The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-08-18
Advertiser Bureau,

| 6olm8y Aug, Afs
 This morning shortly before o'clock
 at his home on Selma street occurred the death os Mir. Simon Gay, one or
 the oldest and the most highly re-
 spected citizens of Selma. Mir. Gay has been i'll for some years but was able
 to be about his work until few months ago when he was compelled l to take to his bed and since then he
 has been unable to be out and has gradually grown worse until the end came this morning just before o'clock.
 The deceased was well known throughout the State and has been prominent in the affairs of this city
 for many years Several times he has
 represented his ward Tn tho city coun. cil and has always been to a certain 1 extent Identified with nearly every public movement that was for the well fare and betterment of the city. He
 was a member of Camp Jones. Uni- tde Confederate Veterans. and was never absent from a meeting of that body when his health permitted him to attend.
 simon Gay was born in Sussex Coun- ty, Virginia, in 1891, and learned the trade of mechinist in Richmond and Petersburg. He subsequently learned the trade of gun-mekins at the Trede- gar works in Richmond and for a while followed that trade at the Belona arsenal in Chesterfield County. When only 23 years old he was employed as superintendent of the gun-making establishment of pr. Junius L. Archer. who was the largest government con- tractor for the manufacture Of heavy ordnance in the United States.
 Under contract with Colonel Mckay he came to Selma in 1882, and took charge of his shops here which was then manufacturing arms for the Con- federate government In 1888 Mc- Rays works were transferred to the States who converted them at once into manufactory of arms and equipments for both the army and the navy These shops were shortly afterwards converted wholly to the use of the navy department and MT. Gay was made superintendent of them. During his engagement in that capac- ity he invented many useful tools and improvements for use sn gun-makine and which have since been adopted by the United States government. At one time his ability in gun-making was so well known that the United States government offered him special induce |ments to enter its service but he pre- ferred to stay in Selma
 At the close of the war he began work for the Alabama Central Rail- road and remained with that road Tor seventeen years, the last four years of that time he was master mechanic. In 1881 he began work for the East Ten. nessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad as general foreman and was within few months promoted to master me- chanic, a position which he held until |l8S6 when a change was made in the management of the road and 1t was in1- merged into the present Southern Rail- way system. But since that time he has held different positions in the i~kA of ha
 It was partly due to his Ingenuity that the Confederate government was able to manufacture at this city the superior cannons used upon so many battlfelds and won for the South the reputation of having produced some of the best guns ever brought into use He was married in Chesterfield Coun- ty, Va. in 1s45. to Miss Mary An- drews of that county. Of eleven sons and daughters born of them six are still living. the most of whom were at his bedside when death came. The funeral services over his re- mains will take place at his late res- idence on Selma street in the morn l. ing at o'clock and the remains will | be inferred in Live Oak Cemetery. He was a member of Camp Jones. United Confederate~Veterans, and also a mem l Der of a local lodge of Knights of Py- thias and these two societies will at- tend the funeral in a body. ITO the be- reayed family the sympathy of many friends throughout this community are extended to them in their hour of sad bereavement.
 Special Train Put On. On account of the derailment of | freight car on the Mobile branch of the | Southern Railway late last night the regular passenger train between Mo- | bile and Birmingham was delayed two | hours or more party of twenty l eight passengers had been made up go- ing to New York and waukesha and if the delayed train had been waited | for all of these passengers would have missed through connections in Birm- | ingham.
 To avoid this delay and to give its patrons through connections special | train of two coaches and special sleeper was made up in this city and | the regular schedule from this city to Birmingham was taken up. The pas