Athens, Georgia - Clarke County, Ga. and the City of Athens (part 3 of 3)

A company which has done business in a city for thirty-five years and has shown a steady growth throughout its history is entitled to the confidence of its patrons and reflects great credit on the community in which it is found. Just such a firm is that of Moses Myers & Co., who occupy a handsome new building on College avenue, and who have always done a large business in general dry goods and furnishing lines. During the past year they have built an elegant store 35x70 feet and three stories high, to accommodate an immense stock of dry goods, shoes, carpets and clothing for the retail and wholesale trade. Possessing the confidence of the trade and selling at close prices, this firm employs eight men to wait upon the customers that throng their popular store. The ground floor is devoted to dry goods, notions and shoes, and the upper stories, reached by an elevator, contain their attractive display of carpetings, rugs and clothing. Mr. Myers, the senior partner, is held in high esteem by the community which has honored him with a seat in the city council. Mr. Philip Stern as junior partner is a business man of fine judgment and address. As public spirited citizens and as good merchants, these gentlemen rank among the best in Athens.

This excellent company is one of the oldest and strongest companies of Athens. It was incorporated in 1850 with a capital of ^10,000 to do a general founding and casting business. The growth of the business, due to careful management and superior workmanship has made the enterprise one of the best paying investments in the city, and none of the present stock, amounting to

^43,000, can be obtained for less than 143, with none on the market. The present plant can make heavy castings up to 5,000 pounds, and the output includes the iron work for stationary engines, cotton presses, saw and corn mills, plow stocks and cotton planters. The company make a specialty of plow stocks, furnishing both the wood and iron work of the same. The sale of their products is general throughout this section, and the plow stocks have a deserved reputation as far south as Florida. The company is managed under a board of three directors, with Mr. William Fleming as secretary and general manager. The company is a success in the full sense of that word and is ably managed. It is not only the leading foundry in this locality, but may challenge that claim for the State.

The Parr Brothers' business sign is hung over their store at 17 N. Jackson street, and also over their paint mill on West Broad street. While only three names appear in the firm, there are in fact seven brothers pursuing the business of house, sign and decorative painting in Athens. They are following in the footsteps of their father before them, who was a painter, and do the large bulk of that business in the city and the adjoining section. The senior partner of the firm is C. W. Parr, and with him C. A. and V. J. Parr are associated. Their work is done well and they use the best grades of paints. Besides exterior work, they have executed large contracts for interior wall decorations, and are prepared to do decorative tinting and similar work. They have recently finished the contract for the large First Methodist Church of this city in a satisfactry and tasteful manner. They are equally skillful in wall papering, for which purpose they carry a large stock of wall paper in handsome patterns. A majority of the signs which adorn the business part of the city is the result of their handiwork. At the paint mill they grind and mix paints to order for outside parties, and prepare the paints used in their own contracts freshly mixed.

The company owns large tracts of fine brick clay and makes an excellent grade of brick at the rate of 30,000 per day. The yards are under the experienced care of Mr. H. C. McGinty, and arc provided with new and improved machinery for both common and oil pressed brick. The product has given entire satisfaction to buyers, and the company is prepared to fill orders on short notice for any who anticipate building. Orders are taken at John Crawford's druiT store.

City Officers

The directory of business houses in Athens is designed to show the names of Athens merchants and the various lines of business followed. It will serve to present the business life of the city in compact form and to establish the claim that Athens is one of the best business centers in the south.

In the haste incident to rushing this book through the press in two weeks time, the sprites, which are always busy with playing pranks on authors, have done the following mischief: -

On page 63, col. i, line 38, a disastrous comma after "of." And a general tendency to ommision of commas elsewhere, which may shock those who do not endorse that practice in modern typography.

The author trembles lest graver damage has elsewhere occurred ; but would fain promise that if an indulgent public shall make a second edition necessary, these unwelcome sprites shall be forced to seek other play grounds.

Something

The Atlanta Constitution is the largest and best paper in the Southern States. Its corps of editors are among the foremost writers of the country. Joel Chandler Harris, who has an international fame, achieved by his "Uncle Remus" stories; Wallace P. Reed, the short story writer of the South ; and F. L. Stanton, as sweet a poet as there is in America, are regularly emyloyed on the staff. Its news is the freshest that labor and money can procure.

Would you like to subscribe either for the Daily or the Weekly ? The Daily is only ^8.00 per year ; the Weekly $1,00 per year. If so, send a postal card to the Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Ga., informing them of the fact.

The section through which this line runs offers the finest opportunities for farms, cotton plantations, vineyards, orchards, berryfields, lumber, granite, brown stone, etc. Trains on this line run solid between Norfolk, Va., and Atlanta, Ga., passing through Kittrells, N. C. and Southern Pines, N. C, two great winter health resorts of the South. The Seaboard Air Line is the best equipped road in the South ; its freight service is unrivaled, its passenger service unsurpassed either in speed, regularity or comfort.

Freight over this system is carried daily between New York and Atlanta in 68 hours, thus defying all competition, as its road bed is well ballasted and the rails heavy. Connections are made at Atlanta for all points South and West. Connections are made at Norfolk, Va., with the following freight and passenger lines : The Old Dominion S. S. Co. to and from New York ; the Bay Line to and from Baltimore; the Norfolk & Washington steamers, the Clyde Line tj and from Philadelphia ; the Merchants and Miners Line to and from Boston and Providence ; the N. Y., P. & N. R. R. to and from New York and Philadelphia, thus making this system the most important link between the North and the South. Any further information will be cheerfully furnished by