Improvement and Prosperity

The frontier settlement had now assumed the proportions and the air of a "trading town" indeed, and its pioneer settlers congratulated themselves on the prospect of realizing their fondest anticipations. An amendment of the charter so as to obtain a "city government" was talked of. On the 27th of February the Enquirer said:

"No inland town of the South within our recollection has progressed with more rapidity in the line of substantial and elegant improvements, and none, we are certain, has a fairer prospect of attaining extensive commercial importance. At the time of the sales (July, 1828,) there was but one frame building erected in this town, and there are now seventy-five excellent and permanent frame buildings, all of which, with one or two exceptions, are occupied. There are, also, twelve dry goods and grocery stores, one drug store, and two commodious and extensive hotels. These improvements have all been made while doubt and uncertainty existed in relation to the growth and prosperity of Columbus, and whilst no settled conviction obtained in the minds of any of the actual value of property in which investments were made. But every day is developing the true resources of Columbus, and exhibiting its real claims to the attention and patron age of wealth, industry and talent."

The population, as reported by the Marshal in April, was 1,152 persons; as reported to the Enquirer by Dr. DeGraffenried (a State census) in October, it was then 1,261. The population of the county of Muscogee, at the last named count, was 3,507, of whom 2,262 were whites.

The regular navigation of the river was still a question of some uncertainty. A steamboat--the "Steubenville"--had arrived as early as the 22d of February, 1828, being the first steamer that had ever reached "the falls;" but the boats at first run were evidently too large, or of too heavy draught, for navigating the river either early in the fall or late in the spring. The "Baltimore" made a trip this year late in April, and was said by the Enquirer to be the only one of the boats in the trade suitable to the navigation of the river so late in the spring. It thought that boats drawing, when loaded, from 30 to 36 inches, could run throughout the year.

The citizens were now solicitous for the removal of the Indians, no doubt speculating views as well as apprehensions of trouble with them influencing the appeals for their removal.

The first fire reported in the town was on the night of the 14th of March, when the kitchen of Mr. Davis was consumed. It aroused some of the citizens to make a call for a public meeting to take into consideration some measures for protection against fire. But, as is usual with the first cry of "wolf," the excitement appears to have subsided without action.

A debating society in full blast this year was one evidence of social and intellectual improvement.

At the municipal election in January, James Van Ness was elected Intendant. E. T. Marks was Town Clerk this year, and John E. Page Treasurer. Moses Butt was acting as Intendant in November. We cannot find the names of the Town Commissioners of this year.

The prospectus for a new paper, to be called the Democrat, was out in August.

There was a controversy, during the fall, between Lieut. Clark, of the U. S. Artillery, and the authorities of Columbus, as to whether the Indians were entitled to the west bank of the river and to equal interests in the ferries established over it. The town authorities denied this right and refused to comply with the demand.

Incidents

The discovery of particles of gold on the river bank, in April, is mentioned. It no doubt created a sensation. As the precious metal appears not to have been found since then, and as we now know that the Chattahoochee and its tributaries cross the gold belt at several points, the probability is that the gold found in 1830 was washed down with the sands from above in some freshet.

A new hotel, called Lafayette Hall, was opened in the spring of this year, John C. Blance proprietor. It was on the corner of Oglethorpe and Bridge streets.

The 4th of July was again celebrated with becoming spirit. The "Frontier Guards" headed the procession. Maj. A. F. Moore was Marshal of the day; the prayer was by Rev. Mr. Moore; Col. Ulysses Lewis was the reader of the Declaration, and M. B. Lamar, Esq., the orator. A public dinner at Howard's Hotel wound up the celebration with a feast of good things, including patriotism and hilarity.

The first load of new cotton was received on the 15th of September. It was from the plantation of Mr. McGehee, of Meriwether County, and was sold to Stewart & Fontaine at 10 cents. The next week several loads were received, and sold at 10 1/4 to 11 cents. Nearly 100 bales were received on the 28th of October, reported as an unusually large day's receipts.

In July, Mr. Lamar retired from the Enquirer, having sold his interest to Mr. James Van Ness. In November, Mr. Marks sold his interest to Messrs. Henry W. Hilliard and James N. Bethune.

In April, some "malicious villain" entered the Enquirer office at night and pied the forms and cases.

The anniversary of St. John the Baptist was celebrated by the Columbian Lodge of Columbus. The address was delivered by Rev. Barkley Martin. H. E. Taylor was Secretary of this Lodge.

At the county election in October, Sowell Woolfolk was elected Senator, and A. Y. Gresham Representative.

A new pole boat, called the "Mary Jones," was launched by Hodges, Moore & Co., in September,

Pole boats arrived and departed frequently during this year.

The first steamboat arrival of this winter was the "Baltimore," on the 17th day of December, in five days from Apalachicola.

On the 22d December, the steamer Georgian, a new boat built at Pittsburgh for a company of gentlemen of Columbus, arrived in fifteen days from Pittsburgh.

Personal

The county officers, elected in January, were:
Wm. Holland, Sheriff
A. B. Griffin, Clerk of the Superior Court
John Townsend, Clerk of the Inferior Court

The following gentlemen constituted Muscogee grand jury for the Spring term of 1830: J. W. Fannin, E. C. Alford, Asa Bates, H. R. Taylor, David Dean, William Mullally, David W. Upton, S. R. Andrews, E. L. Lucas, W. D. Lucas, B. G. Lucas, H. C. Phelps, A. E. Mershon, E. Jewett, J. E. Lyons, B. Tarver, A. L. Watkins, Neill McNorton, J. P. Jackson, Thomas Davis, Jonathan A. Hudson.

Julius C. Alford did not long remain a citizen of Columbus, but removed in a short time to LaGrange, and while residing there was elected to Congress in 1839. He had notable characteristics and an originality sui generis. His impetuous and impulsive style of debate won for him the appropriate name "War Horse of Troup." It is reported of him that while in Congress he startled the House from its propriety by a terrific imitation of the Indian war-whoop, which he did in answer to a Northern member who had defended the Georgia and Alabama Indians and blamed the whites for their warlike demonstrations. He removed to Alabama about the year 1850, settling in Pike County, and died there several years ago.

Ulysses Lewis was a man of characteristics peculiarly fitted to impress and mould frontier society, and no doubt contributed much to the giving of tone to the civilization of both Columbus and Russell County, Ala., to which county he removed with the first wave of white settlement. He was sternly upright and just, with a courage for any emergency, and a fund of hard common sense that made him the very man for leadership in such a country. After his removal to Alabama he was for a number of years Judge of the County (now Probate) Court of Russell, and made one of the best and most satisfactory county officers in the State. He died in August, 1856.

Marriages

March 11 - Dr. Wiley J. Underwood and Miss Mary Ann Bohannon.
April 7 - James Kivlin and Miss Louisa Dillard.
April 22 - William Hayes and Miss Almina Holland.
April 27 - Andrew B. Griffin, Esq., and Miss Caroline Tatom.
July 25 - Henry W. Hilliard and Miss Mary Bedell.
July 29�Tuscan H. Ball and Miss Margaret M. L. W. Malone.
Dec. 16�Terrill Brooks and Miss Mary Perry.

Deaths.

Aug. 20 Mrs. M. B. Lamar, aged 21.

We notice among the business and professional men mentioned, and whose names are not already given, the following: