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Januaries past.

From the LaGrange Reporter, 1913.

Front Page News:

Chamber of Commerce Flooded with Letters — From all parts of the South and the Middle West, the eyes of the people are on LaGrange as the result of an aggressive advertising campaign of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Over 325 letters were delivered through the local post office to the Chamber of Commerce from Saturday to Wednesday afternoon. Secretary Clarke took 234 letters from the post office at one time on Tuesday when he returned from a two-day trip to Atlanta.

From about 75 letters he announced that there are about a dozen propositions that look good and are possible additions to the growth of the business world of LaGrange.

The people of LaGrange are backing Secretary Clarke in his work with the Chamber. Mr. Clarke said, “LaGrange is entering a wonderful era of progress and prosperity. Every citizen is needed as a booster and worker.”

At the close of the day on Wednesday the Chamber office looked like a cyclone had hit it. The secretary was smiling, but looked slightly bewildered.

Dunson Mills Will Erect Handsome School Building — The new Dunson Mills, determined to provide every convenience and advantage for their employees and their families, are erecting a handsome school building as an adjunct to their model mill community.

The building is to be of brick, two stories, containing eight classrooms. J. E. Sirrene of Greenville, S.C., is the architect and Pike Brothers Lumber Company of LaGrange are the contractors.

Work is progressing rapidly and the building will probably be ready for occupancy within four to six weeks.

The far-seeing altruism and progressiveness of those in charge of the mills deserves, and no doubt will reap, a rich reward in an elevated standard and increased loyalty of its employees. Its mill village, with the rows of cozy cottages with green blinds, fronting on broad and well-kept streets, is already one of the most attractive in the South.

Dixie Mill Plans Hundred Thousand Dollar Addition — The Dixie Mill of LaGrange is planning to erect in the near future an addition to their present mill to cost in the neighborhood of $100,000.

It will be two stories in height, and have a tower. The building will cover an area of about 99 by 196 feet and will be one of the most modern mill buildings in the South.

No city in the state has a better mill situation from all standpoints than LaGrange, and the growth of her cotton mill industry is keeping pace with the town and country in other lines.

A. B. and A. To Build New Passenger Station Here — Judge Newman, of Atlanta, has issued an order authorizing the receivers of the A. B. and A. railroad to obtain titles to sufficient lands of the A. & W. P. road for the construction of a new passenger depot on the side directly opposite the present A. B. and A. station on Depot Street.

The petition declared that owing to the unprecedented growth of the city of LaGrange, it has become necessary to build larger accommodations for the passengers.

Plans for the building will be submitted to the Chamber of Commerce of LaGrange before the building will start. The present quarters will probably be improved and used as a freight depot.

Fans Enthusiastic Over Prospects for Baseball — At a mass meeting at the court house Tuesday morning by fans, the LaGrange Baseball Association was organized and stock was offered at $5 a share.

In 10 minutes after the stock was offered, 202 shares were sold. LaGrange has been offered a franchise for membership in the Georgia-Alabama League.

Another meeting has been scheduled and it is almost assured that LaGrange will have good games played here during the season.

Union Church to be Dedicated Next Sunday — The Union Church, which was erected for the mill people in South LaGrange by the Elm City, Unity and Spinning Mill will be dedicated next Sunday.

The building will be more to the mill people than a church building. It is to be used as an auditorium and has been built with this object in view.

Local Post Office Ready for Parcels Post — Jan. 1, 1913, found the local postmaster and his assistants ready for the extra duty caused by the opening of the parcels post.

Although there have been no crates of eggs, spiders or live babies in LaGrange yet, as some of the more pessimistic clerks in other cities had anticipated, the new service promises to be the cause of much extra activity in LaGrange. Special maps have been sent to the local office and every convenience will be used in the new business generated.

Julia Dyar, a retired journalist, is active in the Troup County Historical Society.