The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-14

state cn the nrst ballot the throo leading candidates were TuscaioosG with thirty votes, Montgomery | with thirty-three votes and wetumpka with twenty eight votes Mobile got six votes as did Huntsville Selma te- eeived nine and Marion four. The lit- tie town of Statesville in Autauga county got two votes which were prob- aoly cast by the representatives from Autauga county.
 On the tenth ballot Tuscaloosa con- tinued to lead receiving forty one votes, Wetumpka was second with thirty-slx votes and Montgomery third with thirty-three. Statesville and Huntsville had dropped ou, of the race, but Mobile, Selma and Marion were receiving their usual complimentary vote. On the sixteeth ballot the nghf ended Montgomery having received sixty-eight votes, one more than the constitutional requirement.. Tuscaloosa stood firm with thirty-nine votes Nine friends of Wetumpka, headed by How ell Rose, the strong man who repre- scented that county in the Legislature, stood firm and uselessly shot their ar- rows into the air
 Selma refused to combine with Mont gomery and the Dallas representatives continued to cherish the vain hope that the Central City would under some cir- cumstances become the available ean-
 
 ceived eleven votes.
 The vote was taken on January 2s, 1846. Governor Benjamin Fitzpatrick had just retired from office and res turned to his beautiful country nome near Montgomery. Governor Joshua L. Martin. of Tuscaloosa, had only . few days before sent in his first message to the Legislature
 John Anthony Winston who was des- tined ten years later to be elected Governor after one of enc bftterest campaigns in the States history and who was destined to beSelected . Sen ator from Alabama ana have his seat refused him by the Fedrral govern ment, was President of the Senate. An drew B. Moore who was destined to be Governor of Alabama when the war cloud broke an who was to have the responsibility of seizing for the Etate of Alabama all Federal property in its borders was Speaker of the House. The handsome new State House in Montgomery was immediately begun but 1t was not untn oetober, 1s47, that | the State officials were formally noti.i 1 fled that 1t was ready for the actual removal of the seat of government. The notice was sent by Mayor Simrod E. Benson of Montgomery and the commissioners on the part of the Etats were instructed to go to Montgomery and look the building over. The com missioners were Niles W. Abernathy Daniel Pratt, the famous gin maker, Johnson J. Hooper prominent in lit erature and in politics George Steele and John K. Collins. The commissions CTS were met in Montgomery by Chair man Charles T. Pollard and Mayor Nimrod E. Benson.
 Pleased With structure.
 The commissioners were greatly pleased with the handsome structure and when the keys wore turned over to them complimented the people of thA city on the splendid structure. which became the property of the State as free gift from the citizens of Mont gomery.
 The removal of the archives, recordA and books of the State began on Mo- vember 20. of course this removal had to be done by wagon as there werd no railroad reaching Tuscaloosa Ut that time. James H. owen, Door Keep CT of the House of Representatives was put in charge of AlApama's fam- fly moving. It required sixteen wag. ons to bring the books and papers ta Montgomery, the tStal of which weighed 26,704 pounds. It cost $1.325 to bring the stun to Montgomery and Colonel Pollard drew check for the amount.
 Of the first meeting of the Legisla- ture William Garrett, the veteran Clerk writes Interestingly. The facts that are recorded here are taken from his "Reminiscences of Public Men" Of this first session which met in Mont gomery he said:
 Great Crowd at Opening.
 The Legislature met in the new Capitol on the 9th day of December, 1S47, and the novelty of the occasion together with greater facilities to reach the Seat of Government brought al,a,. ..N ple-more visitors than l ever saw be- fore or since at a meeting of the Leg islature. The hotels were crowded to inconvenience, private boarding houses were increased and thronged and every avenue to the Capitol presented at all hours of the day stirring multitude. Candidates for the various offices were as thick black birds in fresh pIowed field in the Spring.
 The attendance of members of the two Houses was large In the Senate nearly every one was pTeesnt and in the House ninety-four out of the ona hundred answered to the call John A. Winston of Sumter was elected Pres tdent Of the Senate wi bout opposition. In the House. General Leroy Popa Walker of Lauderdale. and Col Felix G. Norman of Franklin. were placed in nomination for Speaker, but MT. Walker was elected"
 The people ol montgomery Tn the eN- pression of that hospitality which has always characterized the city tender ed a reception 10 Governor Martin and Mrs. Martin at Montgomery Hall 1t was perhaps the most important social event that Montgomery had witnessed since Lafayette was entertained at Che old Bell Tavern on Commerce street. Members of the House and Senate, fo- gther with the people of Montgomery filled the room to overflowing. But the entire building probably could not have contained the great Jhrong that attended the Inaugural Ball last Jam uary at which Governor and Mrs. B. B. Conner were the guests of honor.
 Buildings Brief Career.
 The new building, a structure which was alike a source of pride to the city of Montgomery and of the people of the State was destined to but a brief career. In a little over two years from the day of its first occupancy by the State 1t was a mass of ashes and un- slightly walls, It fell a victim to fro fin 1S49, on December I4. while the Legislature was in session. An event of such importance in the history of the state deserves more- than a pass- ing notice Tn anything that Is Written