The age-herald., 1899-06-06
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

| under the laws of the state, and who are not considered candidates for public places and will not be, are talking about Repre- sentative John H. Bankhead as man most suitable for the democratic gubernatorial l nomination next year. There is no differ ence of opinion in the party regarding the | absolute need of a strong man to lead the contest against the repealists, and Bank head is held to be one of the strongest men who could be selected"
 The speaker was a man from the cen- tral section of the state. He is a strong and consistent democrat, and would not accept any public office of any nature | whatever.
 'Bankhead," he continued, "'is respected by all classes and is one of the most | popular men we have in public life. He has been before the public for twenty | five years and all the people know him | and trust him. His services to the state l have been great especially in obtaining congressional appropriations for essential | public works, like the improvement of the | Tennessee and Warrior rivers and Mobile harbor Tho voting of $S0O,OOO by the last congress for the improvement of the War rior was due principally to his energy | ability and influence. That sum really means $4,OOO,000, and guarantees a safe and constant waterway from the mineral region to the sea. His work may be seen in various other directions; and his record impresses many democrats as being quito sufficiently strong to make him governor of the state It would astonish an unob- servant man to know what a strong senti- ment there is in favor of Bankhead."
 
 | 'I have not heard MT. Banlxhead refer in any way to the governorship," said an intimate friend of the representative from | the Sixth district. And I do not believe | he has thought of it in connection with | himself It may have occurred to him that he might best serve his party by | asking for it's nomination for the highest | office of the state, but I doubt if he has intimated any such impression to even his closest friends. Naturally the public sug- gestion of his name will attract a great deal of sympathetic attention and result | as likely as not in something of a Bank head boom But MT. Bankhead's ambition and purpose is to be chosen by his col leagues in congress as leader of the demo- cratic minority His friends in congress | and out of it are very keenly desirous of seeing him win this honor; for it would | mean much for him and vastly more for | the unifcation of democrats in congress l and the complete restoration of good feel ing and amity on that side of the house. | One fact must be greatly gratifying to Mr Bankhead, and that is the noticeable | evidences of the good will of all the peo | ple of this state in his candidature for the democratic congressional leadership. His selection would be an honor to the state that would be warmly appreciated"
 CT have seen a published statement at- trlbuted to Representative Stallings to the effect that Bryan was the weakest man that could be nominated by the democrats in 1900, and would not receive an electoral vote north of the Ohio river,'" said Hon. | John w. Tomlinson. q do not know that MT. Stallings made the remark, but if he | did and believes it, and will run for gov ernor on that line he, will find out some facts regarding MT. Bryan's popularity in Alabama, at least, that will probably pro- duce in his mind feeling of great aston- ishment."
 Traffic on the Louisville and Nashville between Birmingham and the south is ex- | SNNA~A SA4e~S of forty-five freight trains pass over the South and North division every twenty four hours. That is practically a train every half hour. So there is almost a con- tnuous train, allowing for safe intervals on the line constantly. This immense traf- fc is handled with perfect order and con- summate skill, and it passes over what is claimed to be the most complete roadway ever built in the south. The entire line of the Louisville and Nashville between Birmingham and Mobile is slag-ballasted, and the cars run with remarkable smooth ness. An inspection of the track furnishes an excellent object lesson in faultless rail- road construction.
 The grandfather of the man George Beauregard Barrow, the Arkansas man of being mixed up in the aD- duction of the child Marian Clark, was an overseer of slaves on the Jackson plantation near Coosada, in Elmore county. The overseer Barrow had a son, John c. Barrow, who left Coo sada in 1867 for Little Rock, where he has since resided. The newspapers refer to him as Judge Barrow, but it is not known in Elmore whether he ever sat on the bench. Nothing has been known of him at the place of his birth since he left there thirty-two years ago; but the news of his sons troubles has attracted considerable attention in a quiet neighborhood
 By the way, the first governor of Ala bama, William Wyeth Bibb, is buried at Coosada. His tomb in the small family burying-ground on the old home estate is neglected and somewhat overg1own with weeds and vines. Bibb was governor of the territory of Alabama from March, 1877, to November, 1919; and governor of tho new state from November, 1S19, to July, 1920. He was succeeded by Thomas Bbb, of Lime- stone, who served until 1921. Another gov ernor of Alabama who lived in the historic neighborhood of Coosada was Benjamin Fitzpatrick, eleventh governor, who served from 1S41 to 1915. There have been thirty