The age-herald., 1899-09-13
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

The extraordinary demand for mineral lands in the Birmingham district, which has prevailed for several months, and which has never been equaled in local his- I tory has had the effect of taking the | greater part of such lands off the market. 1 as they have passed into hands that will | develop them or hold for even higher l prices. There prevails a similar demand | for pine lands in South Alabama and l Florida. The Age-Herald yesterday pub l lished the fact that deeds for over 9200O acres of pine lands had been filed for record in the probate office of Pike county this state-the price being about $175,OOo l This Alabama transaction is far exceeded by a sale of Florida pine lands which has just been made by the general land depart ment of the Louisville and Nashville Rail- road company. The Age-Herald is inform ed by most excellent authority that the Louisville and Nashville has sold to a western syndicate S25.OOO acres in the Flori- da counties of Jefferson, Madison, LaFay- cite, Wakulla and Taylor. the price being $1.50 to $1.75 an acre. The purchasers have acquired options on an immense acreage of adjoining property. belonging mostly to | private individuals; the syndicates pur- pose being to secure a half million acres in one compact body. "The naval stores and timber boom seems bound to take in from the best timbered down to very common | land. said man well informed on the sub iect "J P. Williams & Co.,, of Savannah, have recently purchased 1170OO acres of Alabama pine lands These lands are as good as the best in the pine belt, and the l purchasers are certain to realize handsome profits"
 Montgomery became the capital of the state through the nstrumcntality of d small card with a pencil drawing on one side" said Colonel J. M. Falkner "The fight was chiefly between Montgomery and Wetumpka. the late Howell Rose, the rlcn man Of Wetumpka, leading the contest for his town. The Age-Hera;d the other day published some interesting stories about Rose, and they reminded of the story about the card with the picture as it was related by my father, the late Jefferson | l'alkner Who a state senator at tine time the act passed making Montsom- cry the capital. in 1S45. Tuscaloosa was then the capital, and the legislature had hard struggle over the question of chang | ing the seat of government. One day some | wagsish person clever with rne pencil drew a picture of the capitol building upon q cloud high above the earth, with winding | stairs leading up. This was in reference to the high hills at Wetumpka. The pie | ture was passed around amongst the sen- ators and members, and one Joy one they | hegan to change their votes to Montgom- cry. The high hills suggestion alarmed Uiem In short time the chair announced that Montgomery having received the nec- | essary majority was declared the capital | of Alabama. 1 believe the majority was only one; but Howell Roses occupation was gone. The pencil drawing had done it's work
 "I witnessed the casting of the first iron pipe ever cast on end," said D. R. P. Dim mick of Anniston. That occurred in Phlipsburg. N. J., in 1851 I was then working in the foundry of a man named Keith, an Englishman> by birth. Previous to that time iron pipe was cast in moulds lying flat on the ground. like ordinary | castings are now. Keith conceived the idea of casting on end vertically. In the | first attempt the pipe somewhat f1attened on one side. The second pipe was quar- | ter of an inch thick on one side and a half inch on the other; but theinventor soon got the plan to work smoothly He invent ed the fiange hinge for the casing, which he patented. and which made him a million aire. He has been long dead and his patent ran out many years ago. but the hinge is still used in all pipe plants. My family, the Dimmicks, the oldest iron pipe makers in the United States I have my self been forty-two years actively engaged In the business" Nobody would take Mr. | Dimmick to be more than forty-five now, | so perfectly preserved and hale and hearty is he. He is a man of scientific and prac- tcal knowledge, and of strong character. | q am driving in my buggy 400 miles a month over the public roads of Jefferson county" said Colonel J. F. B. Jackson, county superintendent of roads. There are 1867 miles of public roads in the coun- | ty. The graded or turnpike roads extend to 175 or 1S0 miles, and we are building that kind of road as fast possible. Atpresent my attention is devoted to those sections of road that are in low damp lands, for they are more easily improved in summer than during any other season. By the end of September we will have repaired $50 bridges and October will show the number made | soou ana Sa1e to De 45O. Many of the bridges, even those built seven or eight | years ago, are in very bad condition. now know every road in the county and every creek. My duties require me to know them. l am glad to say that the work of making the graded roads and im- proving other roads is progressing satis- factorily. Colonel Jackson is kept so busy attending to his road duties that he very seldom has much as an hour to spend down town. He looks brown and strong, and says the outdoor life and hard work agree with him thoroughly
 The first cool breath of autumn came to this heat-cursed town yesterday. There was fairly stiff northerly breeze blowing all day, and it sent the temporal ture down many degrees, working a radical change in the spirits of children, women, and men.