Читать книгу Atlanta And Its Builders, Vol. 1 - A Comprehensive History Of The Gate City Of The South - Thomas H. Martin - Страница 12

We are satisfied that the reader will be loath to reach the end of Mr. Smith's interesting reminiscences. It would be difficult, at this late day, to find one who was a resident of Atlanta at so early a date who was a closer observer of men and events, and who has a more entertaining manner of relating his observations and impressions. Mr. Smith is one of the best-known and beloved clergymen of the old-school in Georgia, his home being in Macon. The following reminiscences of his, which we are glad to be able to continue, relate principally to the personal side of Atlanta in 1847-8:

"The two hotel keepers were Dr. Thompson and James Loyd. Dr. Thompson was a bustling, brusque, loud talking, energetic man, who kept everything moving about him. His hotel was well located and well patronized. There was a bar in the reception room, and it was well patronized also. He was quite a favorite with leading public men, and they always stopped with him. His wife was a famous housekeeper, whose well-kept flower garden and whose luxuriant Madeira vines added to the attractiveness of his hostelry.

"James Loyd was a man of very opposite character. He was one of the greatest, kindest and easiest men I ever knew. His hotel was a free and easy place, and was always well furnished with guests. There was a great deal of transient patronage, and the hotels were sources of large revenues.

"Among the merchants, Jonathan Norcross, a sharp, angular, shrewd, intelligent Yankee, was the leader. He. came out to Georgia to set up a horse mill in Atlanta, and bought the property which is now owned by his son on the corner of Peachtree and Marietta streets. When he came to Atlanta, the Irish famine was at its height and great quantities of Indian corn were bought for shipment to Ireland. He was a large dealer, and thousands of wagon loads were dumped into his warehouse, where the corn was shelled and sacked and shipped. He had a genuine country store and kept everything a plain farmer needed and bought everything he had to sell. He was a decided temperance man, and although the larger number of merchants sold whiskey, old Jonathan never touched it. He was a kind-hearted, good-natured, eccentric man. He ran for mayor in the first race and was defeated, and his election was not secured until about 1850. The mayor was Moses W. Formwalt, a tin manufacturer, who was elected in 1848. During Formwalt's reign there was little restraint put on anyone. I was passing up Murrell's Row, now Decatur street, where John Silvey's store now is, and I saw John White leap out of the front porch on Coleman Brown and bring him to the ground, where he called lustily for peace. In a vacant house nearby I saw the only cock fight with gaffs I ever saw, and saw men freely betting on the gamest chicken. There was only one marshal and no policemen. On the day of the election I heard there were sixty fights. In the second election old Jonathan won the prize. He began at once to put on the pressure, and the gamblers began at once to assert themselves against the mayor. One of them was arrested and ordered to the calaboose, a little log pen on the made land near the passenger station. His comrades secured a lever and raised the log sufficiently to give their comrade exit. There was an old cannon, and they dragged it to Decatur street and banged away again and again. They were arrested, and when old Jonathan ordered them to the calaboose, one of them whipped out his bowie knife and struck at the mayor across the table, fortunately missing him. A vigilance committee was organized, with a young Virginian, a teacher, Wilson, at its head. The insurgents were now promptly ousted. A court was held on Sunday, so important was the exigency, and they were sentenced to the calaboose. They stayed in jail until they were legally released. Few worthier men have lived in Atlanta than that typical 'down-easter,' Jonathan Norcross.

"W. L. Wright was the manager of the large grocery concern of Scott, Carhart & Co., and one of the largest cotton buyers on Whitehall street. Terrence Doonan kept a large grocery, and James T. Doane & Co. a large dry goods and grocery store on that street. There was one drugstore kept by Dr. Angier, afterward treasurer of the state. Then came a great many small establishments. Steinberger was the leading Jewish merchant, and Mayer & Haas came afterward with a large stock of cheap clothing. The MacDaniels, Mitchell & Hulsey had a large store filled with general merchandise. They did not sell whiskey, but sold all kinds of heavy groceries, dry goods, hardware, etc. Ira O. McDaniel and Philip, his brother, were members of this firm. They were already in Atlanta when we came. Ira O. McDaniel was a man of fine education, of high character, and of great energy. He was on Whitehall street what Jonathan Norcross was on Peachtree. He, too, was once mayor of the city. He was the father of Governor H. D. McDaniel. Cousin John Thrasher, the genial boniface of after days, was a merchant on Whitehall then, with a Mr. Scaife as partner. The bookstore was in a little house next to Dougherty's bakery. It was kept by James McPhenan, but I do not think it was opened until 1848. There were a great many small, cheap shops, and many grog shops.

"The leading doctor in Atlanta — certainly the most popular — was the genial, warm-hearted Josh Gilbert. He rode on horseback and carried a whistle with him, with which he made his presence known as he galloped his steed through the streets. He kept no books, collected no accounts, and, I think, paid no debts. He was "a natural-born doctor," the people said, and was a universal favorite. Dr. Martin, my father's partner, was a reserved, cynical and well-read medical man, who looked with amazement on Dr. Josh and his ways. My father was the other member of the faculty. I do not think the practice of any of the fraternity was extensive, nor were the incomes of the doctors princely.

"The lawyers were few. John Collier was a young fellow then. He was the partner of William Murphey. Sober, sensible, reliable, he was then as he continued to be till his death, in every respect a valuable man. His brother George was the postmaster, who was very steady at his work and very courteous, though brusque in his manner. The post-office was on the corner of Peachtree and Decatur streets. Richard Peters was then running" a line of stages from Atlanta to Montgomery. He was then, as he always was, a gentleman of the finest type, quiet, dignified, reserved, considerate and polite. He was a mover in everything that looked like progress. George W. Adair was a popular conductor on the Georgia Railroad. These were some of the leading men of the town. On the outskirts lived Uncle Neddy Payne, whose little farm is now in the heart of Atlanta. He was a sturdy, sensible, worthy man, as was Samuel Walker, who lived in what is now North Atlanta. These two men were famous Methodists, so J knew them well. Among the people we found in Atlanta was Reuben Cone, who lived in a great comfortable cottage on Marietta street. He was. I think, a New Yorker. He had a lot of land in the heart of Atlanta.

"I remember that a fourth of an acre on Marietta street was then worth $250. Reuben Cone's only child married Julius A. Hayden, who resided with his father-in-law. When we came to Atlanta, Colonel Hayden's gentle wife was one of the few who had a piano and a musical education. Without charge, as I remember with gratitude, she gave my little sister musical training. There was a motley people in the city then. Much the larger class were rather poor specimens, but there were not a few most excellent people, and some very few people of cultivation. Among the most striking memories I have is of old Painter Smith. I do not claim kinship with him, but there is no question about his being a distinguished personage. He was always drunk — not drunk enough to be still, but drunk enough to be noisy.

" 'You are a fool and I am a fool, but I am a fool to do as I do. and you are a fool for the want of sense,' he would yell out, or —

' I ain't afeard of nothin' sence I killed them two men."

"Every now and then he would select some man as an object of abuse, and presuming on Stephen Terry's Methodism he began on him; but old Stephen forgot his peace principles and wore out a hickory cudgel on old Painter's back.

"Little Toney was a mite of a Frenchman who kept the first restaurant in Atlanta — a poor affair under Wheat's store, where he served oysters, and ham and eggs, and where, when the gamblers wished, they could have a quiet little game of seven-up.

"Of all the queer characters who were in Atlanta when we came to it, I think Dr. Fruerden was the queerest. He was a duck-legged, bristling Baptist parson. He came of a good Maryland family and was first a printer, then a Methodist preacher, then a botanic physician, then a Baptist preacher, then an editor, then a school-teacher. He married an elegant lady and lived in a log cabin. He was a great temperance man in principle, but now and then he was a little off in his practice of total abstinence. He was always a leader in everything, and while he had his derelictions, was, in the main, all right.

"Stephen Terry, who gave old Painter the caning, was a stern, substantial old citizen who was a candidate for mayor and 'persona lion grata' to old Painter, who undertook the office of 'cussing him out.' This was a favorite practice of some of the early citizens. The offended man. with his coat off and his sleeves rolled up, would go to the shop or store of the one obnoxious. He would then began a tirade of abuse and pour forth a volley of the fiercest and vilest and most blasphemous oaths. It was really astonishing that any genius could find as many ways of using the divine name in vain as these experts could. He was only waiting to be "clared" of the law, and he would wipe the earth with his foe.

"I once happened at the depot when a little short man vending watermelons was 'cussing out' a rival in trade and daring him to fight him. The angular, long-legged watermelon dealer was averse to a fight, but some Athens college boys urged him to stand to his guns. At last the chips were put upon each shoulder, and the brave little fellow knocked off his rival's chip. The other came to time, there was one blow, and then a foot race, for the little man ran at full speed around the car-shed, his long-legged antagonist in vain pursuit.

"Calvin Hunnicutt was the handsome, genial clerk of, I think, Mayer & Haas, and Jep Rucker, afterwards a leading banker, was clerk for Sternberger. Wash. Houton clerked for Mel. Wright. Dick Venable, father of the Venable brothers, for James Loyd.

"I wonder how many can remember Bill Durham and his basket of ginger cakes. His mother lived in a log house where Broad street joins Mitchell, and made her living with her gingerbread. There -was then no market, and fresh meat was hawked about town in a cart. About 1848 Gresham C. Rogers opened the first meat stall.

"Alexander Luckie, who gave the name to Luckie street, lived on the Peachtree road, on the outskirts of the town. Walton street was named in honor of A. W. Walton, one of the first merchants; Loyd street after James Loyd; Peters street after Richard Peters; Mitchell street after old Samuel Mitchell; Doane street after John T. Doane; McDaniel street after Ira O. McDaniel; Spring after Walton's spring.

"We had preaching every Sunday. Now a Catholic priest had mass, now a Methodist circuit rider, and now a hard-shell Baptist preached. I remember one who called himself a corn stalk preacher, and whose tears and humility touched hearts deeply. Dr. Wilson had a regular appointment after 1849, once a month in the Methodist church until the First Presbyterian was built. The Baptists had services regularly from 1848, I think. Rev. D. G. Daniel was their first pastor. The Episcopalians came after this. The beautiful lot where St. Philip's cathedral stands was owned by Richard Peters. Mr. Mitchell, the owner of the land in the heart of the city, gave a lot to each of the four churches. Mr. Peters told me he took the lot Mr. Mitchell gave to the church and gave in exchange the beautiful square on which the cathedral now stands.

"We had one Sunday school in Atlanta then. It was held in the old schoolhouse near the First Methodist church. Mr. O. S. Houston was the superintendent. Mrs. Richard Peters, then Miss Mary Thompson, was one of the teachers, and my mother had the Bible class of young ladies. As soon as the Methodist and Baptist churches had pews in them, denominational schools were established. Our school was superintended by Lewis Lawshe, one of the best men I ever knew.

"Colonel C. R. Hanleiter, one of the pioneer journalists of Atlanta, was one of the interesting characters of this early period. As editor, publisher, councilman and citizen, he was always at the forefront. As long as he lived. Colonel Hanleiter was an enthusiastic friend of Atlanta, chivalrous and generous to a fault. In the early fifties, while a member of the city council, he introduced and had passed by that body the first ordinances prescribing the width of the streets and grades of crosswalks, the space to be occupied by signs, awnings, etc. He drafted the first comprehensive code of ordinances ever adopted for Atlanta. The first building and loan association ever organized in Atlanta was organized through his instrumentality. The first tent of Rechabites ever organized in Georgia was largely the work of Colonel Hanleiter, Rev. Lewis Lawshe and Major J. H. Linn. The Knights of Jericho were first introduced in Atlanta by him, assisted by A. B. and W. G. Forsyth, C. H. C. Willingham, and Dr. Bateman. The first large American flag ever floated to the breeze was displayed over his printing office. He was an active spirit in every move calculated to advance the material interests of the community.

"Major George Shaw, the second justice-of-the-peace ever in Atlanta, arrived in 1847. He was a Virginian, and a veteran of the war of 1812. He first settled in Jackson county, Ga., and was admitted to the bar in Jefferson. In 1828 he was a member of the Georgia legislature. Squire Shaw was a familiar figure on the streets of the new town, and he enjoyed in a remarkable degree the respect of his fellow-citizens. He was a model gentleman of the old school, genial and kindly. He was blessed with a good helpmeet, nee Miss Louisa Troutt, of Jefferson, Ga., and to them were born three sons — Augustus Shaw, the well-known Atlantan, and George and Samuel H., deceased.

"Dr. Chapman Powell came to Atlanta with the beginning of the fifties. He had recognized the inevitable supremacy of Atlanta and moved over from Decatur. In 1836 he was a member of the general assembly from DeKalb county and an active worker in behalf of the charter for the State road, then in its incipiency. Loving his profession better than politics, he refused a second nomination. His home near Decatur was General Sherman's headquarters while the destruction of Atlanta by the federals was going on in 1864. One of the houses in which Dr. Powell resided was remodeled and removed to East Cain street, where it is now used as a schoolhouse. Dr. Powell died in 1870, leaving behind him a highly creditable name as a man and physician."

In his history of Atlanta written a dozen years ago, Wallace P. Reed gives some reminiscences of Colonel D. N. Sloan, which will interestingly supplement those of Mr. Smith:

"Colonel Sloan came to the place in 1850. When he was young his ideas turned toward adventure. Accordingly, he left his home in South Carolina with the determination to see at least a part of the country. His money was stolen from him on his way to Macon, Ga., and when he arrived at his destination he was destitute of funds. Consequently he had to go to work. Through a friend in Macon he obtained letters of recommendation to Emerson Foote, superintendent of the Macon and Western railroad, and president at that time of the Macon and Western Telegraph Line. Thus Mr. Sloan obtained a position as telegraph operator at the station in Atlanta, and was the first telegraph operator Atlanta ever had. Mr. Sloan could not find words to describe the town at that time. Jonathan Norcross kept a general merchandise store at the corner of Marietta and Peachtree streets. He dealt in groceries and dry goods, and made a specialty of 'shingles and feathers,' and had a sign to that effect. I. O. McDaniel also kept a general merchandise store on Whitehall street. Clark & Grutt kept a grocery store on Whitehall street. Mr. Perryman kept a grocery store on what is now Alabama street, but it was not then called a street. R. Dulin kept a general merchandise store on Whitehall street, and Wash. Collier kept a general merchandise store at what is now the junction of Line, Peachtree and Decatur streets. Richard Kile also kept a general merchandise store on the corner of Marietta and Peachtree streets. J. T. Doane was a great cotton merchant here at that time. His place of business was on Whitehall street. Atlanta had several good doctors. Among them were Dr. Josh Gilbert, who used to carry a shrill whistle around with him, and occasionally stop and blow it to let the people know where to find him; Dr. J. F. Alexander, Dr. W. F. Westmoreland, and a French physician named D'Alvigney. Lawyers seemed to be scarce. Judge L. E. Bleckley was the principal lawyer at that time, and there was one by the name of John Wing.

"Atlanta being the only railroad center for miles around, had a very fair trade in country produce. The countrymen brought their chickens, eggs and butter into Atlanta from the country, and there was a very much larger range than there is now. The average farmer did not make much profit, for eggs sold at four or five cents a dozen; butter at seven, eight and ten cents a pound, and other country produce in proportion. After selling at these prices he bought his cloth and other necessities, at what would now be considered enormous prices. Calico that can now be bought for two or three cents a yard, was sold then for fifteen to twenty cents. Cotton was lower, though not much below the present market. One thing that lowered the price of country produce was the fact that Atlanta was a country town, and almost everyone had his or her garden of potatoes, onions and other vegetables. Very few melons were raised in the country at that time. Once in a while farmers would bring them in, but not very often. At the present time, however, the melon trade is one of our important industries. Nearly everybody kept their own cows, and so the farmers did not sell much milk. The cows were allowed perfect liberty to graze where they pleased, and so were the hogs, which were owned by many of the citizens. At the time Colonel Sloan lived here, Jonathan Norcross was mayor. There was a council, but it met when it pleased, and made laws at random.

"Mr. Sloan remembers a speech made by Robert Toombs, on the platform in front of his office. He does not remember the issue, but says that Mr. Toombs made a severe attack on South Carolina, for some reason or other. When he finished speaking, Walter Colquitt replied to him in a very able speech, and show r ed the state up in its true light.

"General Kossuth, the noted Hungarian patriot, was at that time visiting the United States, and with a large body of soldiery passed through Atlanta, on his way to Savannah. He went into Mr. Sloan's office for the purpose of sending a telegram to Savannah. Mr. Sloan asked him for the money for the telegram, whereupon he replied that he was not in the habit of paying for telegrams, and told him, in very emphatic terms, who he was. Mr. Sloan replied that he had no instructions not to charge the general, whereupon the Hungarian became very angry, but paid the bill.

"General Sam Houston, of Texas, while passing through Atlanta, stopped to look at the telegraph instrument. He said that he had never before seen one. He was at that time a congressman.

"Richard Peters was said to be the wealthiest man in the place. He owned the finest house in town, which was a weather-boarded house, on Peters street, near the corner of Forsyth, and just to the west of Sam Inman's residence. Clark Howell, the father of Evan P. Howell, was also a very wealthy and influential man. Mr. Howell owned and lived in the only brick residence in the city. His young son Evan was the first telegraph messenger in Atlanta, an associate of Colonel Sloan. The houses of the more fortunate citizens were weather-boarded cottages, but the poorer people lived in log cabins.

"About this time Atlanta was noted for its bad characters. There were several gamblers here who were known far and wide, but these were not looked upon as evil-doers, because there was no law against gambling. There was one gambler in town of special note, namely Jack Edmundson. He was looked upon rather as a benefactor. It was said that he would never take the advantage of any man, nor would he take money from a poor man, even though he won it. He neither took advantage of youth nor ignorance, and he gave to the poor and was very much respected. There were a great many other noted gamblers in and around Atlanta, but these, unlike the one spoken of, were generally of bad reputation.

"There was only one telegraph instrument in the city, and that was the one Mr. Sloan used; and the line extending from Macon to Atlanta was the only one known. This instrument was one of the old-style paper register machines, but was a very great curiosity to the people around Atlanta. Telegrams from here to New York had to go around by the way of Savannah. In 1850 Mr. Sloan says that he saw a man by the name of Thomas Kile murdered in front of his office. He was stabbed, and the murderer made good his escape. Kile's daughter caught her father's body in order to support him, and was covered all over with blood. The murderer used to send telegrams to his family here through Mr. Sloan's office. The man was in Alabama and sent the telegrams through Macon. The authorities here endeavored to find out through Mr. Sloan his whereabouts, but could not do so. He would not betray the secrets of the office even in such a case, except on one occasion. He received a dispatch to the marshal of Atlanta, notifying him to look out on the Georgia train for one Philip Goode, who was wanted in South Carolina for murder. Mr. Sloan was a native of South Carolina, and knew this man very well, and they were personal friends. He knew that if Goode had murdered anyone he had done so in a drunken row, or something of the kind, as he was of a good family. So he managed to go to the train before he saw the marshal, and the first man he met was Goode, whom he told to escape for his life. Goode left, and immediately afterward Mr. Sloan met the marshal and gave him the telegram. The marshal hastened to the train, but missed his man.

"Once a green countryman came to town to send a negro to Macon, on the train. Several of the fun-loving boys here told him to send him by telegraph, as it would be cheaper. Accordingly, they sent him with the negro over to Mr. Sloan's office. He, suspecting some trick, got them to take hold of the poles of his battery, and then turned on the circuit, whereupon they began to jump around, and the white man said he didn't want to go too. He soon found out, however, that he was being duped, and he broke loose and made for Sloan, who had to hide, for he saw that the countrymen intended to whip him.

"Mr. Sloan had an offer made him in real estate, in 1850, which, if he had accepted, would have been today many thousand dollars in his pocket. A party, who was anxious to sell, offered him one hundred acres of land, including the ground on which the new capitol now stands, for $1,000. Mr. Sloan let the opportunity go by, and narrowly missed making a fortune."