The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-06-15

OF the century Cahaba was the capt.
tai Of Alabama and the social center OF
the magnificent chiyalry Of the south.
Now II is a heap OF ruins. a few
cabins occupied by negroes. one grant
old mansion. four stately columns rls-
ing out OF the midst Of cotton feld
deaolate graveyard where the
willows droop over neglected graves.
scores Of grand fountains over which
glorious magnolia trees east their
scented shade. great piles Of brick and
mortar draped in the Cherokee rose.
and crumbllng walls over which bloom
laden vines creep form the present
monument that marks the site OF the
former beautiful. wealthy and thriving
/ city Cahaba Is one Of the unwritten
tragedies OF the civil war. II fell with
the arlstocracy Of the slave owner Its
ruins mark the path OF progress. and
| on such ruins the new south Ia build
/ ing mp an even grander civilization.
/ Cahaba. the center OF culture and
! learning and society in the south stood
/ on the north bank OF the Alabama rly-
err 10 miles west Of Selma. the city
which Slapped the life out OF tho old
capital. when Cahaba nourished
Selma was "Moore's Bluff"
In 1918. when Alabama was asking
for the right Of statehood. the terrific
rial legislature, being assured the ter
ritory would be admitted appointed a
committee to select site for new
. NuI 1t IA. aNa
The territorial capital was AZ Hunts
willie. The committee. In February,
1878. visited the place where the Ca
haba and Alabama rivers meet. The
site seemed an ideal one. II was In
the center Of the famous black belt"
the finest cotton district in all the
south. and the land rolled gracefully
back from the top Of the high BLUM.
seventy feet above the Alabama river.
The committee reported. and on No
vember 10. 1918. the Legislature passed
an act making Cahaba the permanent
capital Of the state. Gov. Bib. In ac-
cordance with instructions. laid on
1920 acres of land. and on December
3. 1919. the city was incorporated.
Within a year the town had risen TO
the position OF one OF the FIRST cities ri
the state. The state house. erected 100
yards back from the edge OF the blum
formed the center. and almost before
the stores had been finished the plant
ers began 20 erect magnificent houses
The town was in the center OF the
south. Three miles below the town
stood the Matthews mansion surround.
ed by 10000 acres OF grand cotton land
producing almost n bale 20 the acre.
To the east were the Hunter the Jones
and other mansions, and within the ra-
dlus OF n few miles lived many faml-
lies OF the southern arostlcrlcy whose
country seats rlvaled In elegance the
feudal castles OF England. Across the
river were other great families. and
CShaba soon became the social center
of that section OF the south. In the
winter II was the social capital oI
Dixie. In 1924. Lafayette. then mhklnl
ing tour OF the United States. visited
the city and the splendor OF his recep
ton was not surpassed by any othel
city. Nowhere was the generous hos
pitality OF the south more fully ex
emplined than here, During the SEES
Slons Of the legislature every either
OF Cahaba kept open house and IN,
beauties OF Dixie fiocked there TO dane,
on the waxed floors. The gallanti
and the great men came to gamble ant
drink. for Cahaba. like many OF thosl
old southern cities. was lively place
Great poker games fourlshed. ant
drinking was the chief enjoyment o
the men. Below the culture and IN,
brllllancy OF that old southern cour
were stories OF heartbreaks, OF younj
men ruined. and never n winter passed
without duels between the lords OF IN,
land, Not until 1916 was n churci
built In Cahaba, and that church, bull
mainly by the efforts OF Mai. Craig al
a worshiplng place for all creeds. stu
stands Afterward there was an Epls
copal church, a Baptist church,a Cum
berland church and Presbyterian
church. The original church still
stands above the ruins OF the others
and the negroes who hold the land
] NblhHAp NHtl's 4 ne utEllnt OF IunuDi
really began with the commencement
OF the civil war. Almost to a man IN,
citizens went 90 the front Trade al
most ceased and Cahaba was a strlck
en- city. Real war did not approach IN,
city, but II suffered as severely in IN,
end as II It had been burned. Tn,
most southern prison OF the Confed
eracy was established here during IN,
war, and In the stockade many q Van
kee soldier died. After the war Their,
was no money TO work the plantations
and the while people began moving /,
Selma and other cities Selma, tel
miles mp the river. was on tho line o
a through railroad, and was In close
touch with the world. Family aftel
family deserted Cahaba. Stores an,
dwelllnIS were torn down Rnd thl
bricks hauled up the river 10 Selma
In 1865 b. popular vote the count,
seat was removed to Selma. and eacl
succeeding year brought ADDED ruin
10 the fated city. Four years ago IN,
/ final chapter ended whom tho touy,