, 1876-06-05
HUNTSVILLE, ALA.
a Beautiful Little Plaoe..-1ts 6ituation
and Antocedenta.
Some Of Its Prominent Sons...C Chicago
People and Products.



Hpeefai cofrt.1ondencs of TM Trt4ne
hours rush across Indiana In comfortable
i. s1rcncr !, hrIora onc from chtcnro 70 Louis-
.n,o LII, .i,a o,,nat,nt ~ ycvo.,on NJ
Nlt!e VIII, e1o e'i'!s''a., A'"ou.s u ~ ",'
spirit anu wea''ncss Oh Inc llesn' eianec up
across the urcnt suspension bridge above the
-s.,,'ss I1. 49, 49,, ~ ,hat ~ trail. (,t,v,,
a "" ,ns. ,I.,r rrc.tira @ No .,co,n,,oo, rrm,exv.
!a maa 'oss 10 p'esssc ~ n.s'sa. .,ss ..,'
The iron-horse llaa playca tho mleehe1 villa
steamboat interests, and where, In tho pa,my
,7av, hs,nre t1e War. n tayy of ftoattnu pn]acca
co;,, ho .ccr iy,nr at m, w,n,ycs. ono now he.
,,o1na u - holtn,nn e or ~ NJ m nackcts-soltnrv md
mourntul reminders Of IN tay that Is DONE"
Fifteen hour, al Additional rolling towards
nm .,t,nmcr briurs The trnvcler 10 sbia
Wv rr,t ~ ruu snrrr,
hhsl W .ha noea"
sitting IN It's beauty IN the midst OF .he eteshat
tor stIll fingers IN tho Ian of cprtng II to one
where the baluy brcczcs arc redo1cnt with tho
,.ast,,,a ~ Tn,so,s mi tbo rrscn folfoo, NJ
fully.awakcncd summer evcryw1lcrc rests tho
grateful eye, Is delightful one, and rcndcrs tho
plcasurc-scekcr promo to tarry amid such sur
rouniltnra. Nor docs Nature ulouc tcmpt him
-. t'o .en ~ tf",ts.,,," in, ovnr hs",,
famed for lts hospitality Ms 1or It's beauty, anu
still sustnlns TINT reputation uninparctl. In
1871, the General Assembly Of tho Southern
Presbyterian Church was here entertained In 80
perfect d manner that tho Reverend Fathers
wcro completely captured. And within the last
few weeks tho Convention OF the Young Mems
Chriastan Association Of Alabama has expert
cnced the satne treatment.
TIE TOWN
is admirably sitnatcd on d rising. ground en-
ytroilcd by BILLS 800 tn 900 fcot high outlying
foothills Of tho Bluo Ridge, extending across
tho entire northern portion of this State, south
eye wcaElph OF the monotonous lcvels Of Cook
Eounty, tho hluo hills limiting the vision on
every hand, thickly el0thcd with ccdar, beech,
and oak, are n most refreshing sight, and are
town, and Mt one side of tho public square-that
sine-oun-non tn.Southcrn towna-t1c celebrated
ntg Spring issues from prccfptous bluif,
a!EoIding choice bit Of rugged scenery, and
of pure Wter, e' whie % IS ao accessible t5 al
residents by p1mping-works. ,~,-",..,.~
Huntsville Ia q p}ncc Of nhont 6, 200 fntabit-
nnts, on tho Mc.nphia & Charleston Railroad.
century, forming ral1yIng point In tho carly
days for tho settlers Of Northern Alabama It
llas always BEEN tho most important town In the
northern portion Of tic State and, in tic days
lcfore Tho War, was place Of considerable
wealth. That little "unp!casantncss did
1MroyERJsn 1rs PEOPLE,
who look back with fond regret IN tho happy
Jnys when their wealthy neii could be counted
on generous scale. A northumberland rutlruad
has long been desired to break up the
monopoly exercised by the Memphis IL Charles
ton Road, which Inns always Disseminated against
th!s town In frcights. Tint tlcsllcsntum seemed
attainablp ycars ,go, when road waa built
soutl, fraln Nashvllle; but II went tn the west
by way Ut Decatur, md Huntsville was left out
In tho cold. hIore recently 1t was hoped that
Cncipnntis great railrond enterprise would
reach Tic South in this direction; but that, too,
| gucs by ION tho other Rde.n
When Gen. Buell., In tho spring Of 1869,
marched southward from Naslyllle, to arrive
Just III time to turn the fortunes Of tho day Ut
''Sllin,,n lie letacllcd n large force under Gen
Mitchell for thu occupation of IIuntav1l!o; and,
In the early days OF April, the hluc-coats made
| their trst appeurancc,. marching down the
northern pike In tho latter part Of tho same
year the good peoplo were nntnterr.lptel In theil
Southern proclivltics. InJnly Of 1905, Gen. Grar,
gcr ngafu occupied tho place, and held
It, with single Interruption, until tho close o1
wnh VIM on M a rapid retreat from Tennessee, and
being harl pressed by tho Federal forces
sent Gen. Bnfos,l with detachment to
TnRMHArEK 1luNTsy1LLB, ..--
md cause diversion. Ono p!casant afternoon
tic quiet Of the little town VIA somewhat dis
turbel by tho appearance Of Buford's cavalr,
On tho hills to tlu northwest, and tho demand
for alt immediate surrender, with tho alterna
tive of bo,nhartlnent. Grcat WIS tho excite
ncnt up ut tha little fort on tho crowning Gle
walton 5f the town, mud there was 'hurrylng II
hot haste" ot courlcrs and ordcrl[cs, Tho re
suit was refusal to comply with tho modcs
request, md tho flight of scvernl shells from
tho fort In token 8f defiance. In tho meantime
Federal troops llasl hecn masscd ut Huntsvlll
fur its defense, null, Forests russo having sue
ccctlcd 90 admirably, the detachment WIS with
drawn, and Unclo Sam left in pcaceablo posses
sion Of ths , town, n T. on,, a. ,o.,. =,
OUR MOST NOTED POLITICIANS,
and, In ante-bcllun laya, its Bar was rather dis
ttngulshcd for Its ability and eloqucnce. Jane
q. Brncy-that foferlnncr In TIN Abolition
1novcnclst-was for years u resident Of tn
place, and 4 man prominent in his profession
tlcro lie spent tho best years Of hts life, until
under the pressure Of public opinion, ho slowl
found his way Northwnrd, to become the frs
Abolition can1latc for tho Presidency In III
uCoon-Bkin and Hard Cider" campaign Of 183t
receiving 1868 votes, md again IN 1Bi4 recciyin
1880 votes as the candidate Of thu Gilbert
| Furtyn ,fcrn Clemens. Qf Huntsville, q tilNt