Two Destructive Fires--Land Donated and City Subscription to Muscogee Railroad Company

The following was the result of the election held on the first Saturday in January for Mayor and Aldermen: Mayor, Wiley Williams;
Aldermen-
1st Ward, J. J. McKendree, Willis T. Holstead
2d Ward, no election
3d Ward, R. N. R. Bardwell, George Pitts
4th Ward, H. J. Smith, and no choice for one
5th Ward, James Kivlin, J. L. Morton
6th Ward, Benj. F. Coleman, J. R. Green

Subsequently, John G. Winter and Davenport Ellis were elected Aldermen of the 2d Ward, and John Quin of the 4th Ward.

Calvin Stratton was re-elected Clerk
George W. Turrentine, Treasurer
William Brooks, Marshal
Jas. M. Hughes, Deputy Marshal
Wm. W. Martin, Bridge-keeper
M. Woodruff, City Physician
James Johnson, City Attorney
Chas. Kendall, Clerk of the Market
E. T. Simons, Sexton
C. A. McGehee, Hospital Keeper

The first omnibus appears to have been licensed this year. H. W. Van Veighten and others were authorized to run an omnibus from the post-office to the wharf and other points in the city, for the purpose of conveying passengers.

The Fire Wardens elected in January were John C. Ruse, Henry T. Hall, John Strupper, E. E. Goetchius, L. W. Wells, Peter Crichton.

Board of Health-Dr. Thos. Hoxey, J. B. Hoxey, S. A. Billing, John S. Allen, Mansfield Torrence, Joseph Kyle, E. Birdsong, Benj. Wells, Joseph Wiggins, R. S. Stockton.

Port Wardens-Lewis C. Allen, Frederick Toby, T. M. Hogan, Wm. H. Praden, V. S. Cady.

Commissioners of the Poor-John Johnson, M. Woodruff, William Amos, Theo. Howard, Lewis C. Allen.

Messrs. John Bethune, Frederick Toby and Joseph E. Webster, assessors, reported the aggregate value of real estate in the city $1,333,825.

The newspapers of Columbus, this year, were the Enquirer, Times, and Democrat.

On Wednesday, at 7 o'clock P. M., March 1st, a fire broke out in J. M. Tarbox's book-store, located on the east side of Broad street, midway between Randolph and St. Clair streets. Fronting Broad street were destroyed Tarbox's book-store, Wade & Middlebrook's saddlery-store, Hall & Moses, hardware; E. & M. Meidner, dry goods; Sammis & Rooney, furniture; Meinhem & Co., dry goods; A. H. McNeil, shoes; Holden's oyster house and confectionery; Geo. H. Betz, tailor; Fogle & Cushman, dentist rooms; the clothing and millinery store of Mr. and Mrs. Dessau. The fire passed thence to Oglethorpe Street, destroying Hatcher & Pitts' livery stable. The Episcopal Church building was several times on fire. Several wooden houses on Oglethorpe were cut down, and the building occupied by the Enquirer as a press room was blown up. The fire engine did all it could. Mr. George H. Peabody was seriously injured by a fall from the vestry of the Episcopal Church. The heaviest losers were Sammis & Rooney, Kyle & Barnett, G. W. Woodruff, Wade & Middlebrook (fully insured,) A. K. Ayer, Hall & Moses ($13,000 above insurance,) P. A. Clayton, and others. Total loss about $80,000; insurance $40,000.

On March 20th, at 5 A. M., Harden's large wooden ware house, occupied by Hall & DeBlois, agents for the Lowell factory companies, and owned by the Milledgeville Bank, was burned with 1,281 bales of cotton, owned by various parties; and 900 sacks salt, 125 barrels of molasses and 75 of whiskey, owned by Barnard & Schley (insured.) The rear building of Redd & Co.'s store, with 200 sacks of salt, bacon, etc., was also burned. Loss $60,000. The warehouse was located where the Planters' Warehouse now is. This fire was believed to have been the work of an incendiary.

On the 23d of March, Council held a special meeting to take action in regard to the supposed incendiary origin of the late fires. A resolution was adopted authorizing the Mayor to offer a reward of $1,000 for the apprehension and conviction of any such incendiary.

On the 25th of March, Wm. Brooks resigned the office of Marshal, and James M. Hughes, Deputy, was elected Marshal. George Gullen was elected Deputy Marshal.

We find the names of the following boats that were plying the river in the early part of this year: Lotus, Champion, Peytona, Viola, Mary Ann Moore, Nation, Boston, Eufaula, Emily, Charleston, Albany, Apalachicola, Cadwallader.

Notwithstanding heavy losses by three destructive fires within a few months, the citizens of Columbus contributed $789.40 for the relief of the people of Ireland, then suffering from famine.

A new Market House, near the intersection of Oglethorpe and Crawford streets, having been completed by Messrs. P. Adams and J. L. Morton, the stalls were rented in May. We find that some of the stalls were rented by Richard Roberson, Barshall & Gittenger, Charles G. Bize, Amos & Jones.

J. J. McKendree having resigned as Alderman of the 1st Ward, A. B. Ragan was elected in his stead.

The following decree of Chancellor Ligon of Alabama, in the case of the Mayor and Council of Columbus vs. Lewis Davis and others, was laid before Council on the 17th of June, and spread upon its minutes: "It is ordered, adjudged and decreed, that the injunction heretofore awarded in this case be made perpetual, and that the said defendants and each and every of them and their successors in office of those of them which constituted the Court of Commissioners of Revenue and Roads for the county of Russell, be forever enjoined from obstructing in any way the streets and highways in the bill mentioned to the injury of the franchise of complainant."

On the 30th of June a special meeting of Council was held to consider a proposition of the Muscogee Railroad Company in regard to obtaining a lot of ground on the east commons for the purpose of locating a depot. The following resolution was adopted:

Resolved, That this body authorize the Muscogee Railroad Company to locate their depot on the east common, between Randolph and Bryan streets, and to occupy a space of ground for said depot, and for no other than railroad purposes, not exceeding the breadth between the two streets, and not over 1200 feet long, leaving a street on the east and another on the west end of said depot, which said streets shall be as much as 200 feet wide; and with the amendment that the title shall revert to the city when the road shall cross the river at any point above St. Clair street.

In August, P. A. Clayton was elected Alderman of the 4th Ward, vice H. J. Smith, resigned.

Council appropriated $300 to aid in buying a new engine.

On the 16th of September the Telegraph Company petitioned for permission to erect poles and extend their line through the city, and on the 7th of October Council granted the company the right to cross the commons, the streets, and the river, by attaching the wires to the bridge.

There was considerable feeling in Council and among the citizens, in October, on the subject of renting a portion of the commons for a race track. Council at first resolved to rent it for that purpose for a term of years, but afterwards reconsidered the resolution, and on the 28th of October, after receiving a numerously signed protest by citizens against any such appropriation of the commons, the whole subject was laid on the table.

Col. J. L. Mustian having made a proposition to Council to complete twenty miles of the Muscogee Railroad, commencing at Columbus, if the city would give him a bonus of $20,000, and it being represented that a project was on foot to build a road from the Georgia Western Railroad to West Point, which would materially interfere with the trade of Columbus, Council called a meeting of citizens on the 29th of October, to consider the question. This meeting adopted a resolution requesting the Council to subscribe for 1500 shares of the Muscogee Railroad, payable in bonds. At its meeting on the 2d of November, Council adopted an ordinance "to authorize and require the Mayor of the city of Columbus to subscribe in the name and for the benefit of the Mayor and Council of the city of Columbus for fifteen hundred shares in the stock of the Muscogee Railroad Company, to authorize the issue of city bonds for $150,000 in payment of the same, and to provide for the representation of said stock in all meetings and elections which may be held by the stockholders of said company." The ordinance provided that $15,000 of said bonds should become due and payable each year, commencing on the 1st day of January, 1853, until the whole should be paid by the 1st of January, 1863. At a meeting on the 11th of November, Council adopted an amendment to this ordinance, asking the Legislature to grant authority to levy an additional tax sufficient to pay the annual interest on these bonds.

Subsequently, on motion of Alderman Morton, Council adopted a resolution appointing a committee to ascertain and report what arrangements could be made, by means of a county subscription, to expedite the building of a railroad connecting the Muscogee Railroad with a railroad at Barnesville.

The Finance Committee reported in December that the income of the city Treasury for the year, ordinary and extra ordinary, had been $24,280.69, against $21,400 the previous year, and the amount of city debt paid off during the year a little less than $10,000, besides $3,000 of extraordinary expenses, leaving the current expenses of the city about $10,500. The debt of the city at that time was $42,466.

The city sexton reported 12 interments, of both whites and blacks, for the first quarter of this year, and 22 for the second quarter. We have been unable to find any report for the last two quarters.

Incidents

Mary Ann Coursey, a white girl, aged 13 years, was fatally shot in the head with a pistol, by Jones Butler, on March 1st. He was arrested in Girard, and lodged in the Columbus jail

The Howard Manufacturing Company was organized for the purpose of building a cotton factory, building to be 125x48 feet, five stories high, and run 5,000 spindles. Directors, Van Leonard, J. C. Cook, E. T. Taylor, Harvey Hall and J. I. Ridgway. President, Van Leonard; Superintendent, Jonathan Bridges. The corner stone was laid on Aug. 28th. There were two factories in active operation in Columbus at that time, the Coweta and the Columbus.

The war with Mexico was progressing this year, and Columbus took a lively interest in the contest. A battalion of six companies of mounted volunteers, of which J. S. Calhoun had been appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, left Columbus early in September. Dr. J. F. Bozeman was surgeon. The companies were commanded by Captains E. R. Goulding, H. Kendall, C. H. Nelson, C. A. Hamilton and W. T. Wofford. Colonel Calhoun was given a horse by General McDougald and received another from Daniel Griffin.

On the 26th November, Mr. Randal Jones, an aged citizen of Muscogee, was thrown from his horse, near the residence of Judge Thomas, on the Hamilton road, and killed.

The steamboat H. S. Smith, built in Columbus, was launched at the boat yard on the 27th of November.

A. G. Smith, of Columbus, was killed near Matamoras by Mexicans, while, with a Mexican, he was hunting mules.

Personal

The officers of Columbus Fire Company No. 1 for this year were R A. Ware, President; H. T. Hall, Foreman; Wm. Snow, Assistant Foreman; J. B. Strupper, Treasurer; V. H. Cady, Secretary.

The Georgia M. E. Conference appointed Rev. A. J. Wiggins, Presiding Elder of the Columbus District, and Rev. Jesse Boring as pastor at Columbus.

On Tuesday, August 17th, the Columbus Guards reorganized and elected:
S. A. Bailey, Captain
John E. Davis, 1st Lieutenant
R. Ellis, 2d Lieutenant
Joseph King, 3d Lieutenant
W. C. Hodges, 4th Lieutenant
W. G. Andrews 1st Sergeants
Erastus Reed 2d Sergeants
F. J. Abbott 3rd Sergeants
J. M. Hughes 4th Sergeants
J. R. Ivey 1st Corporal
A. Ellis 2d Corporal
P. Alston 3rd Corporal
John King 4th Corporal
James Hamilton, Secretary and Treasurer
T. Schoonmaker, Quartermaster

John E. Davis, on account of business, declined the captaincy and also the position of 1st Lieutenant. John Forsyth was then elected 1st Lieutenant.

In October, R. T. Marks was elected Senator, and John Bethune and N. L. Howard, Representatives of Muscogee.

They were the Whig candidates. The following county officers were elected:
Sheriff, Col. A. S. Rutherford;
Clerk Superior Court, Major E. J. Hardin;
Clerk Inferior Court, Robt. Mitchell;
Tax Collector, J. W. Edwards;
Receiver, D. J. Rees;
Coroner, G. B. C. Terry.

The Columbus Enquirer, Columbus Times, and Muscogee Democrat were the papers published in Columbus.

Marriages

January 3, Benjamin A. Berry and Mahala A. O'Neal.
Jan. 7, Stephen A. Doles and Mary Ann E. Hazelton.
Jan. 7, Anderson Williams and Mary Ann Smith.
Jan. 11, Madison T. Key and Samantha Maddux,
Jan. 11, Barney Mullany and Ann Putnam.
Jan. 21, George W. Cowdery and Rosa E. Purple.
Jan. 28, Patrick Holehau and Samantie Boraw.

February 9, Carter Newson and Lucy Ann Smith.
Feb. 13, Jno. W. Harned and Josephine Robinson.
Feb. 21, Wmn. H. Griswold and Mary E. Andrews.

March 8, Jno. K. Garrett and Martha Ann Garrett.
March 11, Simon Sartwell and Mary Ann Moore.
March 18, Thos. C. Hill and Sarah T. Pool.
March 23, Robert H. Boon and Sarah Ann Brown.
March 26, Mandley W. Ellison and Sarah Gilbert.
March 28, Harvey Matthews and Eleanor Carr.

April 1, Jeremiah Cox and Rebecca Knowles.
April 1, William W. Townsend and Lucinda A. Richardson.
April 1, Thos. J. Pool and Martha E. Shippey.
April 8, William Marler and Sileta Maddox.
April 8, William J. Bradley and Susan Dillard.
April 8, Edmond McGlawn and Martha Irvin Tullis.
April 15, James Barlow and Frances Tomblin.
April 18, Lawrence Lines and Ellen Octavia Bugbee.
April 27, David Fountain and Eliza McCardel.
April 29, Uriah Helms and Martha Foster.
April 29, John C. Wellborn and Mary A. Pease.

May 5, Hardy B. Carraway and Virginia C. Burton.
May 6, Bartley M. Cox and Lucy H. Watt.
May 9, Franklin Newberry and Polley Ann Williams.
May 10, John T. Copeland and Mary F. Cox.
May 11, William Whatsey and Elizabeth Renfroe.
May 16, James Brunette and Louisa Matilda Gilley.
May 19, Wm. Henry Chambers and Ann Lane Flewellen.
May 20, John Young and Salina Cowart.
May 23, John Mack and Martha Bagley.
May 27, Henry Turnage and Jane Elizabeth Armstrong.
May 30, Jno. W. Boland and Elizabeth Darden.
May 30, Liomel H. Turner and Louisa M. Bryan.

June 3, Jeremiah E. Langford and Mary Jane Jackson.
June 8, Lerry C. Mims and Salitha Ann Killian.
June 8, Littleberry B. Phillips and Mrs. Mary A. Pruett.
June 8, Andrew Jackson Welch and Margaret Elizabeth Rogers.
June 13, Geo. H. Sims and Sandal Webb.
June 13, Robt. D. Greene and Elizabeth L. Coleman.
June 15, Silas R. Brown and Sarah A. E. Jones.
June 22, Wesley Boyd and Elizabeth Hall.
June 27, William Thomas and Amanda Foster.
June 29, William McElrath and Nancy Artimus Mass.

July 1, George W. Welch and Nancy B. McNeil.
July 2, James M. Halley and Margaret Dunn.
July 11, Samuel J. Crow and Frances Elizabeth Owens.
July 13, John T. Decker and Lurany C. Chapman.

August 1, Patrick Gillespia and Fredericka N. Albricht.
Aug. 3, Samuel Watkins and Betsy B. McCall.
Aug. 15, Jepthah H. Clements and Elizabeth A. McDonald.
Aug. 19, Uriah Williams and Nancy Johnson.
Aug. 19, Jas. E. Broadnax and Martha Watkins.
Aug. 26, John W. Perry and Lovey L. John.
Aug. 29, Major LeGrand Guerry and Rhoda Amelia Cook.
Aug. 31, Seaton Ira Clark and Mary Jane Burt.

September 8, Thomas W. Christian and Mary Jane Greer.
Sept. 12, Charles Beck and Emily Wilson.
Sept. 16, Michael W. Whitman and Mary Adams.
Sept. 16, William P. May and Nancy A. F. Pace.
Sept. 23, Thomas Wilson Blackburn and Elizabeth Susan Kirkpatrick.
Sept. 26, Reuben Leggit and Persilla Lunsford.
Sept. 26, Amos Hicks and Martha Colyer.
Sept. 30, William Maxey and Mary Field.

October 7, Joseph West and Elizabeth A. Parkman.
Oct. 12, Woody A. Moor and Mary E. Paramore.
Oct. 14, George W. Hunter and Margaret Elder.
Oct. 17, Augustus L. Edwards and Susan E. Rockmore.
Oct. 21, Robert Garven and Louisa Gass.
Oct. 31, Jacob Parker and Nancy Davie.

November 7, Allen Whatley and Eliza Jane Blackman.
Nov. 11, Francis Kromer and Mary O'Conner.
Nov. 18, Joshua Wilson and Mary Ann Murry.
Nov. 25, Barnabas Cook and Dorcas Hicks.
Nov. 30, John Henry Mealing and Martha Burt.

December 2, Alsey Dean and Eliza Weaver.
December 2, Harvey King and Sarah A. Butt.
Dec. 5, Jno. W. Wood and Repsey Ann Hall.
Dec. 7, Hezekiah W. Edwards and Ann H. Harrison.
Dec. 14, Isaac W. Orr and Eliza Santhall.
Dec. 16, John Key and Susan Parkman.
Dec. 21, Peter K. Edgar and Harriet E. Brenizer.
Dec. 22, John Johnson and Sarah Motley.
Dec. 23, David R. Snell and Parmilla Ann Mullin.
Dec. 23, Allen W. Sanders and Elizabeth Perry.
Dec. 25, William Helms and Nancy Stearns.
Dec. 26, Enoch Willett and Martha Ann P. Williams.
Dec. 28, Richard A. Warner and Amanda D. Terry.
Dec. 30, Laban C. Pool and Mrs. Jane Needham.
Dec. 30, John H. Massey and Caroline Johnson.
Dec. 30, Calvin Hilliard and Julia Ann Bell.

Deaths

Dec. 27, 1846, Littleton Atkinson, aged 29 years.
Jan. 5, Mrs. Thomas Morris, daughter of William Ragland.
February, Ebenezer C. Chandler.
Feb. 29, Mrs. John Hazleton, aged 21 years.
Feb. 22, John Dicken, aged 40 years.
March 23, Mrs Milly Bryant.
April 18, Mrs. Josephine, wife of Judge Hawkins, aged 33 years. At Col. Banks' Wynnton residence,
May 1, Mrs. Mary Eugenia Downing.
May 13, Mrs. A. P. Reynolds, aged 43 years.
May 23, J. C. McGibony, aged 51 years.
June 26, Nathan Seymour, of Apalachicola, aged 65 years.
June, R. B. Lee, late member Georgia Light Infantry in Mexico.
July 10, Mr. Thomas Kimbrough, aged 60.
July 10, Mrs. B., wife of A. M. Kimbrough, of Muscogee County.
Aug. 2, Wm. Henry, son of J. N. and Lucy A. Barnett, aged one year and seven days.
Aug. 6, Henry Matthews, a native of England, but many years a citizen of this State, aged 46 years.
Sept. 5, Joseph A., infant son of S. C. Lindsay, aged 11 years.
Sept. 7, Mrs. Cynthia Ragan, aged 60 years.
Sept. 15, Mrs. Lemuel Cherry, aged 32 years.
Sept. 27, Joseph Grimes, aged 56 years.