The age-herald., 1900-01-10
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

That which is perhaps the oldest building in Alabama is in the process of demolition at Montgomery. The structure Is the so- called Lafayette house. at the northwest corner of Commerce and Talapoosa streets. This act of Phiistinism is called prog ress" in the money vernacular of the day, but 1t is Philstinism still We are told that "a modern business building will be erected upon the site. Countless thousands or Alabamlans remember the Mttle building on Montgomery's principal street, the ga- bled roof of the low two-story structure sloping to the street, after the manner of ye olden time. For many years the ground floor has been occupied by a dealer in sec ond hand clothing, and a lower class liquor saloon. It was foreseen years ago that this old building would be removed, unless some effort was made to save it. Such effort was not made, and so the utilitarian contractor is demolishing it, brick by brick. No blame attaches to him. Blame rests upon Mont gomerians and Alabamians generally. The so-called Lafayette house is the last link that binds Alabama to the long ago. It was constructed of handmade brick, and the wood in it was hand-hewn. Within the four gray walls Lafayette was entertained seventy-fve years ago. A banquet ana great ball were given in honor of the illus
 trious nobleman of France; but how the company found room in what was then the best building in Alabama Is scarcely to be conprehended. It is not without Keen re- gret that the student, the scholar, the his
 torian, notes the passing of LaFayette
 house in Montgomery.
 ia A.. 5,,1, xxy1aN
 Lafayette rested inspired some or the sweetest lines that came from the genius or
 the late Margaret B. OBr1en Davls or
 blessed memory. Her grandauno dahceo
 with Lafayette in the house that is now
 falling brick by brick, to give place to a
 "modern business building;" and that beau-
 tiful young life, which gave to the world so much of beauty and light and life, compre- hended the romance of it all. In her eN-
 oulsite lines under the title of When Grandaunt Danced with Lafayette she tells of the opening of "a cedar chest in a shadowy hail." and proceeds:
 Like restless heart or a soul disturoed' Or perhaps the past rude set asur,
 A perfume comes of roses herDed,
 With perhaps a hint of lavender.
 Young fingers deftly shake out folds
 Of silks and satins and rare brocade,
 And mantle afame with reds and golds That never a modern weaver made.
 Rosetted slippers and sillsen hose, And a broken fan with its sticks or peari That long has forgot twas meant to close, Since its owner bade its plumes unfurl. And last of all a lowered gown On a faded paper-Margaret
 Wore this when she danced at Wyhohanh
 town, At inc Governors ball with Lafayette.
 A Mne-and the years are spanned m d breath,
 And the petticoat falls to the dusty floor, And the grandaunt long asleep In deaNn Floats into my dreams girl once moie' Aristocrat to her finger tips, Clad in the gowns with its riot or ploom' Her grave, sweet eyes and her tender IDS The brayest thing in the shadowy room. Progress, Philistinfsm, vandalism, devei- opment. call the spirit what you may, but the house wherein "grandaunt danced with Lafayette is being demolished. It is always so in this country. Hiseorac puiio- ings are regarded as being little less than pig-sties.
 There was despatched from New York on A ship that sailed yesterday for the Saio- l wich Islands one hundred and fifty tons or | machinery, shipped by the Birmingham Machine and Foundry company Another l shipment of five carloads is to be made im- l mediately The machinery was sent north | from Birmingham over the Alabama Great l Southern railroad, and the road made re- l markably fast freight time between ths l citv and New York. These exports of mas l cbinery from Birmingham to the Hawaiian l Islands afford striking evidence of the \ rapidity with which Birmingham trade is | growing and expanding. Recently the Ages l Herald referred to a shipment of Birming- l ham pig iron from Mobile to Melbournes Australia. The shipments of iron from this district to France and Germany, and other l countries are of almost daily occurrence. The pressure upon the furnaces and coal l mines and coke ovens Is heavy. This dis | trict has been obliged to give up for the l present it's large export trade in coke with | Mexico All the coke that can be produced l is required here at home. Hundrdes of new l coke ovens are about completed but there | is little prospect that there will be any l considerable amount of coke produced Tor l export But however that may be, the Bir- l minpham Machine and Foundry company
 is to be congratulated upon the shipment of | machinery to the far islands of the Pacihc. l uidSIihCAJ eo So
 Former Congressman Truman H. Aldrich, l who, by the way, is one of the princlpai l owners of the Birmingham Machine ana | Foundry company's plant, has entered ae- l lively upon his duties as manager or the l Sfoss-Shefield Steel and Iron company | MT. Aldrich's specific duties are to look af- l ter all matters pertaining to the mines ana l mining of his company, and 1t is safe to | say that no man in this country is more | competent for such work. MT. Aldrich came l to Alabama some thirty years ago, and he | and <his brother former Congressman Wil- | jam F, Aldrich, and Colonel Cornelius Gas l dle, developed the Montevallo coal mines | and subsequently founded Blocton, now ono of the largest and most prosperous min- | inp tovns south of the Potomas or Ohio.