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Section IX THE ElGHTEEN-ElGHTIES Expositions Focus National Attention Upon the Atlanta Area. Local Big Business Gets Up Steam. Social Clubs Organized CHAPTER 58 1880 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 population, the city gained substantially during the decade—from 21,789 in 1870 to 37,409 in 1880, an increase of 15,620. The total population of Fulton County in 1880 was 49,137 as against 33,446 in 1870. The population of De Kalb County had grown to 14,497 by 1880.J The municipal election held on December 3, 1879, resulted in the selection of Charles Beerman as alderman-at-large, and the following new councilmen : First ward, James J. Barnes; second ward, John Berkele; third ward, Thomas J. Buchanan; fourth ward, Thomas J. Boyd, and fifth ward, Litt C. Jones. Water commissioners elected at the same time were L. P. Grant, for three years; George W. Adair, for two years, and E. E. Rawson, for one year.2 City officers for 1880 were John Milledge, auditor and recorder; W. R. Biggers, city clerk; J. C. Rogers, R. J. Griffin and E. M. Roberts, assessors; Charles E. Robinson, tax collector and receiver; W. H. Holcombe, marshal; John H. Goldsmith, treasurer; Calvin Fay, E. T. Hunnicutt and W. H. Parkins, building inspectors; R. M. Clayton, city engineer; W. T. Newman, city attorney ; A. N. Hunt and Solomon Belcher, cemetery guards; L. G. Holland, sexton ; W. A. Bonnell, keeper city hall; H. S. Harris, keeper powder magazine, and Jacob Emmel and John Smith, overseers of the chain gang.3 Eighteen-eighty turned out to be an exciting year on the State political front. In fact three of the Atlanta area's best-known citizens, John B. Gordon, Joseph E. Brown and Alfred H. Colquitt, soon to become known as "The Bourbon Triumvirate," formed the hub about which the political wheel turned that year. Certain it is that the gubernatorial contest of 1880, resulting in the reelection of Governor Colquitt, would have been much less colorful and controversial had not General Gordon resigned his seat in the U. S. Senate during May. Gordon's resignation was occasioned by a need and desire to mend his personal financial fences. Of a number of offers from private business, he accepted that of counsel for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad at $14,000 per year. Atlanta—Vol. II-l IS DOUBTFUL IF ANY CITY IN TH EuNITED sTATES CJHANGEDE PHYSICALLTY TO A I 2 ATLANTA AND ITS ENVIRONS Governor Colquitt immediately filled the vacant Senate seat by appointing former governor Joseph E. Brown, an able but not universally popular gentleman . The political opponents of all three men immediately raised the cry of "bargain and corruption" all over the state. Such a charge was never proved. Yet the question before the voters was, did Colquitt, Brown and Gordon have an understanding over Gordon's resignation, Brown's appointment, and Col- (Courtesy Atlanta Historical Society) Forsyth Street looking north from Walton Street, 1880. First Baptist Church, foreground, faced south on Walton Street, present site of Post Office and Federal Building. Church in right background is First Methodist, now site of Candler Building quitt's campaign for re-election? And if so, was this to the detriment of the state? With this as a beginning, a campaign of personalities was waged with such bitterness that when read from the newspapers of the day it still creates amazement. In the Democratic Convention which met in Atlanta in August, 1880, the anti-Colquitt forces sought to use the two-thirds rule to prevent his renomination . The Colquitt supporters were more than a majority of the Convention, but in caucus they decided to support the two-thirds rule. As a result, the determined opposition was able to prevent the formal renomination of Colquitt. Accordingly the majority of the Convention passed a resolution "recommending " to the people his re-election. The majority thereupon adopted a motion to adjourn sine die, but the minority remained in session and nominated former...

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