ons. Whatever local interests may clash,
the good of Atlanta is always a rallying cry. The Atlanta spirit, which
has accomplished so much in the upbuilding of the city itself, is happily
contagious, and has much to do with making Georgia the Empire State of the
South. The spirit of new life has spread from this to other Southern
States which are the most active in the development of their resources,
and the spirit of the Southeast is the spirit of Atlanta.

For this moral and material eminence Atlanta is fortunately situated on a
ridge which divides the watershed of the Atlantic from that of the Gulf,
and at a point where the natural barrier of the Appalachian chain is
broken by great gaps in the mountains. This is the natural point of
intersection for railway lines from the West with lines from the East.

This geographical vantage ground is accompanied by a topographical
eminence, from which the great climatic advantages of Atlanta are derived.
More than 1,000 feet above sea-level at its lowest point, and from eleven
to twelve hundred at other places, Atlanta enjoys a cool, bracing
atmosphere, with breezes that blow over the foot-hills of the Blue Ridge.
The exhilarating air is a kind of natural tonic, so different from that of
the coast and Gulf regions that an inhabitant of the low countries, coming
to Atlanta during the heated term, feels a stimulus as if he had been
drinking great draughts of aerial champagne. The rolling surface of the
country, which slopes in almost every direction from the city affords easy
drainage and keeps the surrounding region free from malaria.

Atlanta's public buildings typify the solid character of her institutions.
Most conspicuous among them is the State capitol, which was erected at a
cost of $1,000,000. This stately structure, the hotels, office buildings,
theaters, churches, the custom-house, the county court-house, and other
public edifices, make up an aggregate of ten millions invested in public
buildings.

Outside of public buildings, the architecture of Atlanta is of a pleasing
character and has steadily improved during the past thirty years. Few
cities in any part of the United States can show more attractive residence
streets or architectural designs indicating more culture and good taste.
Peachtree Street, the principal one for residences, has a number of
elegant homes which would be ornaments to any city.

Atlanta is a city of homes, and this is apparent not only in the