The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-09


 modern school histories, which are un- fortunately written by men north of the Mason and Dixon line, the south is given credit for many of the greatest achieve ments of the American republic.
 The south has certainly produced US share of statesmen and warriors who nave not only attained national but world wide fame.
 Virginia furnished the first and only commander in-chief of the American army during the struggle for independence one too, who served without pay. He was also president of the first and only United States constitutional convention and also the first president of the United States. A Virginian wrote the Declara- ton of Independence.
 A Virginian, Richard Henry Lee, on Friday June T. 1776 first moved on Con- ,.ress athat these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independ- ent states" etc.
 The south has led in its share of gov ernmental, educational and social re- forms and should be proud of its part in the wonderful development of the coun- try.
 Moses Folsom, editor of the Southern Field, has compiled some information on the souths part in the achievements or the republic that is of great interest. Among the many facts gathered by MT. Folsom are quoted the following. which
  fruitful in many lines:
 The first electric street railway in America was put in operation at Rich mond, Va.
 The first telegraph line in the world was built in 1S44 between Washington and Baltimore.
 The first insane asylum, and the first theatre in America were built at Wil- liamsburg, Va,
 The first patent for a circular saw was issued March 14. 1919, to zachariah Cox of Georgia.
 The first patent for a jack screw was issued February 8. 1s19, to Zenos Bunker of Guilford N. c.
 The first patent for a tobacco press was issued January 1s 1920. to Charles Williams of Richmond. Va
 The first patent for sawmill was is- sued August IS. 17e7, to Henry Dulheur of South Carolina.
 The first patent for steam engine was issued to James Rumsey of Berkeley County, Va, August 26 17s1.
 The first patent for a steam pump was Issued February 16 1926, to G. w. Long of Old Point Comfort, Va.
 The first patent for a garment cutting machine was issued June IS, 1921. to Al len Ward of Huntsville. Ala.
 Timothy grass was first introduced into this country by Timothy Hansen of North Carolina and bears his given name.
 
 The first American tea plantation is at Bummerville. s. C.. and the first crop, i200o pounds, went to market in 1906
 The Wesleyan Female college at Ma con Ga, was the first institution in the world chartered to give diplomas to wo- men graduates.
 The first railroad in Alabama was the Tuscumbia, Cortland and Decatur, forty four miles long; was chartered January lS, 1882. Its projector was David Hub bard, a member of Congress.
 First patent for bellows for blowing fires issued to James Rumsey of Berke- ley county. Va. Rumsey was also the first to build and operate steamboat in this country.
 In 1644 the Virginia house of burgesses passed the first American disability pen sion law, and soon after made provisions for the relief of the indigent families of soldiers who should be slain.
 Mississippi was the first state in the union to apply the principle of popular government to the judiciary The con stitution of 1882 provided for the election by the people, of all judicial officers of the state.
 The Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, was owned in and started from Savannah, Ga. It was l0( feet long and of 3S0 tons burden. It was twenty-five days in the month of May 1873. in reaching Liverpool. ' Mississippi was the first state in the nion to agitate abolishing Imprisonment IT debt and led the movement in the eat reform. Imprisonment for debt was olished in that state January 23, 1924 The first state In the union to charter Institute of learning for the higher ication of young women was Missis- oi. The Elizabeth Female Academy, the town of Washington. was char