A story of Florence without mention of their excellent street railway would not be complete. The Sheffield Company operate a line of cars between Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, that are strictly up-to-date, and the same attention is paid to the wants of the people as though they were compelled to fight an aggressive competitor for every fare. These cars connect the L. & N. and Southern depots, and give Florence a service that they are proud of and appreciate. There is a friendly rivalry existing between the cities of Florence, Sheffield and Tuscumbia, as there always is when towns are located close together, and to ask a man in Sheffield what he thought of Florence, he would look as though he never heard of the place, and to ask a man in Florence what he thought of Sheffield, he would say that any man living in Sheffield when he could just as well live in Florence should be fined and imprisoned on suspicion, but in dividing his favors in the way of street car service, Mr. J. W. Worthington, the Vice President and active man, is impartial, and gives all three cities a service that is strictly first-class. The Sheffield Company also furnish electric lights and power to Florence, and are daily improving the service and extending their wires. Florence could well be called a “City of Schools and Churches,” for in that respect they are far above the average city. Their schools, as before mentioned, are of the highest order, and their churches represent all denominations. There is the Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Trinity Episcopal, Catholic and Christian. The people are unusually devoted to the churches, and contribute liberally to their support. Florence now has approximately three miles of cement sidewalks and is now advertising for bids for the construction of twenty-seven miles additional. Florence will use something like ten million brick within the next few months, as several large buildings are now being constructed and the plans are being drawn for many more. [Illustration: Philadelphia Furnace, Florence, Ala., owned by Sloss-Sheffield Co. Daily capacity, 200 tons. Employs 175 men.] Florence now has industries that represent a money investment of about one and a half million dollars, fine schools and churches, street railway, electric lights and gas, honest city government, an up-to-date and efficient fire department, police protection, telegraph, telephones, public parks, and in fact everything required to make it a desirable place to engage in business and to reside. It will welcome new industries and good citizens. It is in need of various industries to use the waste material from the wagon works, stave factories and planing mills, and can offer greater inducements to parties interested than any other city in the South. * * * * * It would be unfair to this intelligent city, filled, as it is, with schools, colleges and churches, not to make mention of its valuable library.