Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 2 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South. Thomas H. Martin
No. of lawyers in Atlanta 319
1890. No. of lawyers in Atlanta 185
Increase in ten years 134
ARCHITECTS.
1900. No. of architects 20
1890. No. of architects 12
Increase in ten years 8
DENTISTS.
1900. No. of dentists 59
1890. No. of dentists 17
Increase in ten years 42
The Atlanta water works system has been greatly improved and enlarged since 1890. In that year there were 40 miles and 2,090 feet of water mains and pipes in Atlanta.
In 1900 there were 112 miles and 1,540 feet of pipe and mains. j
In 1890 the receipts of the department were $63,438.97.
In 1900 the receipts were $133,819.26.
The rate for water has been reduced materially since 1890.
In 1890 a total of 861,241,100 gallons of water was pumped into the city.
In 1900 the total pumpage was 2.146,635,750 gallons, showing an enormous increase.
The new Chattahoochee river water works system was established since 1890.
The Atlanta fire department has been greatly improved in the past ten years, both by increase of firemen and apparatus.
In 1890 the department consisted of 67 men, two engines, two hook and ladder trucks and five houses.
The expenses of the department in 1890 were $65,300.
In 1900 the department consisted of 106 men, five engines, three hook and ladder trucks and eight houses.
The expenses for 1900 were $108,000.
The department is recognized as one of the best in the United States. Captain W. R. Joyner has been chief of the department during its development and improvement.
About ten square miles of Atlanta's territory is now lighted by electricity.
In 1891 there were 237 arc and 451 series lights.
Atlanta's population by the census of 1901 is 114,731.
True, the census reports only show 89,872 for the corporate limits, but yet it is susceptible of proof by the census returns that the actual population of the city, according to the count of the census enumerators, is 114,731. The figures given in the census seeking to show the actual population within the corporate limits, is too small, as everybody knows, but, admitting them to be correct, many thousands of people live just outside and in territory contiguous to the corporate limits in all directions, and these people live in Atlanta, register from Atlanta, do business in Atlanta, Atlanta's street cars run in front of their doors, and they are a part of Atlanta for all purposes as fully and completely as if they lived in the city limits, except for the purpose of paying taxes to the city government. Take the territory in any direction, out Peachtree street, out Marietta street, out Decatur street, out Pryor street and every other street that leads out of the city's limits and houses continue outside the limits as thickly as before the limits are passed. How many of these people should be counted as a part of the city of Atlanta? The answer to this question gives the actual population of Atlanta. It is answered by a recent census bulletin, which shows the population of the militia districts and the incorporated towns that are contiguous to Atlanta's corporate limits. Take for example Peachtree street. Beyond the corporate limits of the city it runs through what is known as Peachtree militia district and beyond the limits along this street for a mile or more the residences are as thick and as handsome as they are inside the limits.
Take Marietta street. After leaving the city's limits it runs through Cook's district, and through territory as thickly inhabited as territory within the corporate limits, and so on through the list. The people who live in this outlying territory, but territory that touches Atlanta's limits, have been figured from the census reports and are stated in the table below showing Atlanta's population to be, according to the census, 114,731. Not all people living in this outside territory have been counted but only such of them as for all practical purposes make a part of Atlanta. Through all the territory outside the immediate corporate limits which is counted as a part of Atlanta, street cars run, there are sidewalks, and in many cases city water and the city fire department in a large part of this territory actually extinguishes the fires for the people.
Here is the table referred to, showing Atlanta's population according to the count of the census enumerators:
Atlanta, city proper 89,872
Cook's district 6,558
Blackball and Oakland City 3,226
Collins district 2,419
East Point, College Park and Hapeville 3,390
South Bend (not including all of South Bend district) 2,800
Peachtree (not including all of Peachtree district) 2,117
Edgewood district 1,552
Battlehill (town) 813
Kirkwood (town) 699
Edgewood (town) 1,285
Total, city and suburbs 114,731
Yet not all the territory is included through which the street-car runs by any means. For instance, the street cars run to Decatur, three lines, but none of this territory is counted except the towns of Kirkwood and Edgewood. There are 5,000 people probably in this territory not counted.
This is the census count, which everybody knows is too small by at least 12,000.
In the above table only people living in Fulton county contiguous to Atlanta's corporate limits are included, with the exception of 1,984 people living in the towns of Edgewood and Kirkwood.
If this territory is taken into the corporate limits during the next ten years, and even the same rate of growth kept up, as for the past decade, Atlanta will show a population in the next census of over 150,000. Only an increase of 36,000 people or less than 33 1/3 per cent., if this territory is included in the limits, will be necessary to put the city past the 150,000 mark, and this amount of growth is a very conservative estimate.
In estimating the population of Atlanta it must be considered that fully 70 per cent, of it is white and that the 30 per cent, of negro population is mainly made up of as high a class of negroes as can be found anywhere.
There has never been a race riot in Atlanta. The white man and the negro have lived together in this city more peacefully and in a better spirit than in any other city, in either the north or the south.
In Atlanta negroes are engaged in more occupations than any other city of its size in the world. Many of them are property owners, home-owners, and proprietors of various establishments.
But Atlanta is more emphatically than any other city of the South, a white man's city.
The material growth of Atlanta in the past ten years has been wonderful. Practically all of the large fine substantial office and business buildings of the city have been erected since 1890. Many hundreds of fine dwellings and residences have been built since then and the enormous sums of money invested in buildings shows the remarkable growth of the city.
The books of the building inspector, Mr. Frank Pittman, tell a story of great development of the city and a great building era such as has never before been enjoyed by any southern city.
The office of building inspector was created five years ago and accurate figures for the years from 1890 to 1895 inclusive are not obtainable. But the figures for the five years from 1896 to 1900 inclusive, are obtainable from Inspector