Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 1 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South. Thomas H. Martin
street, below the Holland House. On April 11th, the foregoing well ordinance was repealed, and as a substitute an ordinance was passed ordering wells to be dug in the four places specified, to be five feet in diameter, to contain ten feet of water, and to be covered with wood. It was further ordered that wooden cisterns be built in connection with each well, not more than three feet distant, to contain ten feet of water.
On June 4th the vexed Pryor street opening matter was adjusted by the following action: "This meeting was called to consider a communication just received from John P. King, president of the Georgia Railroad and Banking Company; W. L. Mitchell, chief engineer of the Western and Atlantic Railroad Company, and Isaac Scott, president of the Macon and Western Railroad Company. This communication had reference to that part of Pryor street lying between the public square in the city of Atlanta, belonging to the state, and the depot lot of the Macon and Western Railroad. The action of council in the premises was taken in the following words: In consideration of the urgent necessity of the respective railroad interests occupying that portion of said street for tracks, etc., and in consideration of having a more convenient and equitable arrangement of depot buildings upon said square, we do hereby resolve and agree to relinquish and surrender up to the railroad companies and interests in this city, all claims to the aforesaid portion of said street. Be it further resolved that we deem it absolutely necessary for the satisfaction of private claims and interests adjoining the public square, as well as the interests and claims of the citizens generally, that the respective tracks and depot buildings of the respective railroads be so arranged as to do equal justice to all the public and private claims as the convenience of the respective railroads will allow of being done.' "
In accordance with the foregoing agreement on the city's part, the mayor and clerk were required to execute a relinquishment of that portion of Pryor street lying between the public square and the Macon and Western Railroad depot lot, and such part of said street as crosses the railroad tracks, to the respective railroad companies whose roads terminate in this city, and to the state of Georgia.
For some months, the question of building a city hall had been agitated, and at the session of June 4th a committee was appointed to confer with Dr. Thompson with regard to the sale of a lot suitable for its location. The lot was purchased for that purpose from Dr. Thompson, and at a meeting of council held on September 20, 1851, the erection of a substantial brick city hall was determined upon. The plan of the proposed building was as follows: Length, seventy feet; width, fifty feet; building to be two stories high; lower story to have a passageway lengthwise through the building, ten feet in width. In the front end of the building, on the east side of this passage, was to be a room forty feet in length, for an engine room, and the other thirty feet was to be made into rooms for city guard house. The space in the other side of the building was to be divided in the same manner. A justice's court room was to occupy the front room, and the other two rooms were to be occupied by the clerk's office and a guardhouse. The council chamber and mayor's office and court room were to occupy the upper story. The structure was to have large windows at each side and each end, and it was specified particularly that the sashes were to be hung with weights, to slide up and down. This was a new wrinkle in architectural convenience and evidently appreciated as a progressive departure. The lower story was to be twelve feet in height, and the upper one fifteen feet in the clear.
At the city election in January, 1852, I. F. Gibbs was elected mayor, with the following councilmen, viz.: Stephen Terry, I. O. McDaniel, L. C. Simpson, Jonathan Norcross, R. E. Mangum and Mr. Grimley. The proceedings of the council for this year seem to have been lost. The principal question of public interest during this administration was the building of a new city hall, but the question was how to raise the necessary fund to build it. The plan was to expend between $15,000 and $20,000 for this purpose.
While such an extensive public improvement as the city hall was about to be put under way, it will prove somewhat diverting to read, in the Atlanta Intelligencer of February 19, 1852, what a wretched condition the streets and sidewalks of the little city were in. By the way, the Intelligencer was by this time a daily. This paper said under the head of "A Word to Strangers": "If you arrive in town on any of the numerous railroads that terminate here, it will probably be just before dark. After refreshing yourselves with a hearty meal at some one of our well-conducted hotels, you will feel a desire to take a stroll about town, at least through Whitehall street. Starting from the vicinity of the railroads you can proceed fearlessly till you come to the first cross street, called Alabama street. Don't think of walking out of your direction to walk up that street, unless the moon shines particularly bright, or unless you can hang to the coat tail of some friendly guide; as without such aids you would probably find yourself in about two minutes at the bottom of a pit, fifteen feet in diameter by eighteen feet deep, which occupies the center of the road, and thus occasion considerable trouble to those who happen to be near, in procuring ropes to drag you out; and in such case, you might besides be inclined to form an unfavorable impression of our city regulations, as did a gentleman last week, who was hauled out of the pit pretty severely injured.
"Passing this point, you can continue in Whitehall street, but by all means take the right-hand side, as on the left side are two deep trenches dug out for cellars. We are not informed whether the cellar doors are built, or whether they are intended to extend to the center of the street, or only across the sidewalk. At present they are admirably adapted to catch unwary passengers. In one night last week, during a severe rainstorm, they caught no less than five — two ladies and three gentlemen returning from a concert. One of these was a stranger in the city, and while spreading himself before a blazing fire, in the Holland House, to dry the red clay with which his garments were beautifully covered, gave way so much to his feelings that he was observed very much upset at the mention of our venerable city council.
"Proceeding on the right-hand side of the street, you will have a very comfortable walk until you come to Cook's corner, where the pavement ceases. Here you had better turn square n »und and walk back, for directly in advance is another pit, fifteen by eighteen feet, ready to take you in. In some parts of the town we believe these holes have been covered over. The one in front of Lloyd & Perryman's store, where a man fell in and broke his neck some weeks since, we are credibly informed was promptly covered after the event.
"P. S. — Since the above was put in type we are gratified and delighted that each of the pits mentioned have been temporarily covered with plank, so as to avoid the recurrence of further accidents."
It was during 1852 that the Atlanta and West Point Railroad into Alabama was finished, being chiefly constructed by the Georgia Railroad Company. J. P. King was the first president of the road, and W. P. Orme, secretary, treasurer and auditor. There was quite a little opposition in Atlanta to the building of this road, its opponents arguing that it would result in cotton passing through Atlanta to Augusta that was now waggoned to Atlanta and for that reason a source of commercial support. Many who did not actually oppose the building of the Atlanta and West Point were suspicious of the effect of the road in the respect mentioned and inclined to be afraid of the consequences. Such, indeed, was the effect for a few years, and the importance of Atlanta as a great wagon cotton point declined considerably; but what was lost in this respect was compensated for many times over by the greatly increased general commerce and traffic that the new line brought to Atlanta. As Colonel E. Y. Clarke said of the completion of the Atlanta and West Point: "It proved only another feeder to the young" giant, which was fast developing a muscular power destined to thrust aside all its rivals, and pass them in the race for commercial prosperity and metropolitan dimensions. In fact, with the completion of these roads, Atlanta needed but one other element of success to assure a triumphant career, and that was the element of pluck, energy and enterprise in its inhabitants. To what a nervous extent they possessed this element of success, will readily appear in the course of their history. Their railway system, though not complete, was sufficiently so to secure superiority, and to justify the prediction of John C. Calhoun and the bright visions of its most sanguine citizens."
In this year, the Christian church was organized by State Evangelist Daniel Hook, with a mere handful of members, but the zeal of the little band was so great that they built a neat and commodious church structure the following year. In 1852 also the handsome new First Presbyterian church was dedicated. It occupied an eligible site on Marietta street, a little way from the original business