The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-30
BY WILL w. NELSON.

| which was not conducive to the building
 of cities. But the story of Alabama's
 fertile soil and mild, healthful climate
 soon spread and the population of the state increased very much during the
 years that Tuscaloosa remained the capi-
 tai.
 Many Important laws were enacted by
 the various sessions of the legislature
 held at Tuscaloosa. Many of these laws were in reference to the Indians of the
 state at that time and to slaves and the
 slave trade. These laws on slavery were
 known in those days as the Slave Code. Slaves were not allowed to carry arms
 and they could not leave their masters
 plantation without a pass. Persons aiding slaves to escape were subject to severe punishment. Free negroes could not vote or hold office. In the year 1927 per sons could not bring slaves into Alabama for sale, trade or hire. The laws enacted by the legislature. during the years that Tuscaloosa was the capital, greatly inn proved the military and the schools and during these years the state grew In wealth.
 Tuscaloosa was first incorporated by an act of the legislature December 13 1S19. and only covered a fraction of a section of land. Since that time the corporate limits of the town have been extended several times.
 I
 dates back as far as year 1540, when on October 1S of that year, Herando de Soto, according to Spanish chronicles, engaged in the battle of Manville, with the h. dans. whose chief and leader was the noted warrior, Chief Tuscaloosa. The Indian settlement was called Black War rior Town and later became the town of Tuscaloosa named in honor of the great Indian chief. The first white in habitant if she could be called an in- habitant under the circumstances, was Mrs. Crawley, who was captured at her home in Tennessee by the Indians in 1872 and taken to the Indian village where l the city of Tuscaloosa now stands. Final | ly she was rsnsomed and returned to her l people in Tennessee by Tandy Walker a trader at old St, Stephens. MT. Walker | was later rewarded by the legislature of I Tennessee for this act, as is shown today by the records in the Tennessee capital , building at Nashville. Soon after the ran som of Mrs. Crawley Black Warrior | Town was burned by company of Ten nesseans under General Coffee. Davy
 Crockett. in his autobiography, states that he visited the site of the town in the'
 year 1918 and found oly skulls and deso- lation'
 County Seat Moved. About the same time the seat of state government was moved to Tuscaloosa and seat of county government was also moved there from Newtown. The first house in Tuscaloosa was built by William | Wilson It was built of logs and stood | near where the old state capital build ing now stands. The nrst brick residence is still standing It is on Broad street and is known as ''The old Guild place. The old Governors Mansion" which was the home of Alabama's s governors during the years that Tuscaloosa was .le capi- tai of the state, is still standing and is the home of Dr. J. l.. Williams. It is an i imposing structure.
 ] So far as l have been able to learn no good cause has ever been assigned for ! the removal of the state capital from | Tuscaloosa but politics no doubt played | an important part in the removal The i state constitution, which was drafted and | adopted in 1Sl9 while Huntsville was the | temporary seat of government, empow- | cred the state legislature, which was elect | ed In 1926, to select a permanent seat Of | government and the place thus chosen was not to be changed. Tuscaloosa was