The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-04-04
TOWN SOLD FOR TAXES
An Ex-Slsve Buys the Former
Capital Of Alabama
oae. the Center Of sa Opulent Slave
Holding Arsstocrasy Bat Sold Tor
the Price OF an Ordinary
Town Lot

The irony Of fate was never more
strikfngly ezemplified than at Selma
few days since when the town site OF
Cahaba. once the capital Of Alabama
and the center Of an opuient slave
holding aristocracy, was sold for taxes
and bought in by Henry Freeman, an
cx-sla-e. for FIVE hundred and hfty
dollars. On the property are dozen
or more houses, tV-o or three brick
stores being among the number, but
these viii be torn down
Situated as it was at the confluence
of the Cshaba and Alabama rivers, "a
haba was at one time one Of the most
important inland towns in the south
II Is said TO have been q most beautl-
fui village. Surrounded by the beau
fiful and fertile plantations that Lay
along the banks of the stately Ala
hama Cahaba was the home Of the
mobiles of the state. Here they built
their lovely dwellings in the archi-
lecture Of the south of that day with
broad verandas, wide halls and a null
4ifude of windows Extensive grounds
surrounded each. The choicest flow
ers bloomed in the gardens Magno-
las. oaks and stately cedars fringed
the entrance to the grounds. Cape
Jasmine and myrtle grew into trees IN
The flower gardens Hundreds OF do
nestle fowls scratched and clucl1ed
and crew in the poultry yards Blood
ed horses neighed and pranced in and
about the stables. Il was ideal living
these good yvorthies had Speaking Of
their manner Of living a recent news
paper writer thus diseOurses:
s-SOme Of the wealthier reared piles
Of brick after the fashion of the villas
OF old England, and few others yet,
whose incomes were princely, dwelt in
veritablc palaces Of stone and marble,
IN the midst Of parks, with winding
drives bordered By semi-tropical
flowers, wet with the spray Of flash
ing fountains Here lived the proudest
families in the state, famous in the
history Of that day, and some of whom
are vet powerful in the affairs of the
new era-the Morgans, the Craigs. the
Pettuses. the DawSons and Others Of
areater or less celebrity. William l.
Yancey's home was IN Lowndes coun-
IL. just across the river, and his was
familiar figure on the streets of the
town"
Such was Cahaba when the confed-
oracy was born at Montgomery, one
hundred miles or 50 up the river. Ca
haba's men went 70 the front TO fight
and her women yept at home. The
capital had been removed to Tusca7
loosa shortly before In its place
tai. grim stoclsade was erected, it be-
ing the southernnost prison of the
coafedaracy. The battle Of Selma,
few miles away. was the nearest that
actual war came, but nevertheless the
war was q death blow 70 Cahaba.
When the strife was over the mer-
chants and business men restOcked the
empty shelves of their stores, daily
newspaper was issued and everything
possible was done to restore the old
town TO tais former Importance, but
Selma, her rival, had railroads and q
river, too. and the trades people and
their cotton fiOated on TO that city. At
last, by a popular vote, the county seat
was transferred thither and hegira
soon followed. Many Of the costly
mansions were torn down and recon
Htructed in the successful city. Most
Of the balance were left tensntless.
Year by year the population was dimin-
ished by death and removal until grad
ually the old town was deserted and
finally obliterated from the face of the
map by the auctioneer's hammer.
The dear, dead old town will, how
ever, never be forgotten, and in that
brier and weed grown cemetery there
5 dust that win ever remain sacred &c
every true Alabamian.