The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-21
QUESTION OF A PARK
sELwA,s orrrzENs GREATLY IN TERESTED IN THE MATTER
Suggested That the Resort May Be Located Across the Alabama from the Central City.
 Judge Moore Better.
Advertiser Bureau.

A0VeItlSer 6utedu,
 Selma, March 20.
 The article in today's Advertiser in the Selma department calling the attention of the strset car management to the nec- essity of q resort some miles from town has attracted wide attention and was most favorably received. It Is known to your representative here that Colonel Ab- bolt. the President of the Street Car Company. Is very desirous of extending his lines to a place suitable for park and lake, and at the same time suitable for suburban residences. While Summer field is the first place that comes into the mind as the best location for such a re- sort there are other places just as de- sirable. and your correspondent has learned that a syndicate is being organ ized to acquire a tract of land. almost as high as Summerneld, equally as healthy. and in such shape that it can be laid of in one and two acre lots and be sold at a reasonable figure. Where this land is located, who Is behind the project and what it's scope is. are yet mere matters of conjecture.
 There are many thousands of acres of high table land between Selma and Sum- merfield threaded with clear streams, partly wooded and partly cleared, and some of this may be the land that has been decided upon as a site for the lake If Summerfield wants the line to go tc that town. the people there will have to get together and offer some liberal in. ducements.
 A great many associations hang about Summerfield. It was the seat of learn. ing of this section at one time. and many palatial old residences were built there but they are now crumbling into decay many of them not being occupied, while some have negroes living in them Most of the wealth and former glory of Sum- merfield has departed. but with the cleo. tric cars running there the old town would soon begin to grow and prosper again.
 It is we'll known that Colonel Abbott who is President of the Street Car Com pany, Is also President of the Birming. ham, Selma and New Orleans Railroad which is owned by the Louisville and Nashville. It has been hinted at that the street car line might get the privilege of crossing the Alabama on the bridge now being built, the street cars heinz standard railroad width between wheels, and after 1t once gets across the river. 1t is not more than two or three miles to the high plateaus beyond the Kuras Williams place, and as land can be bought cheap there. it is not at all improbable that Colonel Abbott may select the south side of the river to locate the lake and park.
 Selma is located on a deep bed of sand. and geologists say 1t was once the bot tom of an inland sea or an immense lake. It is only 14O feet above tidewater. and on account of its level location, 1t be- comes exceeding warm during the sum- mer months. It is argued that If there was a line of electric cars to the hill country near the city. thousands of dol lars would be left in the hands of Selma merchants every year. for citizens would build suburban homes in the hills. come in to their business during the day and go out to spend the nights with their families. instead of sending them to the mountains of Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina.
 Some active work is going along on tho above lines in Selma. and as soon as mat ters progress little further the whole scheme will be laid before the Selma public. 70