Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-13
CAHABA'S DEPARTED GLORY
It Was Once the Capital of the State, Now a Hamet-FactS of Mournfal
 Interest.

A Times man accompanied Dr. Kirk patrick to Cahaba last Sunday, where the day was delightfully."- spent. Captain Kirkpatrick and MT. Cliff Kirkpatrick made us have a most delightful time en- tertaining us in manner that made us feel perfectly at home, says the Selma Times.
 MT. Cliff Kirkpatrick had the best crop, that was seen along the road. His corn is splendid. His individual crop of cotton was also good except in the low places, where it was drowned out. Cliff says that, taken as a whole, his cotton crop is 40 to 50 per cent short of what 1t was at this time last year.
 Just before starting home the carriage was hitched up and we took drive over the old capital of Alabama. This was our first visit, and the emotions that passed through our breast would have to be experienced to be appreciated. There are some hundred old houses yet standing, one of which is the old county court house, which is said to be the best piece of brick work in Alabama. It is now used as a grist mill and steam gin nery.
 The court house is a square, two-story building, in a fair state of preservation, and with a few hundred dollars expended could be made as good as 1t ever was.
  are couple of blocks of two-story stores. time having made sad inroads upon them. In these two blocks there are fif- teen or twenty stores not one of which is. occupied In fact, there is not store open in Cahaba One of the brick churches that was used by the white people in Cahaba's palmy days, is used as a place of worship by a colored con- gregation It cost, perhaps, $12,000 when built, and is one of the finest colored churches in the state.
 The old Dallas academy is still stand ing. It is a splendid two-story brick structure, with four large colonades reaching from the ground in front to the top story, supporting roof that pro- jectS out.
 The place where the Craigs lived is now planted in corn. General PettuS old home has been torn away and is now turned into a pasture. A solitary mag nolia, standing grand and beautiful. marks the spot where Joe Evans was born. The $6O000 Perine residence was torn away during the past year and the brick sold for other purposes.
 This old Perine mansion was one of the most noted buildings in the state. It was originally started for a cotton fac- tory and was then bought by Mir. Perine and turned into residence. The splen- did bored well in front of the residence still pours out it's 100000 or 100000 gallons per day. It has burst out lower down and does not run through the massive iron post, except when the river is high. The cemented drain, built in the shape of an immense serpent, that wormed it's tortuous course through the meadow in front of the house. has long since disappeared.
 Here is a meadow, wonder. few stunted cedars, all tell of the departed glory of the old state capital. At one time it had from 5000 to 4O0Qj jnhabitants. Now only about dozen White people and few scores of negroes form the in- habitants of this once proud town. Lots in Cahaba once brought as high as S5000. Now they are bought by the acre.
 Captain Kirkpatrick came out of the war with six-bits in money, two children and his wife. Now he owns a city, at one time worth, perhaps, $6,000,000 He owns about 900 acres of land where the city of Cahaba once stood, and resides in $20,000 mansion. There are about thirty old wells yet in Cahaba, and they run as free as when they used to slack the thirst of William L. Yancey and other great men.