Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 1 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South. Thomas H. Martin
a fair association came up in council. It seems that the first fair association had fallen through, despite its liberal treatment at the hands of Atlanta. The new association was called the "South Central Agricultural Association," and it asked for a bonus to hold its fairs in Atlanta. A special committee was appointed to investigate the subject, and in a few days it made a report favoring the request of the fair people, saying that all property holders in Atlanta would be benefited by the holding of the fairs of the association in the city, but knowing that large amounts of property were held by non-residents who would not subscribe, and that, therefore, subscriptions would have to come from a minority of those who would be benefited, it was resolved that an amount not to exceed $5,000 be appropriated for the purpose of purchasing sufficient ground in addition to the present fair grounds, putting the same under the control of the executive committee of the Southern Central Fair Association, provided that said committee would enter into an obligation to locate the said fair permanently in Atlanta, so long as the said association shall exist, after which the grounds and improvements should revert to the mayor and council of Atlanta. There was considerable discussion and quite decided opposition, but council finally appropriated $4,000 for the purpose, and purchased five acres of land to be set apart for the use of the association so long as it complied with its part of the contract.
Council now tackled the gas proposition in earnest. William Helme, a gas works expert and promoter from Philadelphia, came to Atlanta early in the spring of 1855, and at several successive meetings of the city council he explained his gas proposition and urged its acceptance. A committee was appointed to finally consider the proposition. On the 23rd of March, this committee reported that it had thoroughly canvassed the situation, getting the opinions of many businessmen and leading citizens and carefully going over the whole question with Mr. Helme. The report said that the citizens were practically unanimous for the construction of a gas plant. Council thereupon appointed two special committees, one to confer further with the citizens, and one to confer with Mr. Helme. The former committee was composed of Messrs. Thompson, Clark and Kile, and the latter of Messrs. Darnall, Powell and Barnes. The committee delegated to confer with Mr. Helme was instructed to report such contract as they might agree upon to the council for its ratification or rejection.
The proposition of William Helme was in substance as follows: "To erect coal gas works, to lay down pipes in the streets, alleys, etc., of the city of Atlanta, for lighting the same, and the public and private buildings therein, under a contract securing to him, among other things, the exclusive privilege of so lighting the same for a period of fifty years. The gas works were to be of sufficient capacity to manufacture 20,000 cubic feet of gas every twenty-four hours. The council was to erect at least fifty street-lamps, and to pay for lighting the same thirty dollars each per annum. The property of the gas company was to be free from taxation. The entire cost of the gas plant was estimated at $50,000, and the city was required to take $20,000 of the gas company's stock, paying for the same in bonds bearing seven per cent, interest." The foregoing provisions were embodied in an ordinance which was passed with practically no opposition, the mayor being empowered to close the contract with Mr. Helme in accordance therewith. The bonds were of the denomination of $500, payable fifteen years after date, and bore interest at the rate of seven per cent, per annum. Soon after the completion of this contract between the mayor and Air. Helme, a contract was entered into with John S. and Joshua Schofield to make and deliver to the city fifty ornamental lamp posts, including lamps and burners, for twenty-one dollars each, all to be delivered on or before October 1st, 1855. In accordance with the terms of the contract, Mr. Helme, on January 28, 1856, transferred to the mayor and council $20,000 in stock of the gas company, which in the meantime had been incorporated, for $20,000 in city bonds, and himself gave bond for the completion of the work.
An incident of the municipal history of 1855 which attracted no little interest among the citizens was the resignation of the mayor. The reason for this action was because council reversed one of his honor's decisions while sitting as police judge. It seems that on the night of July 6th two young men of the city were taken before Mayor Nelson charged with disturbing the peace, quarreling and using profane language in the streets. A number of witnesses on both sides testified to the commission of the misdemeanor, and it was proven that one of the defendants had disfigured a sign. By the provisions of the seventh section of the ordinance for preserving the peace, "any person who is guilty of disturbing the peace by using obscene, vulgar or profane language, or who is guilty of malicious mischief, or of otherwise conducting himself in a disorderly manner, is liable to a fine of not over fifty dollars and costs." Upon the young man who had been proven guilty of mutilating the sign, Mayor Nelson imposed a fine of $20, and upon one of his companions, $20. An appeal was taken in both cases, and the defendant accused of disfiguring the sign had his fine remitted by the council, and the fine of the other young man was reduced to $5. Thereupon the mayor resigned, averring with some warmth that it was useless for him to endeavor to discharge his duties according to the requirements of the statutes and the dictates of his conscience, while acting as a trial judge, so long as the city council would not sustain him in his efforts.
The Atlanta Medical College, which had been launched as a doubtful enterprise in the spring of 1855, received a gratifying number of students, and laid the corner stone of a handsome building in July of that year. Its lecture course, held in the city hall by permission of the council, was largely attended. The work on the gas works progressed with great energy, and on the 25th of December, 1855, the city of Atlanta was for the first time lighted with gas. It was a memorable Christmas day in the young city, for that reason, and celebrated accordingly. The new city hall was completed and formally accepted by the city council about the same time.
In the municipal election of 1856 the successful candidates were: Mayor, John Glenn; councilmen, Messrs. Thompson, Barnes, Clarke, Kile, Strong and Wilson. The clerk of this council was Henry C. Holcombe; marshal, B. N. Willi ford; deputy marshal, E. T. Hunnicutt. For the first time it was decided to elect a city printer, and on January 26th a resolution to that effect was passed by council, calling for bids from the various printing establishments of the city. The Atlanta Republican and Discipline was chosen as the official organ of the city, the terms of publication of city advertisements being fifty cents per thousand ems for the regular proceedings, and fifty cents per square of ten lines for all other advertisements.
The population of Atlanta in 1856 was given at 8,000 by a local census, and there were said to be seventy-five business places of all kinds in the city. The streets of the city were considerably improved in the matter of grading and cleanliness, and considerable paving had been done. Along most of the streets in the business quarter brick sidewalks had been laid. Buildings continued to go up at a lively rate and many of those erected were of a substantial and expensive character. New enterprises were being established continually. In 1856 the Bank of Fulton was established by Alfred Austell and E. W. Holland, with a capital of $125,000. P. and G. T. Dodd established the first wholesale grocery and Silvey & Dougherty a large mercantile establishment, in that year. In 1856 also L. Bellingrath, A. Bellingrath and William R. Hill located in Atlanta. J. M. Holbrook established a large exclusive hat store the same year.
It was in August of this year, during the Fillmore campaign, that the famous accident connected with raising a pole in honor of that presidential candidate, occurred. The Whigs were largely in the majority in Atlanta, and in their enthusiasm they had three tall pine trees cut down and hauled to town, which they spliced together, making a flagpole of extraordinary height. The raising of the pole was made the occasion of a grand party rally, and when the appointed day came, the Whigs from many miles on all sides of Atlanta flocked to the speaking and pole raising, which was to take place upon a vacant lot in front of the ground now occupied by the Markham House. By bungling or carelessness, the rope for carrying the flag became badly tangled with the guy-ropes near the top, after the pole was erected, and in consequence the flag could not be hauled up. The great crowd was disappointed. The Democrats and Know Nothings hooted and jeered at the unsuccessful attempt of the Whigs to straighten out the ropes. Just as the committee having the affair in charge decided to take the pole down, a man who had long followed the sea stepped forward and volunteered to climb the pole and untangle the ropes. The offer was accepted with cheers, and in a moment the sailor was raising himself above the heads of the multitude with apparent ease. When he reached the place where the tangle began, he took out his pocketknife and began to cut the guy-rope