contracted for the erection of bridges and viaducts at the cost of $350,104.
There are now 225 miles of streets in Atlanta, and there has been a great increase in the mileage of paved streets, brick sidewalks and improvement of the sewerage system.
The membership of the Atlanta churches has greatly increased and a number of churches have been almost doubled in ten years. In 1890 there were 45 white churches, and in 1900 there were 80 — an increase of 36. The negro churches increased from 25 to 56 — a gain of 21.
The street railway mileage of Atlanta has increased from 45 miles in 1890 to 132 miles in 1900. The street railroads handled 5,000,000 people in 1890 and over 12,000,000 in 1900.
The capacity of the public schools of Atlanta has increased from 6,575 to 10,399.
The number of professional men — doctors, lawyers, architects, dentists and others — has increased nearly 100 per cent. The secret and labor orders of Atlanta have grown rapidly. The registration of city voters was 4,752 in 1890, and in 1900 it was 10,659, an increase of over 110 per cent.
In every line of business and in every material way Atlanta has grown and developed at a remarkable rate, and the statistics presented in this volume tell a story of the marvelous progress and prosperity of this city and vicinity.
A study of the facts and figures presented demonstrate the great possibilities of Atlanta in a business, social and religious way, and show that in every line of endeavor there has been wonderful energy and enterprise expended in the development of the interests of the city.
In 1890 all the electric lighting done for the city and for residences was done by a small company located on the railroad, back of the First Presbyterian church. Then only a very small portion of the city's streets was lighted with arc lights and a few of the business houses, but practically none of the residences were lighted by electricity. Since then the electric plant of the Georgia Electric Light Company has been thrown away twice practically as scrap and as wholly unsuited to the growing demands of the city. In the year 1891 the plant was moved from the railroad back of the Presbyterian church to its present location. All the machinery was practically thrown away and a brand-new up-to-date equipment was bought and installed, and it was thought that the new plant would supply Atlanta's needs for a quarter of a century to come. But in the last two years that machinery has again in turn been practically thrown away and the plant has been refurnished throughout. The new plant in 1891 was established at a cost of about $600,000, and in the last two years a much larger sum has been spent in bringing it up to date and making it equal to the growing demands of the city and its people. Now practically all Atlanta's streets are lighted by electricity, as well as the business houses and a very large per cent, of the residences, and in addition it is said by the company's officials that it is operating motors for manufacturing purposes in the central portion of the city to the extent of 2,000 horse power.
There is no better indication of the growth of a city than the increase of the registration. Indeed, many persons consider this the best evidence of the increase of population, although the registration of a city may depend upon the local conditions, local pride, issues and interests in the ballot for officers and settlement of questions of local or general importance. In the ten years from 1890 to 1900 the registration of Atlanta increased more than 100 per cent.
The registration of the city for the year 1900 was 10,659.
The registration for 1890 was 4,752, or an increase in ten years of 5,907.
In 1890 the white registration was 4,165.
In the same year, the colored registration was 587.
The white registration increase for ten years was 5,531.
The colored registration increase was 376.
These figures show the negroes of the city are not taking advantage of the privilege of voting, and that they are hopelessly in the minority.
Atlanta supports about 425 industries, shops, factories and establishments which make, manufacture or produce such articles or goods as baking powder, paper boxes, butter, material, beds, machinery, beer, ice, soda water, roofing, cotton goods, elevators, excelsior, garters, gas, guano, hosiery, lithographs, lumber, shingles, marble and granite, mattresses, flour, grits, meal, pants, pickles, plows, pretzels, crackers, rubber stamps, rugs, saws, show cases, soda fount supplies, stoves, tents and awnings, terra cotta, tiling, trunks, wire and iron, woolen goods, cigars, brooms, hard wood fixtures, confectionery, medicines, shoes, brick, distilled products, canned edibles, tin-ware, dental goods, cotton gins, shirts, saw mill machinery, vinegar, printers' supplies, syrups, tobacco, dynamos, glass, sausage, boilers, blank books, bags, baskets, brushes, paints, fertilizers, coffins, fence iron, oil, book bindery, soaps, monuments, harness, fish hooks, optical goods, preserves, farm tools, chewing gum, cornices, drugs, clothing, spices, ice machines, millinery, extracts, neckwear, stationery, tablets, hot air furnaces, furniture, straw hats, cloaks, refrigerators, caps, jewelry, carriages, agricultural implements, engraving supplies, electro plates, overalls, plaster, emery wheels, slate, shirt-waists, molding and picture frames, cutlery, wagons, buggies, steel tools, cuts and numerous other articles.
In nearly every profession there has been a marked growth, and the number of persons engaged in the learned professions in particular has increased in the past ten years more than 75 per cent. The following figures show the increase in the learned professions from 1890 to 1900:
PHYSICIANS.
1900. No. of physicians in Atlanta 290
1890. No of physicians in Atlanta 156
Increase in ten years 134
LAWYERS.
1900.