The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13

the first floor ran a broad hall. On either side of the hall were located the execu- tive and State offices. The second floor was occupied by two large rooms where- in the Senate and House of Representa- tives of Alabama met. : -,-.. .,
 The Legislators knew well the experi- ence of having, to ride from the higher portions Of the town to the Capitol in a canoe or batteau. They had more than once disembarked from a boat Into the second story of the Capitol to attend a session of the Legislature. It was this great inconvenience which disgusted the law-malEers with Cahaba. They had no desire to perpetuate new Venice in Ala bama.
 There was still another drawback to life in Cahaba. a drawback not peculiar to CahaGa, one that affected all new towns in the prairie and river country of the new State-malariaI The wilderness was conquered by man, but nature fought back his advances with the deadly mlas- ma from the violation of the virgin soll. With the deadly malaria outraged nature retaliated upon the lnterloping pioneers.
 From the fallen underbrush. from the cleared lands the miasma rose In the warm air. The water from surface wells was a menace with the poison from de- cayed vegetation.
 To avoid these conditions the wealth. fer citizens-and Cahaba was filled with people well off in the worlds goods adopted two plans. Trips were taken to higher and to more northern localities in the height of the malarial season. For good water they sunk arteslan wells faI beneath the impure surface waters. Within the corporate limits of Cahaba there are now between thirty-five and forty of these artesian wells. They were located in the yards of Cahaba's homes and to this good day they pour forth their flood of pure, refreshing water. A half century has pissed since the waters of some of them were used and appreciated by Cahabas residents, but. constant and faithful they pour forth their flood unheeded and unnoticed. In the years to come the waters will gush out to lose themselves in the prairie lands. A dense green growth from which spark l les a liquid reflection of the sun marks the location of one of these many wells.
 A negro family living in a boarded cab in or deserted house may use the water from a well that cost two or three thou sand dollars. One of these wells-it stands in the yard of the old Perrine home-is said to be the second largest we'll in the world Certain 1t is that this well Is an enormous one and it's flood of water runs unnoticed and unheeded to the river. IRST LE4ISLATURE.
 The first session of the Alabama Legis- lature met at Cahaba in November, 1920 The town had been formally incorporated December 3, 1S19, at the Huntsville ses- sion.
 The Legislature met for the second time in Cahaba June 4 1891. and the regular session of that year was held in NoVem. Der. The Legislature then met each year at Cahaba until 1928. It was long before the day of biennial meetings of the year and the law-mskers met regularly everS November to make laws for the new State.
 Cahaba's crisis came in 1895 That veal its time limit as the capital of the Stats under the Constitution of Is19 expired. Il was with the Legislature to say whether the State House should remain at Cahaba i The inconveniences and dangers that thu law-makers had suffered boded nI fol cahaba's prospects of retaining It's honor Governor Israel Pickens. ip bis annna message to the Legislature recommended