The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-02
Black Belt Capital
 is g. City of Home.r

when permanent improvements are put upon it. That lot was sold the other day for the great price of $11.520. Why ten years ago if that lot had been on Broad Street in the heart of the busi- ness district I doubt if 1t would have brought that much. Again a short time ago friend of mine bought from Colonel Abbott an acre lot near Elk dale Park some distance from the heart of the city, paying him $1,000 for the lot Half the lot he took and built himself a residence upon 1t and for the other half he is now offered $l,00O The old market house has been bought ana sold here twice. The first purchaser Is said to have made profit of $1.25o on the deal and the second purchaser, understood cleared $1,500. It has been brought to my attention also that land. selling for $14,000 or $40 an acre.
 "It is my firm conviction that real estate in and around Selma has doubled in value within the past six years. Several reasons might be given for this had two fine crop years. Then we have had per cent money. That has meant a great deal for our section. Moreover, we are gradually inaugural ing a system of good roads in Dallas County which Is Itself enhancing not only country property. but city proper ty as we'll"
 A distinct pride is felt by patriotic SelfnldnS III tH6 Ctty SCihE- tery. Naturally and artifcially It Is one of the most beautiful Gods Acre" in all the South. It has, too, the general reputation of being the best kept ceme- that reputation: for with a pride in the cemetery and with an appreciation of its duty to the dead the city employs an expert German gardner to superintend and look after the force of hands which Is kept constantly at work among the gravelled walks and the green flowers besprinkled squares.
 It is only a small distance from the heart of the cty, short walk and the shortest of drives. It is like fine gar den of verdure and flowers beautified with shining marble. The Selma busi- ness man who has the local reputation of driving out to the cemetery with every man who comes to see him may well be excused for his pride in the city's burial ground
 The verdant little park of the dead holds within its soil the dust of some of the greatest men that Alabama has produced. The city feels justly proud of the memory of some of the sons of Alabama who rest within its confines.
 In the very center of the cemetery there rises the outlines of a handsome white vault, classic in its square cut lines. Beneath 1t rests all that is mortal of William R. King, Vice-Presi- dent of the United States, Minister to France and for many years a member United States. He had, too, the dis tinction of having laid out and mapped out Selma. And to the beautiful little village which had been born as Moore's Bluff, scholar that he was, he gave the name of Selma, taken from one of the poems of the early Scotch poet Ossian.
 Vice President King lived upon a plantation about nine miles down the river in an old-fashioned house sur rounded by a grove of chestnut trees. At the time he was elected Vice. President of the United States he was suffering from consumption. When the day for his inauguration came around he was compelled to be in Cuba, battling for his lost health. By a special act of Congress he was permit ted to take the oath of office in Havana.
 Vice-Presldent's Grave.
 Fate never permitted him to return to Washington to take up the duties of his office. He died upon steamboat on the Alabama River as he was being brought from the gulf to his plantation home He was buried in the beauti- full grove of chestnuts that surrounded his home. But some years ago the people of Selma, mindful of his services to the State and of the honor he had reflected upon Alabama moved the re- mains and the big white vault to the cemetery in Selma.
 The vault is simple. but handsome. tentions. Some of the masonry threat ems to give way and large cracks are appearing.
 The inscription upon the vault is King King. I1e'f Vice President ''l of the United States. Died April 8, 1852. aged 67 years and eleven days"
 Not far away lie the remains of that famous soldier and tactician, General William J. Hardee; He and his wife sleep beneath a handsome. but not elaborate stone of marble, upon which Is an inscription telling the stranger that 1t is the resting place of the sol- dier who rendered conspicuous service to the Confederacy and who wrote liar decs tactics.
 General Hardee spent the years of his life that followed the war in Selma where he was engaged in the cotton business. The inscrigtion upon his dee. 0 LieSfeHant ieSf Df Generai C. s. A. 4 Born October 12. 1915, Died Nov. 6. 1873"
 "A tribute of love" in the shape of sn saet imposing me et e rasfn nia" of Francis L. Pettus, who died while Speaker of the House of Representa- tives of Alaba ma few years ago. He was among the many distinguished sons of Selma. a man who had the great faculty of winning the affection and the loyalty of men and whose hand was affairs of the State of Alabama. The handsome marble which the inscription declares to be "A Tribute of Love" was erected by the Mobile Bar Pilots Asso-
  membered the benefits that Francis IA Pettus had conferred upon the Associa- tion when he was controlling factor in thc%haking of laws for the State.
 About the beautiful monument which is upon the square of the late Colonel N H R. Dawson, a distinguished son of Dallas County who was not only prominent in his own State but who was National Commissioner of Educa- tion under President Cleveland, there clusters romantic interest. The sto-- ry of the monument, which was erected in the life time, of Colonel Dawson to beautiful than the monument itself. She was Miss Todd. a beautiful belle of Kentucky and sister of the wife of Abraham Lincoln.
 The monument Is surmounted by the figure of young woman. The carved features are strong and strikingly beautiful. The countenance of the statue is said to be a reproduction of the lovely features of the wife whom, 1t was intended to honor. Her portrait, the story has 1t, was sent to Italy where a famous sculptor carved out It's reproduction in enduring marble.
 memorates the memory of William H. Murphy, one of the most distinguish ed lawyers of Alabama before the war, famed especially for his success Tn criminal cases and In his appeals to ju- ries The literary value of the epitaph on the obelisk, its thought and eXpres. slon, has been highly praised.
 William IT, Murphy died in the ze- nth of his powers. or his death 1t IS said he died of pneumonia caught in Il wild ride to save the life of client at ha r1iapf Hra ,1,..