1890 $159,262.61 1894 201,649.92 1903 477,047.45 Comparison with other cities, by various barometers of trade and industry, indicates that Atlanta does more business than any city of 100,000 population in the United States. As a newspaper center it is phenomenal. The receipts from second-class mail matter at Atlanta were $55,658.83 during the year ending June 30, 1903. This shows that on newspapers and periodicals Atlanta pays the Government more than Brooklyn, Baltimore, Buffalo, Washington, Omaha, New Orleans, Louisville, or Indianapolis. The receipts of the Atlanta Post-office for the year ending June 30, 1903, were $477,047.45, an increase of fourteen and four-fifths per cent. over the receipts of the preceding year. Insurance. Atlanta is the third insurance center of the United States, and easily first in the South. The receipts of premiums reported to agencies here are estimated at $8,000,000, about equally divided between fire and life insurance. Atlanta is the headquarters of the Southeastern Tariff Association. There are no burdensome insurance laws in this State and taxes are reasonable. [Illustration: JEWISH TEMPLE.] [Illustration: FIRST METHODIST CHURCH.] Cotton. Atlanta is the center of large cotton operations, and receives about 115,000 bales annually. There are several large warehouses and compresses. The 12 lines of railroads give ample facilities for collecting the crop from adjoining territory and forwarding it overland to eastern mills or to the coast for export. Both of the Round Bale Companies are represented in this city. Transportation. Atlanta is the railroad center of the Southeast. Twelve radiating lines furnish ample facilities for distribution of manufactures and merchandise from this point. Five of these lines belong to the Southern Railway. Here is a list of the lines: Southern to Washington. Southern to Knoxville. Georgia Railroad to Augusta. Southern to Birmingham. Southern to Fort Valley. Southern to Brunswick. [2]Seaboard Air Line to Birmingham. Seaboard Air Line to Portsmouth. Western & Atlantic to Chattanooga. Atlanta & West Point to Montgomery. Central of Georgia Railway to Savannah. Louisville & Nashville to Knoxville. [Illustration: CARNEGIE LIBRARY.] The connections of these make many more routes over which there are through trains, as for example, to Columbus and Albany. The Southern Railway, Central of Georgia Railway, and Atlanta and West Point Railway have let the contract for a union passenger station at the corner of Mitchell and Madison streets, and will spend about a million dollars on the structure. Altogether they will spend two millions on the station and terminal facilities connected with it.