Military Officers Association of America Presentation
"Yeah, well, the Dude abides." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYsw0KVRjCM&t=3s
abide: to endure without yielding
Ecclesiastes 1:4
"One generation goeth, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth for ever."
Kingdoms rise and fall, the ground they're built upon is the only constant.
ROD https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_(unit)
What is an acre? https://www.vantrumpreport.com/2022/02/01/whats-in-an-acre/
https://www.shalomdc.org/grounded-centered-connected/
John Roman in Concord https://www.jstor.org/stable/23395116
MUSEUM IN THE STREETS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-RioRQm0k8
from https://www.cetient.com/case/7368804/hughes-v-city-of-tuscaloosa
The subject-matter of this suit is a parcel of land lying between the lots and the river at Tuscaloosa, a part of the tract called the “River Margin.” The substantive right of the parties depends upon the act of Congress of May 26, 1824, which act, after vesting in the corporation of said town forever all the right and title of the United States to certain lots in the town of Tuscaloosa, said lots having already been set apart for public uses and designated in the plan of the town as “Court Square,” “Market Square,” “Jail Lot,” “Spring,” “Church,” and Burial Ground,” vested, also: “All of the right of the United States to the tract between the lots and the river at Tuscaloosa called the ‘River Margin,’ and that called the ‘Pond,’ and also of that called the ‘Common;’ on condition, however, that the corporation shall not lease or sell any portion of the last mentioned tracts, but that the same shall be appropriated to the purpose for which they were designated and set apart, as well for the benefit of the inhabitants of said town, as that of those resorting to or visiting the same, and if the same, or any part thereof, be applied to any other purpose, that it revert to the United States.”
By this act the title of the United States to the “River Margin” passed out of the United States and into the town of Tuscaloosa in trust for the inhabitants of the town.
The earliest settlers at the fails of the Warrior probably came from Tennessee. They were Thomas, Jonathan and Emanuel York, who came in the spring of 1816. Other settlers rapidly followed, and on December 13, 1819, the town of Tuskaloosa was Incorporated by the legislature of Alabama at its first session. At the time of this incorporation the title to the site of the town was still in the United States government; as under an act of congress passed on March 3, 1817, fractional section 22. township 21, lange 10 west, Huntsville meridian, was reserved for a town site The survey of this section Into streets and lots was not made until 1821, at which time the lots were sold by the United States government.
By act of congress passed May 26, 1824, the title to the streets and also certain lots set apart for public use and known as Court Square, the Market Square, the Jail lot, the spring, the church, the burial ground, the river margin, the pond and the common, were vested In the city of Tuskaloosa..
For the first five years of Tuscaloosa's existence all of the settlers were squatters; that is, they had no title to the land. The town was surveyed in 1821. A letter written January 9, 1821, by Josiah Meigs, commissioner of the general land office, to General John Coffee says, in part: "The survey of the township on which the town of Tuscaloosa is situated is much wanted. You will please send a plat of it immediately to this office, and cause the section or fractional section on which the said town stands to be laid off into town lots without delay, forwarding a plat thereof to this office without delay." The actual survey was made by Collin Finnell, grandfather of Judge Woolsey Finnell. Dr. William Cochrane, who came to Tuscaloosa in 1817, at the age of one year, is our authority for the method used in laying out the town. The surveyors began at the boat landing below the Falls and followed the road up the River Hill. From this point a wide street was laid out perpendicular to the river. This street is now called Greensboro Avenue. Broad Street was laid out at right angles to Greensboro Avenue, and the other streets were laid out in conformity with these two. The sale of lots began in the fall of 1821, probably in October. Colonel John McKee was appointed registrar of the land office in Tuscaloosa and served from March 7, 1821, to January 13, 1824. The land sale began with the auctioning of lot number 1, which is located in the northeast corner of section 22. Other lots were sold in numerical order. In the act incorporating Tuscaloosa the town is for the first time officially designated "Tuscaloosa." Previously this place was usually called the "Falls of the Black Warrior" or "Tuscaloosa Falls."
MAVERICK link: https://bamamammoths.blogspot.com/2024/08/maverick-i-south-carolina.html
1. MLK, Jr. Blvd. - WEST MARGIN STREET
2. 31st Ave.- BEAVER STREET
3. 30th Ave.- DEER STREET
4. 29th Ave.- BROWN STREET
5. 28th Ave.- JACKSON STREET
6. 27th Ave.- FRANKLIN STREET
7. Lurleen B. Wallace, S.- JEFFERSON STREET
8. Lurleen B. Wallace, N.- WASHINGTON STREET
9. Greensboro Ave.- MARKET STREET
10. 23rd Ave.- MONROE STREET
11. 22nd Ave.- MADISON STREET
12. 21st Ave.- COLLEGE STREET
13. 20th Ave.- YORK STREET
14. 19th Ave.- BEAR STREET
15. Queen City Ave.- EAST MARGIN STREET (later, QUEEN CITY STREET)
16. 3rd St.- SPRING STREET
17. 4th St.- PINE STREET
18. University Boulevard- BROAD STREET
19. 6th St.- COTTON STREET
20. 7th St.- UNION STREET
21. 8th St.- PIKE STREET
22. 9th St.- LAUDERDALE STREET
23. Bryant Dr.- LAWRENCE STREET
24. 11th St.- OAK STREET
25. 12th St.- WALNUT STREET
26. 13th St.- LOCUST STREET
27. 14th St.- CHESTNUT STREET
28. 15th St.- SOUTH MARGIN STREET (later, CRESCENT CITY AVENUE)
An empty wagon makes the biggest racket, as all can testify, who live near the highways during the busy ginning season. At night when we have been stung by the insomnia bug, we can hear the cotton wagons passing throughout the long nights. When they are going to the gin loaded with cotton they make a heavy dull fuss but when they are empty and the wheels need greasing, if you should happen to be asleep, you wake with a start, at it seems as if the demons in hell were staging a show. but you soon realize that it was only the empty cotton wagons, and that both master and mules are in a hurry to get back: home, and snatch a little sleep before the dawn. When the farmers have money everyone should be happy, so who should mind the noise of the cotton wagons.
-: -.
If these idlers injured no one save themselves, they would still be in the way; but, as it is, their example ib demoralizing to toe rising gener ation. The contempt, which they show for honest labor, is too apt to be contagious, and their, influence, where they have any at all, is alto gether in the direction of evil. Their very presence is a sort of disaster to the South. Even in Atlanta as active, progressive end growing a city as it is men can bo found upon the street corners meu who have been famous as loafers for twenty' five years men who have nothing to do and who desire to do nothing. Go into the country towns, and there you find a due proportion of idlers men who, from .
oue year's end to anotuer, lead tue lives ot semi-re spectable vagabonds. In winter time, they seek the sunny side of the street-corner or sit around the bar-room stoves and discuss politics. Iu the Summer they sit iu the shade of buildings that industry has reared whittle-dry-goods' boxes, and continue the discussion of olitiCs. it would , be better perhaps to, suggest a remedy for this state Of things, rather than to Search for the cause or to deplore the fact : but it Is to bo ft'art'd that the remedy can be found only in a system of education fortified by home instruction, that shall impress our young men not only with the necessity, but with the dignity, of labor.".
DUM VIVIMUS, VIVAMUS.
Fifty years ago, a "dram shop" and a court house were inseparable companions. Bill Price, recognizing and asserting this affinity, established a bar-room across the street from the court house, where Lovelace's store now stands, and displayed a sign with such brilliant letters that the wayfaring man could not miss the location. Price being indued with a love for the classics, and perceiving intuitively the future greatness of the embryo town, selected as a sign the motto of the Epicurean philosophers: "Dum vivimus, vivamus." His central location evoked the declaration that his "bar was the bung-hole, and around it the barrel would be built." The store of Lovelace & Bro. occupying the centre of the business part of Marion at present, is in evidence that Price's prediction, made sixty-three years ago, was correct.
While geographically the centre of the town in 1823, it was, in reality, the lounging place for all the loafing population for miles around. This log cabin with its board counter, and barrel of " Buckeye," collected together the originators of all the mischief perpetrated in Marion for the succeeding ten years.
The door was placed in a "bee line" with the judge's stand in the court house, so that important functionary, while expounding the law, might gather inspiration from the anticipated "Tom and Jerry," which awaited his coming, and was lighter when he came. "Gin Slings,' "Claret Punches" and "Champagne Trapps" were decoctions unknown; liberality, so characteristic of the early settler, was, no doubt, fostered by the custom of the day of selling spirits by the half pint; this being more "beverage" than one citizen could "chamber" at a single draught, he invariably invited in his neighbor.
Victor Hugo relates that the wine drank in a certain cafe in Paris was so exhilarating, and the Latin sign above the door so revolutionary in sentiment, that the two combined inspired the habitues of the wine shop with such a desire to overthrow the government, that they excited the émeute (riot) of July, 1832.
How much Latin became mixed with their toddie and infused itself into the head and hearts of the settlers; or what extent the early contemplation of this motto had in inspiring them with that love for the classics, which assuming a tangible form, embodied itself in our institutions of learning, cannot now be accurately determined.
The "boys" who congregated
here, understood its meaning in its widest acceptation, and evidenced
their desire to put its teachings into practice on every possible
occasion. They decided, at one time, to pull down the court house, and be
a "law unto themselves". Here the "prize ring" was instituted, and the
Fourth of July celebrate in such a manner as to nearly demolish the
building; here Jim Rountree planned the raid upon the circus. We will write of these things hereafter.
In the absence of the original notes of survey which I understand cannot be found, we have to take the city as it is and the maps and records which have been handed down to us. One thing is certain, the city is mainly situated in section 22 of the original government survey and the east, south and west sides of that section, south of the Warrior River, are the east, south and west boundaries of the city.
Therefore, there is no difficulty in establishing the east, south and west margin streets of said city. As none of the other streets are parallel to either of these, it is evident that some other base must have been used for these streets and that base must have been a line parallel to the Warrior River. For instance, such a line as Broad Street (present-day University Boulevard). Then as Broad Street was more capacious and commanding and the great business street, it is only reasonable to assume that it was the base line for all streets running parallel to it, and that Market Street located at right angle to Broad and the same width would be a fit base for all streets running perpendicular to Broad Street. It is natural to infer that if these two streets were the bases of the system and the most important street and the first built up, we would expect to find less intrusion on them than on any other street, in the first building period when the stakes were all visible and the inhabitants anxious to have everything just right, and such is the fact. These two streets with remarkable regularity have maintained their width up to the present date and I felt glad that it was so, for it would be social sacrilege in any one to manifest a disposition to mar the beauty of either of these magnificent thoroughfares. These two streets crowned so handsomely with magnificent oaks are fit monuments to the taste of our early citizens and we should take pride in preserving them and in continuing to beautify them.
Hence they were considered eminently proper to be used as bases, and the center of each, carefully established, has been used as the base of every other street parallel to it; and the result has been very satisfactory for every citizen will find upon investigation that his boundary has been carefully guarded. It is well known, and I believe generally admitted that all of the rectangular blocks of the city are four chains broad by five chains long- 264'x330' . It is also conceded that Broad and Market Streets were two chains broad each, and that all the other streets one and a half chains each broad, i.e. 132 feet broad for Broad and Market, and 99 feet for all other streets, so that the only difficulty was in the adjustment of our accurate steel tape of today and greater care, perhaps, with the less accurate chain of that date, and their greater carelessness, possibly. Such discrepancies have been distributed as appeared best, but in no instance have the dimensions of blocks been reduced either in width or length, therefore each lot owner must have his ground, unless his neighbor has unintentionally overlapped him. It is understood that each irregular rectangular block was divided into four separate lots, so that when a person bought a lot, of any of these blocks, he knew that he was getting the fourth part of a block 264x330 feet. It should be borne in mind that the surveyor's unit of measure of that date was the four pole chain, and this explains why the streets and blocks are of such dimensions as we find them.
At this date it is usual to use the steel tape or chain, divided into units of one foot each, for all railroad and town surveys, hence the dimensions are now always recorded in feet and decimals of a foot. So much for the city survey and the facts connected there with.
article by THOMAS CLINTON from the January 17, 1926 TUSCALOOSA NEWS
With the tearing down of the Brown Dollar Store, now in progress, it will bring to mind the fact that nearly all the old store houses on Broad Street of fifty years ago have disappeared, and are being replaced by better and more modern buildings. As these old buildings will be moved away, the older inhabitants will grow reminiscent about their past history. And a few observations along this line may be of interest. An old man and dead these years back and was born near the Lizard Road near Cottondale about the year 1817 spoke to me of this part of town as he remembered in the dim long ago. He said this part of town was covered with a heavy cane brake. And when he was a small boy, he saw men cutting down the heavy cane so that a wagon could be driven through these parts. According to the writings Judge Wm. R. Smith, the first jail was built of logs and was one story high and stood between the Dollar Store corner and the Kress store. The streets, avenues, alleys and blocks were surveyed in the spring and early summer of 1821 by order of President James Monroe. It was to the summer when the survey was finished. Then the land sales of 1821 started in the early fall. The lots were sold according to number. For instance, lot number one by Lock Ten on the river was sold first, then number two, etc. And by the first day of November, they were ready to sell lot 164 where the Dollar store now stands. Old records in the land office at Montgomery show that on this day, November 1st, 1821, this lot was bid in by one Samuel Mayer.This original purchase comprised a half acre and verging east towards Central Drug Co. of the corner years. Old Samuel Maverick retained, possession records of the property show that within about two and a half years after he had purchased it there were two small buildings on it. One of these buildings was a small frame house one story high and rented to a man named Benjamin C. Nutt. He ran a shoe shop there in 1823 as best we can judge from old authorities consulted. Everything considered, I prefer to believe that this Benjamin C. Nutt was the first man who did business on the corner and that a hundred and two years ago. The man who could conceive the idea of the place being now used as a shoe repair shop would be a Nut indeed.
Now a census of the little town taken in January, 1818 showed there was a population of 296 people. And judging by this, the presumption is that Benjamin C. Nutt did not do much of large business even at Christmas. Also one is tempted to believe that in all probability this was the first shoe business ever attempted in Tuscaloosa. Old records show that there was at the time a small one story brick same building on the lot and occupied by a man named Jimmy Potts. Reseaches fail to show as to what purpose Potts used his brick room. The old documents give the impression that both Potts and Nutt moved out in early 1824. On the third of January, 1825 Samuel Maverick sold this lot 164 to Augustus Maverick for ten dollars. I form the opinion that the two Mavericks were, near relatives, and really probability the lot was a gift from Samuel to Augustus, the ten dollars being mentioned to make the transfer legal. This incident is mentioned in Deed Book A, page 745. Now at this period of time, or there about an Irishman named Matthew Duffee, who was some kind of a kinsman to Franklin Pierce, came to Tuscaloosa and ran the Washington hotel where now stands the Merchant's Bank building for near forty years. In persuing the old records one gains the impression that at some time after 1825 Matthew Duffe bought from Augustus Maverick lot 164 and mostly on deferred payments. Not being able to meet these payments the property was sold at public sale May 22nd 1844. It was hundred bid in at dollars. six thousand eight Now the presumption is that at some time between 1825 and 1844, a period of nineteen years, the present brick building was put up.
Else it would not have brought this price as real estate was going at that time. This foreclosure sale is described in Mortgage book V page 137. Maverick continued in possession until July 1st 1856 when Steven Miller purchased from Maverick the corner building and the adjoining building east for $3500. This was just ten years after the removal of the State Capitol from Tuscaloosa.
And we were always told that a great collapse came in Tuscaloosa after the removal in 1846, both in merchandising and real estate So I presume this depression occasioned this extremely low price in 1856. This Steven Miller was one of the builders of early Tuscaloosa. He built quite a number of the old stores on Broad street and in 1872 built the old "Atlanta Store" that stood where now stands the Merchants Bank and Trust building. He was grandfather of Messrs. Steve, Jim and Sam Yerby.
At this period of time the corner as run by the firm of Neal and Bacon, carrying a mixed line of general merchandise. This firm as Leonard B. Neal who died in 1869, and Spotswood Bacon. Later 011 and during the the Civil War period the firm was Walker and Bacon, Syd Walkand the aforesaid Bacon. Syd er Walker was a very small man of low stature and Bacon was tremendously large.
As above mentioned, they conducted business the corner until a short while on after the close of the war in the Spring of 1865. Very soon after the close of the war, Mr. Alvin Miller, son of Steven Miller, started business on the corner. He did a good business considering the great depression following the As memory serves me, he war. in business until remained, here, I mistake not he died soon after he quit business the corner.
After Mr. Miller on moved out the stand was occupied by parties who were strangers to Tuscaloosa. I do not now recall their names. They were here for something like two years. It might here be remarked that memory serves me, that most of as the business of the town until about this period of time was confined to the two blocks east of this avenue.
Business centered the post office down to the from recent Lustig corner, and from the Wyman Bank, down to the Maxwell corner inclusive. But as my observation went in those times, activity, shifted and soon business, after to the a A. great G. S. railroad came into Tuscaloosa, in March 1871.
Fifty two years ago, that is to say in the year 1872, Philip T. Brady began business on the corner. He carried the largest and most complete stock of "His any retail store in Tuscaloosa. business began growing rapidly and from the first. Mr. Brady was a man of mark, so to speak. He came from County Cavan, Ireland and made Pickens County his frst home, but later came to Tuscaloosa and remained here until his death in July 1877, he was perhaps about six feet in height and walked very erect. He dressed immaculate always. If he did have time to talk to an old not friend, he always took time. This spirit of sociability made for him a wide circle of friends throughout west Alabama.
He was a pronounced success as a merchant, real estate man and politician. About the year 1875 Mr. Brady moved his business to the store west of the post office. And Mr. Garner commenced Saloon business on the corner that Mr. Brady had left. Later on perhaps about 1882 Stanley and Davis bought out Mr. Garner. And later in turn the sold G. W.
Simpson. After some years Mr. Simpson sold to James Q. Ralph who conducted the same business until the Saloons were replaced by the diswhich was run on the pensory Lustig Corner. And Brown Bothers commenced business where Benjamin C.
Nutt commenced a hundred and two years ago..
The Bitter "Weed. EDITOR GAZETTE : In the last nnm-b-r of the Gazdte you had bonietbing timely to say about the " Bitter Weed," with whk-u. the Street" and Lawns of Tuskaloosa are how so umih infested. 1 am glad that you bav siiested to onr worth Board of Aldermen the ueeeity of declaring Uittsf war agaiuat tlxa Bi ter Weed. This troublesome intruder Is a species of (enixni or Sneeze Weed.
It made it appearance in our streets about six yearsajio, and wad . at fir t supposed to bt a new m it of Dog FeimtL Where it earn.; from i r who brought it here are. questions that b.ljug to that class of questfons that no Mlo is expected to find out. Tha moat important question for the people of Tus-kaloora is how can we get lid it ? From ii very small cluster of staks it bi.n in the course of a lew years increased so rapidly, and spread so widely that our streets are now like a vast yellow ciirpet spread out iu the buu. This Weii- ium is the worst pest iu the way of a weed we have ever had to contend.
J. lie ug rennei dies out before July and is vexatious mainly on account of the red bugs with which it is iu- lesled : b iorula tojtee come in lute in tne season, and is troublesome only on account of its obatim ting the side-walks and paths ; but this noxious lSMer W eed itu its pretty name, llcl- f ilium, comes like an army of Cossacs, with the first grass ot spring, destroys all the good pasturage during the summer and autumn; tiuil like Yellow Fever, disappears only .on the ad7 vent of a bhek frost. The city fathers ought to t ike measures to destroy it, root and branch. It may be impossible to extirpate it in one sen-sou : but it it is persistently fought, before it goes to seed, there is scarcity any doubt that it can :ne cm rid of in two or three years. Th.it the trial ought to be made, is the opin ion ol il .a 11 TA.-f.i i Mia.
The writer we know represents the views of a large, and iutelligint un in ner of pur citizens. 1 he ebd id now in full bloom: If cut; a large; perhaps three fourths; of the Seed would not come up next spring, wneu another mow ing would give it a qui etus. The heavy fall dews are set- ting in, many of the side walks are now mere loot paens; wc know the ladies do not like drabbled dresses. Wheu shall the mowing begin !.
Complaining Of Wide Streets. Selma has often complained of her wide streets. The city was laid out when the land was cheap and the hopes of the pioneers high and their views large. Tuskaloosa suffered from the same grandiose ideas of its projectors. There is a great deal too much street in those cities, although Tuskaloosa has mitigated the evil somewhat by planting trees down the middle of the streets in double rows.
We can give an idea of the width of a Tuskaloosa street by saying that a block of buildings could be placed along the center lines and leave street enough on each side for all the traffic that now prevalls. Most of the time of the merchants and others is taken up in crossing and recrossing streets. Selma proposes a remedy that appears a good one, namely, to remove the property line out toward the center of the street twelve or fifteen feet on a side, so as to give a grassy lawn between the sidewalks and the houses. The remaining roadway will be sufficiently wide and money can be found with which to pave It. At present, with streets of utmost width, it is hopeless for a town of Selma's size to look to paving AS a relief from the dust storms that prevan there.-Mobile Register..
STORIES Of I FACT AND FICTION I was much Interested In a beautifully Illustrated article in the May Arichitectural Record, entitled The Greek Revival of the Far South as it is In Tuskaloosa, Ala. said a reader of that magazine. 'The article begins by saying that perhaps no where over the South can be found a town which more perfectly blends the relics of the old -regime with that of the new, than we find here In the quaint old town of Tuskaloosa, with Its wide streets and their rows of massive oaks, forming overhead a veritable canopy of verdant green, and lined with houses and grounds roaming about with the Due Southern disregard of space. Following, a history of the town Is given, dating back to its founding in 1816. The article further says, But the point which really interests one Is the high degree of enlightenment its society attained In ante-bellum days.
There hospitality ripened into a fine art and never flowered to a more exquisite display than In this old town. The men were honorable, chlvalric and thoroughbred. The mala thought In the article is, however, the architectural beauty of the old homes which have been preserved many of them since ante-bellum days, and which are now beautiful land marks of the Druid City. There are numerous Illustrations of Tuskaloosa homes given, bearing no name of the owner, but among others are those of the Battle house, the Snow house, the mansion of the president of the Alabama University built In 1827, the Spence home, the old state eapitol, the Foster and the Hays homes and many others. The article Is attractively written and Illustrated and forma one of the best In the magazine..
from the October 20, 1821 NATCHEZ GAZETTE
3y the President of the United States. WHEREAS ty the second lection of an art of Con-1 tress, patsed on the 20th of April', 13 Jo, entiUed "An act respe:tiu(r the sprveyinj and sale of the public I lands in the Alabama Territory," the President of the I in , Uuiled SUUs it authorized to designate and reserve iroin salo a certaiu uutubar ot sections, not excced.ng ten, I iu any one destrict in the Territory aforesaid, for the purpose of laying out and establishing towns thereon; Mutch sections, so designated and reserved lor tlie pur pose aforesaid, re required to be laid off iuto lots, and to be offered at public sal in the tame manuer, and ou I the same terms and conditions, aa are prescribed tor the disposal of similar lands of the United States: 1 het-efor. be it known, tliat 1. James Monroe. Presi dent of the Vnited States of America, do hereby declare end publish; this my Proclamation, that a public sale shall be held on the fith Monday in October next.
-at the laua Uilice st' Tuscaloosa, in the state of Alabama, for the disposal at public auction of Lots numbered one to I nve iiuudrea ana eleven, inclusive, sitaate in, the Uwtrict j nn-of Tuscaloosa, and forming the town of Tuscaloosa, ly ing I ...w ...v, u. un ..Hi.... .cuu ... i.uui - . -T - , with iheTeqaisitions of act aforesaid.
. - ' I .No" lots to be sold foe a leu pries than at tha rate of! .1. ii . . .
.I. uouars per acre, j, . ,-. . .
; , 1 he sale to commence with th lowest number, and to proceed in regular numerical order, until all th lot thall bar beeo offered-i ; ' - Ci veo under my kind, at tha city of Washington, this zju cay ol August, A. u. lCl. ' ' i MONROE. Bthe PreMJont: ' 1 " ; , .
, , ' C JOUH MFIG3,' ' ,:'""',' V... 39. 6 Commissioner of ihdGei'L Land Oflira,.
STORIES Of I FACT AND FICTION I was much Interested In a beautifully Illustrated article in the May Arichitectural Record, entitled The Greek Revival of the Far South as it is In Tuskaloosa, Ala. said a reader of that magazine. 'The article begins by saying that perhaps no where over the South can be found a town which more perfectly blends the relics of the old -regime with that of the new, than we find here In the quaint old town of Tuskaloosa, with Its wide streets and their rows of massive oaks, forming overhead a veritable canopy of verdant green, and lined with houses and grounds roaming about with the Due Southern disregard of space. Following, a history of the town Is given, dating back to its founding in 1816. The article further says, But the point which really interests one Is the high degree of enlightenment its society attained In ante-bellum days.
There hospitality ripened into a fine art and never flowered to a more exquisite display than In this old town. The men were honorable, chlvalric and thoroughbred. The mala thought In the article is, however, the architectural beauty of the old homes which have been preserved many of them since ante-bellum days, and which are now beautiful land marks of the Druid City. There are numerous Illustrations of Tuskaloosa homes given, bearing no name of the owner, but among others are those of the Battle house, the Snow house, the mansion of the president of the Alabama University built In 1827, the Spence home, the old state eapitol, the Foster and the Hays homes and many others. The article Is attractively written and Illustrated and forma one of the best In the magazine..
Complaining Of Wide Streets. Selma has often complained of her wide streets. The city was laid out when the land was cheap and the hopes of the pioneers high and their views large. Tuskaloosa suffered from the same grandiose ideas of its projectors. There is a great deal too much street in those cities, although Tuskaloosa has mitigated the evil somewhat by planting trees down the middle of the streets in double rows.
We can give an idea of the width of a Tuskaloosa street by saying that a block of buildings could be placed along the center lines and leave street enough on each side for all the traffic that now prevalls. Most of the time of the merchants and others is taken up in crossing and recrossing streets. Selma proposes a remedy that appears a good one, namely, to remove the property line out toward the center of the street twelve or fifteen feet on a side, so as to give a grassy lawn between the sidewalks and the houses. The remaining roadway will be sufficiently wide and money can be found with which to pave It. At present, with streets of utmost width, it is hopeless for a town of Selma's size to look to paving AS a relief from the dust storms that prevan there.-Mobile Register..
A NOVEL PARADE. Sells Brothers and Barrett with their united shows will introduce more novel features in their street parade this year than all other show: in America combined can produce. Each of these shows was fully equipped for the tenting season, and intended 10 tour the country seperately, but by a stroke of genius, more bold than has ever before beet. attempted, they ar' ranged to travel and exhibit in conjunction. It was a difficult task to find room on their sixty long cars for the two shows, and in order to add a brand new feature never before introduced in this country, ten new cars, each sixty ilve feet in length, had to be built.
The feature alluded to above is the Children's Dream of Fairyland, exemplified with many golden chariots. representing the principal features of fairy lore -among which is Robinson Crusoe, Old Mother Goose, Cinderella, Bine Beard, Littie Red Lidin. Hood, Santa Claus and the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. These golden chariots, drawn by ponies, together with the miniature Tally Ho conch with monkey footmen and attendants, will appear in the parade. Over fifty cages, two droves of camels, two herds of elephants many bands of music.
and hundreds of other features will be worth going many miles to see, and is only a partial index of the wealth of wonder displayed under the huge canvases. It requires four extra large locomotives to haul this immense show upon the levelest railroads. This grand parade will appear about 10 o'clock on the streets or Tuskaloosa on October 9..
FOR SALE. House of nine rooms kitchen and coal house, stable, carriage house, harness and tool room, two corn cribs, brick well of fine water, watf r connection, peach trees and grape arbors, a perpetual pas ture on lot 01 nearly nve acres, situated on Lawrence and East Margin streets in Tuskaloosa. Brick store house and lot, two residence and lots in Northport. Joshua H Foatir..
The Bitter "Weed. EDITOK GAZETTE : In the last nnm-b-r of the Gazdte you had bonietbing timely to say about the " Bitter Weed," with whk-u. the Street" and Lawns of Tuskaloosa are how so umih infested. 1 am glad that you bav siiested to onr worth Board of Aldermen the ueeeity of declaring Uittsf war agaiuat tlxa Bi ter Weed. This troublesome intruder Is a species of (enixni or Sneeze Weed.
It made it appearance in our streets about six yearsajio, and wad . at fir t supposed to bt a new m it of Dog FeimtL Where it earn.; from i r who brought it here are. questions that b.ljug to that class of questfons that no Mlo is expected to find out. Tha moat important question for the people of Tus-kaloora is how can we get lid it ? From ii very small cluster of staks it bi.n in the course of a lew years increased so rapidly, and spread so widely that our streets are now like a vast yellow ciirpet spread out iu the buu. This Weii- ium is the worst pest iu the way of a weed we have ever had to contend.
J. lie ug rennei dies out before July and is vexatious mainly on account of the red bugs with which it is iu- lesled : b iorula tojtee come in lute in tne season, and is troublesome only on account of its obatim ting the side-walks and paths ; but this noxious lSMer W eed itu its pretty name, llcl- f ilium, comes like an army of Cossacs, with the first grass ot spring, destroys all the good pasturage during the summer and autumn; tiuil like Yellow Fever, disappears only .on the ad7 vent of a bhek frost. The city fathers ought to t ike measures to destroy it, root and branch. It may be impossible to extirpate it in one sen-sou : but it it is persistently fought, before it goes to seed, there is scarcity any doubt that it can :ne cm rid of in two or three years. Th.it the trial ought to be made, is the opin ion ol il .a 11 TA.-f.i i Mia.
The writer we know represents the views of a large, and iutelligint un in ner of pur citizens. 1 he ebd id now in full bloom: If cut; a large; perhaps three fourths; of the Seed would not come up next spring, wneu another mow ing would give it a qui etus. The heavy fall dews are set- ting in, many of the side walks are now mere loot paens; wc know the ladies do not like drabbled dresses. Wheu shall the mowing begin !.
Correspondence of the Gazette. of the rights of tbe people, Mr. Editor, inalienable and inherent, is to complain at the office-holders. They are a privileged class. Now, I propose to give them one of their privileges that of being abused.
I shall complain, first, that they promise more than they perform. Let ub take up our City authorities What are they doing ? As I was walking down town this morn ing, I was almost lost in the weeds that hedg ed my. path. It is true there was no hog hiding in the rank tangle to frighten me by his ugh ! tigh ! but The scent ot the swill ' Hangs 'round it still." Crossing one of the bridges, ono foot caught against a nail that caused me to Btumble and catch the other in an opening in the plauks, This happens frequently. A buggy, the other dT, got its wheel lodged between two planks of the flooring of the Street Railway crossing and was nearly wrecked, striking agaiust the ends of the cross-ties.
They will cover thera up in due time, of course. Tho City Fathers owe it to their constituency to give us safe ways for foot and vehicles. Did yon ever, Mr. Editor, stop and look at tnat enolosnro of trees on Greensboro St.? It is a picture of real loveliness. Let our colored folk come into town and hitch their lean cattle to the tailing and fallen planks that environ those lovely oaks, and you have a picture that Harper would envy.
Sunday is here now. What do you see on this sacred day, Mr. Editor? Ton don't see it? There are those who do, aud they have the power to arrest it While here goes an orderly procession of cheerful and happy faces to the house of God, there goes a line ot almost equal leng'th, finding its way, bv the aid ot hired ushers, to the den of the Rum-sailer and the doom of the drunkard. We have men in our midst doing more mischief than the worst plague that ever visited a people, I complain that there is no resistance to tuis worse than small-pox scourge. The City Fathers can do something and the whole city intelligence will support them ia it 1 - Gbdmblee, The boys are going to afflict Entaw with a game of Base Ball next week.
The 'Druids' have been practicing a little this week, and the Entawans will have to dauce around right sharp to eome out first best!..
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home