The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-14
SrisfOrtunes of War.

ueSIroyeu fortune, ana manhood and hope could have established a new or der on the ruins of the old.
 MisfOrtunes of War.
 This was done, in time, slowly and laboriously through the long years and over obstacles that appeared insur- mountable. From tho cruellest blow that was dealt the South, the practical destruction of her youth and her man hood, she has not yet fully recovered. To. those who came back, to the maimed and wounded and the fortunate ones who came back whole and healthy last ing credit is due for what they accomp- lished for the stricken section. Elba, | like many other Southern towns, was at critical stage of its growth when the great conflict began. It had been founded some thirteen years before. The Federal land office had been moved there. It was the market for a vast section Of the wlregrass. The country was filling up rapidly with new farm CTS. The town was waxing strong and prosperous. Then the war came on. It was years before Elba recovered from | the loss of her old men, her middle aged men, and her young men. It took her years, as 1t did the South, to slowly build up. regain what she had lost and move forward to a state of greater use- | great credit. Her representatives in the army reflected great credit upon Flba and the great number of Confed- crate soldiers that Elba contributed to those who were fighting for the South. ern cause should be remembered to her honor. She and her surrounding cOun- try contributed companies to no less than eight regiments of Alabama troops and to one regiment they sent at least | three companies.
 The service of these various compa- uies was done with honor and credit to them and to the section of the coun- try from which they came. One com mandcr and his company was signally honored by Gen. Albert Sydney John ston few minutes before he was shot at Shiloh. The occasion was the heroic capture of a battery of Federal guns | by a daring charge of Captain Sos- tello's company, charge in which Cos tello was wounded. The incident was under the eye of General Johnston, who exclaimed enthusiastically, well done, good and faithful captain"
 EIba and her section contributed to the war practically all that were able to bear arms, and the usual few re- turned to Coffee County to take up the broken thread of their existence and to slowly build up the town.
 Growth of Elba.
 1 It is a town which has never had a boom or a stage of rapid growth, but today 1t has l,4O0 people within its borders. For over half a century it has been the county seat of Coffee County Within the past two years the old and time honored court house has been supplemented a large and modern structure. It is handsome building, but the county is at present engaged in litigation over the cost of 1t with Lewman and Company, the con- tractors who built 1t.
 The business and the financial sta bility of the town is evidenced by the existence of two banks, each having a capital of $50 900, the First National Bank and the Citizens Bank. One or more of the business houses of the city are said to do among the largest mer- camille businesses of the section. The town, not ,nly In keeping with all the towns of the Wiregrass, but far in advance of some of them, has built a commodious and beautiful brick school house, a building which in beau ty of architecture and in neatness and comfort of it's interior furnishings, is said to be exceIled by none in South Alabama.
 If is a. town of beautiful and sub | which first and soonest impresses the l visitor.
 It was my good fortune to have a | talk with John B. Simmons. a man who assisted in the birth of Elba and who has made valuable contributions to l it's welfare throughout all the years of it's life. MT. Simmons is now hale and hearty at the frosty. but kindly age of nearly four score years.
 T came here as a boy 21 in 1S47." said MT. Simmons, At that time man named Benton was running a ferry over the Pea River within the present town of Elba. The following year I | built a store house and opened up a mercantile business here, the first in | the town. It was rather a good trad Ing place, situated as 1t was on the road to sparata, in Conecuh Coutny. | where the old land office was establish ed at that time All the people of Southeast Alabama passed through here going to the land office, for most of the land hereabouts was being homesteaded.
 EIba's Early Days.
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