Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/326

 266 TTISTORY OP SOUTHEAST :IISSOURI citizens did not lose faith in the iinal prosper- ity of their town and they did not abiuidon it. It grew slowly during the years, its prosperity keeping pace with the opening and improving of the land about it. Incorporated as a City In 1878 the town was incorporated as a city of the second class. John W. Brownell was mayor and the aldermen were H. C. Latham, T. II. Digges, John E. Powell, and F. Kopp. Since that time the city government has been maintained and the town has had a prosper- ous history. Some of the merchants, following the in- corporation, have been ]Iann Bros., G. V. LeSieur. II. C. Latham, Hunter & Mathew- son, Lilburn Lewis, Henry Jasper, T. H. Digges, and Parks & Akin. At the present time there are some forty business establish- ments, including general stores, special mer- cantile establishments of various kinds, and some manufacturing plants. The latter in- clude some woodworking plants, cotton gins, electric light and water works plant, and grist mills. The town is situated on a branch of the St. Louis Southwestern, which runs from Lil- bourii to New Madrid. There has just been constructed a new railroad from ilarston on the Frisco to New Madrid. This was built by home capital, having been promoted by E. S. AlcCarty, who has built a number of lines in this part of the state and northeast Arkansas. This is an unusually well-con- structed and equipped line and will probably be extended to connect with other systems. Long the County Seat New Jladrid has been the county seat for many years, but has been unfortunate in having the court house destroyed by fire. Other towns have desired the removal of the county seat, and while they have not so far been able to secure its removal, they have been able to prevent the rebuilding of the court house at New Madrid. There has recently been erected a new and commodious Catholic church, which is an or- nament to the town. There are two other churches, the Methodists having recently built a well-arranged brick building for tlieir use. Tlie town maintains a good public school, hav- ing a large brick school building. There are two weekly papers, the Weekly Record and the Southeast Missouriaii. They are both well-edited and influential papers. The present population is 1,882. New Mad- rid is well situated. It is at the lower end of the great sand ridge known as the Sikeston ridge. Its soil is fertile, there are some fine shade trees, and the town presents v. pleas- ing appearance. Just south of the town is a great Indian mound, which local tradition says is the site of De Soto's camp. The site is not that of the original town, as that has long since been swept away by the river. Point Pleasant Point Pleasant, in New Madrid county, was settled in 1815 by Francois LeSieur. He conducted a store until his death in 1826. John Woodward operated a combined hotel and store at the same place. Steamboats, however, were prevented from landing at the town because of the formation of a sand bar in the river, and for this reason the business of the town was transferred to a new site about one mile further south. On this new site there had been a wood-yard in operation since 1817. It was conducted by Alphonse Delaroderie. It was in 1846 that the new town was laid off and building begun. The first houses erected for business were ware-