The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-21

one vote when that political honor and advantage was conferred upon Mont gomery. This was the first serious blow that came to Wetumpka. It's further commercial decline is chargable to the building of railroads networking the territory in such way as to cut off the large trade that it had held and en- joyed so long. The railroads missed the town and entirely surrounded it, taking it's source of trade and giving but little in return. The Louisville and Nashville built a spur track over from Elmore six miles distant, but this does not begin to repay the town for what 1t lost.
 This spur track, of course, is better than OK teams and shoe soles but it is little more.
 When the capitol was located at Montgomery large part of Wetumpka was literally loaded on barges and moved down to the former place.
 Many of the business buildings, as well as residences, were taken down and moved to the present capital. Of course this carried large number of the inhabitants. Some of them are still in Montgomery or have managed to either move on elsewhere or have re- turned to Wetumpka It is the boast in Wetumpka that when a man once lives here for a while, gets a taste of the water and gets the congeniality of the place in his bones he will come back some time in life.
 Any man who visits the place, gets acquainted with the llospitable people, hears the enchanting song of the Coosa as it goes dancing by over the bone ribbed shoals and is soothed by the shade of the grand old trees can under stand this lingering sentiment that ever pulls at the soul and calls for its return
 There Is another reason. The wom- en are plump, healthy and sweet.
 J. & Mullins, clerk in the office of the probate judge of Fillmore county, and. by the way, one of the most affa- ble young (unmarried) men in the town or county, showed me a number of old copies of newspapers printed in We- tumpka in the old. days of the town's 8 supremacy. The old papers are the property of c. K. McMorris, county treasurer of Elmore.
 They are copies of the Wetumpka Argus, published in the early 40's, and are well preserved. The Argus was edited and published by William l.. Yancey and his brother, E. c. Yancey. | Yancey's editorials on the political and other issues of the times are most interesting,
 | A feature of an issue of the Argus published March 25, 1846, is the 'presi- dentia1 ticket. Ii reads: For Presi- dent of the United States, Martin Van Buren; for Vice President of the United States. ", R. King"
 Cabot Lu1. one of the oldest and mos successful merchants of Wetumpka has in his safe the original record of the old coosa river Baptist church. The record shows the organization of ths church on May 16. 1921. The church was the formal organization of Al Baptist believers living iD the Goose river valley This was ten years be- fore the organization of the town oi | Wetumpka and marks the first settle.
 nent of a few traders and settlers al and near the head of navigation 1 on the river.
 The record shows another interestfns and significant fact, That is the do. nation of the church bell to the gov. ernmeat of the Confederacy The do.
 nation being made just after the begin
 ming of the Ciyii war it is the natura Isupposition that the beii went into tn, manufacture of cannon. It is easy tt surmise further that the metal that hat served for so many years to cali thu peaceful citizens of the community tc worship of the Deace-ioving God wal converted into an engine \of death dealing fefocity,
 Cabot Lut the posssssor oA this in