The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-05

the petition with great reluctance and the
ladies departed. Puglr sat grimly silent for
several minutes, and then, = his deliberate
way said: Cochran, I don't think we did
right in signing that paper Don't you
bother Yourself answered Cochran. You
haven't done any harm. Whisky can stand
on it's feet and defy Pugh and Cochran
and the whole world Let's take drink?'
There was not more gloom in the law Of
fee"
A gentleman. of the vicinity of Fauns-
dale, Marengo county, in the lobby of the
Morris, remarked on the enterprise of Hon.
Thomas McAdory Owen, of Carrollton, in
the renewal of the work of the Alabama
Historical Society.
This society" he said, was organized
at the 1850 Commencementsf the University
of Alabama, by the late Bishop n. Ii.
Cobbs Colonel A. ]. Pickett, the historian;
the famous Tourney; DR.. Garland, of world
wide fame as an educator; Judge ormond,
and others. The society was chartered in
1852.
when the present legislature met, Mr..
owen went to Montgomery and mainly by
his efforts the legislature appropriated $3.50
to assist in the publication of the data
of the society. Governor Johnston is presi-
dent, and he appointed Mr.. Owen, secre-
tary. The membership fee IS 81. There are
some 200 members, and with the fees aris-
ing supplementary to the state appro-
priation, good deal of very valuable work
will be carried on. OF course, more men,
bers are very much needed.
1.-THE plan of Secretary Owen seems to be
to enlist the work of individuals in locality
history, so to speak. He told me recently
that he was anxious to make the best ap-
pointments available of that kind, and said
he had given an appointment to Mr.. John
w. DuBose, of this city, to write fully on
the old plantations, and the planters and
their Incompatible society in the cane
brake of Marengo and the adjacent coun-
ties. Mr.. DuBose was reared near Fauns-
dale, and ought to make a charming story.
Iuis is one of the papers to be read at the
July meeting of the Alabama Historical
Society. Other appointments on locality
history will fill out the whole state, If the
secretary is supported as he should be, and
will be, think, as his work becomes
known.
"Owen was born and reared of an infiu-
entail family of Jefferson county. He is a
graduate OF the University of Alabama, and
for years. ten years or more, he has been
a close student and devoted compiler oil
Alabama history. 1 am inclined to expect
thorough awakening of public interest, and
1t will not be long before you will see a
history of Alabama, unique in plan, compre
hensive, just and as entirely reliable, ana
it cannot fail to be deeply interesting. 1t
will then be in order to prepare school
history.
lone volume of contributions has already
been published, and volume will be out
in 60 days, as the secretary informed me-"
A bill is now pending before the legisla-
ture to abolish the three days of grace" on
negotiable paper. This Is in conformity
with the laws of surrounding states. There
is a commission in existence that meets an
nually and suggests amendments to the
laws of the different states in regard to
commercial transactions. This commission
is composed of lawyers, and meets two
days before the meeting of the American
Bar association, and at the same place.
About one-half the states are represented
cerned in this matter. There is no princi-
pies of state rights involved as the sugges-
lions are purely for expediency. Birming-
hams trade is rapidly extending to other
states and local shippers are often put to
serious inconvenience and suffer pecuniary
loss by conflicting state laws Governor
Johnstons attention has been called to this
matter, and he has promised to give 1t fur
Hon. A. B. Searcy, of Lamar, has proved
himself a legislato of marked ability, and
has made record that reflects credit upon
himself and his constituents. His famil-
iarity with the provisions of the act pro-
viding for a constitutional convention
makes him logical candidate for member
of that convention, and his many friends
in the state would be glad to see Lamar
elect him a delegate
Fred Crosby, of the municipal water
works of Montgomery, is in the city.
President James Crook of the Alabama
railroad commission was in town.
William A Davis of Anniston, Is In
town.