It is doubtful if any city in the United States changed physically to a greater extent than Atlanta during the decade of the 1870’s. Though its rebuilding from the debacle of the 1864 got well under way during the late sixties, the ten years from 1870 to 1880 witnessed the almost complete disappearance of the scars of war within the city proper. In the outskirts, however, line after line of breastworks, sprouting grass, weeds and trees remained. They were to disappear gradually through the years as the city expanded in all directions. Today, few indeed remain.

From the standpoint of...

The election for mayor held December 1, 1880, was close and spirited. James W. English, the losing candidate of two years before, emerged the victor this time, with 1,433 votes against 1,379 for Hannibal I. Kimball. Banker Robert J. Lowry won the post of alderman-at-large over A. N. Watson, a colored citizen, by the decisive vote of 2,706 to 93.¹

New councilmen elected at the same time were: First ward, Albinus J. Pinson; second ward, Reginald H. Knapp; third ward, David A. Beatie; fourth ward, Jack W. Johnson; fifth ward, Warren D. Payne. On July 4, 1881, the following officers...

The municipal election, held December 7, 1881, resulted in the choice of Thomas G. Healey, as alderman-at-large, and the following new councilmen: First ward, Dr. Wesley D. Mitchell; second ward, Frank T. Ryan; third ward, Zachry W. Adamson; fourth ward, William H. Howell, and fifth ward, William G. Reynolds. Councilman Mitchell died April 20, 1882, and was succeeded by William H. Brotherton on May 11th.¹

During 1882 Mayor English and his council made a start in connection with their promise of street paving. Granite blocks were laid on Alabama Street, and short stretches of Peachtree and Whitehall were macadamized. Atlanta’s...

In the election for mayor to serve during 1883 and 1884, held on December 6, 1882, local voters had a choice between a lawyer, John B. Goodwin; a physician, Dr. Elisha J. Roach, and a journalist, John H. Seals, editor of the “Sunny South.”¹

The plaform of the latter, was, to say the least, unique. He proposed to build a grand amphitheater; bridge Whitehall street crossing; pave all the streets in town, and make other needed improvements, all without any taxation whatever.²

In lieu of this time-honored and ever-increasing inconvenience, candidate Seals proposed that the property owners of Atlanta unite...

Eighteen eighty-four had a wintry beginning in Atlanta. On Tuesday, January 8th, S. P. Richards observed, “we had good sleighing the snow being 1½ inches deep and remaining several days. A good many impromptu sleds and several nice cutters were jingling along.”

An election, held on December 5, 1883, for an alderman-at-large and six councilmen, resulted in the choice of Harry C. Stockdell for alderman, by a narrow margin over William H. Brotherton. New councilmen were: First ward, Jerome M. McAfee, lawyer; second ward, Max Kutz, wholesale milliner; third ward, C. Wheeler Mangum, railroad conductor; fourth ward, William M. Mickleberry,...

Voters in the municipal election held December 3, 1884, had a choice between a “Citizens’ Ticket,” headed by George Hillyer, attorney-at-law, recently succeeded as judge of the Superior Court by William R. Hammond, and a “Peoples’ Ticket,” headed by Reuben Arnold, also an attorney, and father of our present fellow-citizen, Reuben R. Arnold. Hillyer was chosen mayor for 1885-1886 by 2137 votes to 951 for Arnold.¹

The board of aldermen, having been increased from three to five, three new members were elected. They were John R. Gramling, wholesale shoe and leather merchant; John T. Cooper, clerk, commissioners of roads and...

Every American city has spawned an assortment of quaint, eccentric and to some extent pathetic characters who, by their oddness earn a not altogether enviable niche in local annals. Two of Atlanta’s most notorious residents during the decade of the eighties were “Old Limerick” and “franklin the Goat Man.” Both engaged the attentions of a Constitution reporter during a “Saturday ramble” in June 1886. His findings follow:

“Atlanta’s most famous vagabond. His real name is William Powers,¹ and he was born in Limerick, Ireland, March 27, 1800. His parents were well to do and, when in 1832, he came to...

The sole issue in the municipal election of December 1, 1886, was prohibition. While it is true that Fulton County voted dry by a small majority in 1885, and the saloons were closed on July 1, 1886, the wets were by no means resigned to the permanence of the drought. As the result of a compromise movement in the latter part of 1886, a fusion ticket was developed for the election of December 1st. It was headed by John Tyler Cooper, as the sole candidate for mayor. The principle of the fusion ticket was to preserve such equilibrium between the...

The municipal election of December 7, 1887, resulted in the appearance of two new aldermen-at-large in council, and one new councilman from each ward. Albert Howell and Jacob Haas defeated H. C. Stockdell and T. D Meador for the aldermanic positions. The new councilmen were: First ward. James M. Stephens, manager Western Union Telegraph Company; second ward, Paschal J. Moran, editor, Constitution; third ward, James G. Woodward, printer, Evening Journal; fourth ward, Sampson A. Morris, grocer; fifth ward, Andrew P. Thompson, hardware merchant, and sixth ward, Martin F. Amorous, general manager, Atlanta Lumber Company.¹

In addition to Mayor Cooper and...

In physical assets, the City of Atlanta, on January 1, 1889, was worth nearly half a million. Following is the schedule:

As the wealth of the municipality increased markedly during the decade of the 1880’s, so did the wealth of its citizens. Five of them had passed the million mark. Said the Constitution on April 7, 1889:

“In January, 1866, three men, Mr. J. R. Wylie, Mr. Dick Wall and Mr. Frank Rice sat in a store in Atlanta discussing the number of men in the city worth $10,000! They could find but four Atlantans who were worth that sum....

The creed of Henry W. Grady and of the decade of the ’eighties had been: “Industrialization of the South; glorification of the capitalist and his way of life; political, economic and cultural unity between the South and the East; rigid subordination of class conflict in the South to the maintenance of a status quo of a business man’s regime identified with white supremacy; and the exclusion of the Negro from political life.” The creed of the ’nineties, best expressed by Tom Watson, a rising young actor on Georgia’s political stage, was just the reverse. It embraced: “Agrarianism, for the South,...

On december 3, 1890, William A. Hemphill, Business Manager of the Constitution Publishing Company and Democratic candidate for

mayor, swamped his opponent, a Negro named McKinley, by 1,773 votes.¹

The Council elected to serve with Mr. Hemphill during 1891 was composed of Aldermen H. G. Hutchison, A. M. Reinhardt, Frank P. Rice, W. M. Middlebrooks, James G. Woodward, A. J. Shropshire, and the following councilmen:

First Ward—Jesse P. Kinyon, Joshua Tye.

Second Ward—A. J. McBride, H. C. Sawtell.

Third Ward—W. H. Hulsey, Arnold Broyles.

Fourth Ward—J. C. Hendrix, C. E. Murphey.

Fifth Ward—Joseph Lambert, J....

William a. hemphill again headed the city government during 1892, with Alderman Augustus M. Reinhardt serving as mayor pro tem. Two new aldermen, W. Wallace Boyd, secretary and treasurer of the Van Winkle Gin & Machine Company, and James M. Stephens, took their seats in the general council. Likewise, one new councilman from each ward joined the group. They were:

First Ward—Olmius Reneau, conductor, Central R. R.

Second Ward—John A. Colvin, president and superintendent, Atlanta Baggage and Cab Co.

Third Ward—John F. McWaters, locomotive engineer, A. & W. P. R. R.

Fourth Ward—William P. Hill, attorney....

Eighteen ninety-three, with its financial stress and “Black Week,” was destined to be a rugged year in Atlanta. The weather itself, at the beginning of the year seemed to herald the grim events ahead. Recorded S. P. Richards in his diary on January 15th:

“Cold, colder, coldest! Mercury 12° some claim 10° and 6°!”

Again on the 18th:

“Severe weather; snow fell all day and again next morning to the depth of 8 inches on a level. Many temporized sleighs are cutting about and the ponds and lakes are frozen over and afford skating, a very rare thing here.”

John...

The gubernatorial campaign of 1894 was hotly contested. Two Democratic candidates entered the field, William Y. Atkinson, of Coweta County, former Speaker and for four years chairman of the State Democratic Committee; and General Clement A. Evans, of Atlanta, a gallant Confederate and a noted Methodist divine. Before the Democratic Convention opened in Atlanta on August 2nd, however, Evans withdrew and left the nomination to Atkinson, whose platform advocated free coinage of silver as a means of easing the current depression.¹

Though the nomination came easily, Atkinson had a fight on his hands for the election. The Populist party was...

The city primary held on October 3, 1894, for officers to serve during 1895 was unique. Since Atlanta’s first mayor, Moses Formwalt, and his council of six, were elected in January, 1848, the chief executive and council members had been chosen by popular vote. Ministerial officers were then elected by council. The uniqueness of the 1894 primary lay in the that for the first time, local ministerial officers were also elected by popular vote. In this connection, a close observer of many past city elections commented on the evening of October 3rd:

“I have never seen anything like it in...

The presidential election of 1896 brought no elation to the South, since a Republican succeeded Democrat Grover Cleveland. Governor William McKinley, of Ohio, a gold standard, high tariff man, defeated the eloquent free silver advocate, William Jennings Bryan, of Nebraska.

At the same time the race for governor and State House officials in Georgia resulted in the re-election of William Y. Atkinson, Democrat, over the Populist candidate, Seaborn Wright, of Rome, by a vote of 120,827 to 85,832. All State officers were renominated except that William J. Speer, of Atlanta, succeeded Robert U. Hardeman, deceased, as treasurer. Indeed, the campaign...

The city election of December 2, 1896, for officers to serve during the ensuing two years was one of the most quiet affairs of its kind ever held in Atlanta. Less than 2,500 votes were polled.¹

Former sheriff J. J. Barnes, his anger over the escape of Will Myers having subsided, was elected to the unexpired first ward council seat of L. P. Thomas, resigned. Clarence Stephens was elected city sexton over the independent candidate, J. C. C. Carlton. These were the only contests, the other Democratic nominees having had no opposition.²

he new mayor for 1897-1898 was 48-year-old Charles...

Charles a. collier, mayor of Atlanta during 1897, served also through the Spanish-American war year of 1898. And, as usual two new aldermen and one new councilman from each ward were elected for the year to succeed those whose terms had expired. The aldermen were John D. Turner, president of the Exposition Cotton Mills, for the north side, and James L. Mayson, attorney, for the south side. The new councilmen were:

First Ward—Macon T. LaHatte, manager, LaHatte Printing Company.

Second Ward—Green B. Adair, real estate.

Third Ward—Edward P. Burns, freight agent, W. & A. R.R.

Fourth Ward...

On january 2, 1899, James G. Woodward was sworn in as mayor of Atlanta, having defeated attorney Edmund W. Martin for the office in the primary of October, 1898. The election of Mr. Woodward was a distinct recognition of the growing power of organized labor in Atlanta. Though he had previously served in council, the new mayor, unlike most of his predecessors, was not a lawyer, a capitalist or a conspicuous promoter of public enterprises. He was a printer by trade, a strong unionist, and at the time of his election was in the employ of the Atlanta Journal as...

Monday, January 1, 1900, the first day of a new century—the only time Atlanta has witnessed such an event. Older southern cities saw the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth centuries, but then Atlanta was four decades in the future. Now it was a prosperous and growing city of 89,872 souls, 60 percent white and 40 percent black. Fulton County, less than half a century old, as such, had a population of 117,363, representing 5.3 percent of the population of the State of Georgia.¹

January 1, 1900, was a cold day in Atlanta. The highest...

By the turn of the century, the City of Atlanta had become a multimillion-dollar enterprise. Early in 1901 Comptroller Goldsmith compiled a financial statement, showing the condition of the city at the close of 1900. It is interesting to look back and observe the city’s assets and liabilities as the nineteenth century gave way to the twentieth....

Livingston mims continued in office as Mayor during 1902, but as usual the oldest half of council, by seniority, retired, and an equal number of new members were sworn in as the year started. The new aldermen were former Mayor James G. Woodward, wholesale grocer William M. Terry, and Dr. Thomas D. Longino.

New councilmen were:

First Ward—John H. Harwell, grocer.

Second Ward—Courtland S. Winn, lawyer.

Third Ward—James E. Warren, lawyer.

Fourth Ward—J. Frank Beck, manager, Troy Laundry.

Fifth Ward—Irving F. Styron, grocer.

Sixth Ward—James L. Key, lawyer.

Seventh Ward—Evan P. Howell, retired.¹...

As the result of a tough and hard fought campaign during September, 1902, for a mayor to serve Atlanta during 1903 and 1904, Captain Evan P. Howell defeated Mayor Pro Tern Harvey Johnson and Ex-Mayor and Alderman James G. Woodward.¹

New members of Council, elected at the same time were Aldermen Charles H. Girardeau, a real estate man, and Hugh T. Inman, capitalist. The new councilmen were:

First Ward, William H. Terrell, lawyer.

Second Ward, John A. Hynds, lawyer.

Third Ward, J. Sid Holland, tobacconist.

Fourth Ward, McDonald M. Turner, Secretary, Georgia Redemption & Loan Co., and trunk manufacturer.

Fifth...

The national campaign for the election of a president in 1904 had the usual features, in Georgia, of a state convention with nominations for governor and state officers. Governor Joseph M. Terrell was re-elected on a platform advocating a reduction of the tax rate.

Thomas E. Watson, of Georgia, was nominated for president by the Populist party. Always brilliant, he was in character during this campaign. Taking up the fight for the free coinage of silver and other measures abandoned by the older parties, he made a vigorous fight. The winner, however, over both Watson and the Democratic nominee, Judge...

The most sought-after spot in the city of Atlanta during the early fall of 1904 was the mayor’s chair. Five candidates, including two former mayors, fought white hot campaigns to occupy that spot during 1905 and 1906. The two former occupants were John B. Goodwin and James G. Woodward. The others were Harry C. Stockdell, a fire insurance man, Dr. Thomas D. Longino, a veteran of Wheeler’s Cavalry, C.S.A., and James L. Key, a young lawyer.

Three leading issues of the day were put before all of the candidates for office, including councilmen. Nearly every candidate gave favorable replies to...

Nineteen-six brought trials and tribulations to at least two American mayors—San Francisco’s, by earthquake and fire—Atlanta’s, by inflamed human passions in the form of a race riot. More about the latter later.

Since 1904 the aldermanic board had consisted of one alderman from each ward. Those for 1906 serving under Mayor Woodward were:

First Ward, John H. Harwell.

Second Ward, Fletcher A. Quillian.

Third Ward, J. Sid Holland.

Fourth Ward, Joseph Hirsch.

Fifth Ward, George H. Sims.

Sixth Ward, James L. Key.

Seventh Ward, John N. McEachern.

Eighth Ward, Edward C. Peters.

As usual, each ward was also...

While the race for governor between Hoke Smith and Clark Howell held the center of the stage in the election of August 22, 1906, there were a number of other performances in the direction of both wings.

Walthall R. “Cap” Joyner, Atlanta’s fire chief since 1885, was elected mayor in a close race over Attorney Thomas H. Goodwin. The city’s incumbent mayor, James G. Woodward did not offer for re-election. Instead he entered a crowded field for the office of Fulton County treasurer, a post made vacant by the death of pioneer citizen and Treasurer Columbus M. Payne, who had...

Following his successful but hard-won victory for the governorship over Clark Howell in 1906, Hoke Smith set about energetically to carry out his campaign promises. In view of this fact, and the precedent in (Georgia of giving a successful governor an endorsement term, it was unusual that Smith should have been defeated in the election of 1908. But defeated he was, and by nearly 12,000 votes.

His opponent was totally dissimilar in every respect. Joseph M. Brown, who acquired the nickname “Little Joe” during the campaign, was a native of Canton, Georgia, and a son of war-Governor Joseph E. Brown....

Three candidates entered the race for mayor in the city primary of September 24, 1908, to serve during 1909 and 1910. They were James G. Woodward, former mayor; Joseph Hirsch, and Thomas H. Goodwin, a former candidate for the post. When the votes were in, Woodward had won handily with 4608. Goodwin came second with 2406, and Hirsch last, with 1776.¹

According to long-standing tradition and historical precedent the result seemed conclusive. A primary victor for the mayor’s post had never been repudiated in Atlanta. The December election had always been more or less routine and confirmatory of the primary....

The extensive growth of Atlanta and Fulton County during the first decade of the twentieth century was reflected in the 1910 census figures. While the State of Georgia had a total increment in population for the decade of 382,790, Fulton County went from 117,363 in 1900 to 177,733 in 1910. During the same period Atlanta went from 89,872 to 154,839, representing 85 percent of the population of Fulton County. At the same time the Negro population of Atlanta increased from 35,727 to 51,602, accounting for 34 percent of the total.¹

The primary of August 23, 1910, brought forth the same...

After a highly successful and progressive term as mayor during 1909 and 1910, Robert F. Maddox, it will be remembered, did not choose to run for the 1911-1912 term, though the legislature had made it possible for him to succeed himself.

Two candidates entered the field for the election of October, 1910, Courtland S. Winn, attorney-at-law, and durable and persistent James G. Woodward.

When the votes were counted on October 22nd, Winn was the winner by 7,260 to 3,930 for Woodward. Indeed, Winn carried every ward but the Fifth, losing that by a considerable majority. Woodward’s home ward, the Third,...

Courtland s. winn continued to preside over Atlanta’s municipal affairs during 1912, though the first of the year brought a number of new faces to the city council. The new aldermen were:

First Ward, Alonzo J. Johnson, general agent, Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Second Ward, John E. McClelland, lawyer.

Third Ward, James E. Warren, lawyer.

Sixth Ward, James R. Nutting.

Seventh Ward, Fletcher J. Spratling.

Eighth Ward, Dr. A. H. Van Dyke, physician.

New councilmen were:

First Ward, Samuel A. Wardlaw, proprietor, Dixie Tile & Cement Company.

Second Ward, Charles D. Knight, secretary-treasurer, Piedmont Laundry and Harvey Hatcher, lawyer,...

The indefatigable James G. Woodward again entered the lists for mayor in the primary of October 2, 1912, to serve the city during 1913 and 1914. This time he had three opponents, Aldine Chambers, an attorney; Dr. George Brown, and Steve R. Johnston, a real estate man.

Woodward and Chambers were generally conceded to be the strongest candidates, though the local press was quite vehement against Woodward, claiming that he had not reformed since the indescretions that led to his defeat in 1908 and again in 1910. The Journal editorialized to the effect that public decency demanded Woodward’s defeat.

A...

James g. woodward continued as mayor of Atlanta during 1914, but as usual the first of the year brought some new blood to Council. Newly elected aldermen were:

Second Ward, Charles H. Kelley, wholesale grocer.

Third Ward, C. Columbus McDonald, retail grocer.

Fourth Ward, Albert D. Thomson, real estate.

Seventh Ward, Jesse W. Armistead, linotype operator, Atlanta Journal.

Eighth Ward, John S. Owens, banker.

The new councilmen were:

First Ward, Charles B. Alverson, grocer.

Second Ward, no change.

Third Ward, no change.

Fourth Ward, Alexander W. Farlinger, real estate.

Fifth Ward, Jesse B. Lee, manager Lee Tile & Construction Company....

Re-elected without opposition in the city primary of September, 1914, Mayor Woodward again took the oath of office on January 4, 1915, and for the fourth, though not consecutive time, entered upon his duties as the city government's executive head.¹

New members of council taking office at the same time were:

Aldermen:

First Ward, James R. Seawright, real estate.

Sixth Ward, J. Lee Barnes, proprietor, Majestic Hotel.

Ninth Ward, Edgar Dunlap, insurance.

Councilmen:

First Ward, James N. Renfroe, real estate.

Second Ward, J. Lawrence McCord, grocer.

Third Ward, George P. Freeman, tailor.

Fifth Ward, William H. Johnson, real estate.

Sixth...

Former Atlanta citizen Woodrow Wilson, in spite of his fine record, had no easy victory for re-election as president in 1916. The Republican party, reunited after its split in 1912, fought a vigorous fight with a strong candidate, Charles Evans Hughes. The many achievements of the Wilson administration were cited during the contest, though the slogan of the campaign became, “He kept us out of war.” For awhile the election was in doubt, with Hughes the apparent victor. California proved to be the crucial battleground. It finally went for Wilson, however, and his victory was assured. The electoral vote stood...

The 1916 campaign for mayor was analogous to that of 1908 in that both times a prominent and wealthy citizen, with no particular desire for the office, was literally “drafted.” Both served only one term and both left office with city finances in the black where previously red ink had prevailed. Both drew upon personal funds for civic improvements, Robert F. Maddox for a city hall, and Asa G. Candler for an extension of the waterworks.

In mid-1916, with an income in the neighborhood of $5,000,000, the city was on the brink of bankruptcy. Schools were impoverished, Grady Hospital was...

Atlanta faced the New Year with firm stride and with eyes toward the front.

New Year resolutions of well-known citizens showed a general centiment of united purpose to help one another and, above all, to help win the war.

The resolutions ranged from facetious to serious, but back of all, as they were expressed to the Journal, lay an inspiring determination that showed a common temper and a unity of purpose greater than ever before.

The resolutions had throughout the tang of service—service for country and service for individuals.

Governor Hugh M. Dorsey’s resolution was: "To do the best...

The municipal primary of July 10, 1918, was featured by a four-cornered race for the office of mayor to succeed Asa G. Candler, and to serve during 1919 and 1920. Aspirants to the position were the old perennial, James G. Woodward, who had first served the city as mayor nearly 20 years before, in 1899; Dr. Louie N. Huff, an optician; Edward H. Inman, and James L. Key, a former unsuccessful candidate.¹

Apparently Woodward had lost his touch, for when the votes had been counted he emerged as a poor third. Key led the field, but did not obtain a...

Late returning members of the A.E.F. found Atlanta, along with the rest of the country, legally dry, the Prohibition Amendment to the national constitution having taken effect on January 16, 1920. They discovered that it was a crime for a man to do more than sing How Dry I Am, though Atlanta and Georgia had previously known prohibition through local option laws.

Atlanta entered the 20’s with a population of 200,616,¹ though that figure was to be augmented in late 1920 by literally hundreds of discouraged cotton farmers. The boll weevil, working east from Texas and Mississippi, struck that year...

It can almost be said that modern Atlanta emerged from the decade of the 1920’s. For sheer volume of building, public and private, business and residential, no peace-time decade in the city’s history approached it. Only the war-time 1940’s were on a par. In marked contrast to the booming 20’s were the early 30’s, when Atlanta, along with the entire country, felt keenly, the effects of the depression. Unemployment, which had presented no serious problem except for a brief period following the first World War, became acute. Indeed, in 1932, a mass demonstration of a thousand unemployed blacks and whites...

A detailed history of the years since 1939 must, of necessity, be left to a future historian. The deadline for the publication of this history, the writing of which occupied four years of unrelenting labor, plus years of research, is long past.

Perhaps it is best that the very recent past be left to future historical consideration, for certainly the passage of more time will give perspective to what might be written.

A brief review must suffice here. The years beginning with 1940 have been significant years. In September, 1939, World War II, the greatest manmade cataclysm of all time,...