The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-30
VERY interesting brochure, Re-
print No. 8, in the papers of the
Alabama Historical society. is

Alabama Historical society is
THE Indians of Marshall County. Ala
bama,' by Oliver Day Street of Gunters-
VILE Mr.. Street introduces his sketch
by referring to the forerunners of the
Indians who were found in possession of
the Tennessee valley by the first white
settlers. The ancient mounds and other
relics of a prehistoric race in the Ohio
valley we're for long time thought to
have been left behind by a people who
were not related to the Indian tribes
known to psychologists, but it is be-
lieved now that these early inhabitants
of the country were the Tallegwi, and
that they were the direct ancestors of
the Cherokees. The Tallegwi, by the
way, rank as the oldest tribe of Indians
in the United States, of whom there
are any records. Mr. Street points out
that the curious mounds found in the
eastern Ohio valley were built by the
Tallegwi as Notifications against the
Lenape, or Delawares and the Talaman-
tan Indians. The war between these
tribes continued for about 100 years and
finally resulted in the defeat of the Tai
legwi. They We're driven southwark and
their descendants were the Cherokees.
Mr.. Street also mentions the Shawnees,
who were the first Indians to occupy
Marshall county after the withdrawal of
the Tallegwi. There is a strange fascina-
ton attached to the red men who once
ruled our virgin land and we cannot
have too many authoritative works on
the subject. Perhaps no man in Ala
bama Is better informed regarding the
aborigines of this and neighboring
states than DIR. William s. Wyman of
the University of Alabama.
John c. Lawrence, editor of the Bull
lock County Breeze, has issued an open
letter to Andrew Carnegie in which he
asks for appropriations amounting to ST.
100000. Mr.. Lawrence calls attention to
the condition of our illiterate white pop
ulation and asks for $1,00O,0O0 to estab
lsh a school for 26O,0 900 white children Ia
the south, between the ages of 10 and Is,
who are illiterate, the school to be es-
tablished at Birmingham or Montgom-
cry, and to be conducted in manner
similar to the methods prevailing at Tus-
kegee. The name of the institution would
be the Carnegie college. He also re-
quests a donation of $500, 900 to establish
weekly newspaper, to be known as
the Carnegie News, and to be circulated
throughout the south for 10 cents year.
One-ffth of the 100000 is to be used to
start the paper and the remainder as an
endowment fund to maintain the "Carne-
gle News at its low subscription rate.
No one would attempt to deny that the
south could use some of Mr.. Carnegie's
wealth for educational purposes. White
iliteracy is no small problem to be
faced. An endowed school would help
matters, but 1t is difficult to see how
the cause of education could be appreci-
ably advanced by an endowed weekly
newspaper sold for 10 cents a year.
That part of the scheme is visionary.
1t is a pathetic fact that there is no
steamer on the Mississippi river named
Robert E. Lee" The last boat named
after the Confederate general was lost
last winter. 1t is reported that Capt.
Robert E. Lee, who is the head OF the
Lee line. is planning to build modern
steel steamer, but has not yet decided
upon its name. He should christen 1t
the Robert e. Lee Somehow, the ro-
nance of the majestic Mississippi seems
less attractive without boat named
after the southern hero, who has been
honored by many stately vessels along
the river since the sixties.
Whether we call her Admiral Helen
Gould or not she will always be "Ad-
mirable" Helen GOULD.