The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-11
FRANKLIN COUNTY MAY GET NEW ROAD. Frank V. Evans Writes
 About Russellyille RICH IN HISTORY Crops in Russell Are Just Now Pronounced the Finest in the Last Twenty-Five
 Years
BY FRANK V. EVANS

 her hoary days and is promised new railroad. Engineers are in the field blaz- ing the way for a line from Decatur to Red Bay, in this (Franklin) county, where it is to tap the Illinois Central and wiu have as it's western objective point Amory, Miss. Some say that the Illinois Central is promoting this enterprise, put others fail to see what object the illinois Central would have in touching Decatur.
 Anyhow, such a road would open up a beautiful and rich section of the state, which up to this time has not enjoyed the strong developing force of railroad the rush of the iron horse of civilization nor the ouickening magical touch of the sound of a locomotive. The new road will pass through Russellville and Motion, Lawrence county, opening up valleys and hills rich in soil, timber and minerals, and in beauty of scenery. It will thus make the people happier and the state richer.
 I write historic" Russellville because this towns name embellishes the pages of Alabama history, yes, of American his- tory, Way back in ISIS, year before Alabama became a state, Russellville was lfl0 SlIe OL d dS IL IS tiiio udy. The main street of Russellville today, upon which are handsome homes of the people, fine and substantial brick and stone business blocks, two of the most modern and handsomely constructed churches in the state, and beautiful and imposing courthouse, is nothing less than part of "Jackson's Trail,' and is called in honor of Old Hickory, who blazed his way from Tennessee to New Orleans along this very way.
 Historic, too because in this very town rest the remains of Bonnie Kate Sevier, wife of Tennessee's first governor. It will be recalled that several years ago the legislature of Tennessee appropriated a sum of money for the removal of these remains to the Volunteer state but the descendants of Bonnie Kate objected, pre- ferring that the dust of their distinguished dead rest till the resurrection morn here in Russell valley, where for a century they have slept beneath these hills, where flowers bloom, song birds sing their lula- bies at morn and eve, and the gentle breezes fan the ancient sepulchre, and so here rests all that is mortal of Bonnie Kate.
 once upon time when Russellville was younger than it is today, the ruthless ballots of the people impeled by the am- bition of the western part of this county, removed the courthouse to Bell Green, nine miles away. and for years in that little village was the county courthouse. 1t was left to the reviving and quckening force of a railroad to magically draw back this valuable asset to a towns greatness. so when the now Northern Alabama railroad came through Russell hzoo with increased power drew the court house prize back to itself, and now pos sesses one of the most modernly con- structed and handsome court houses in Alabama.
 Russellville is In the midst of Russell valley, rich in soil. well watered and pos sessing one of the most extensive and valuable deposits of soft iron ore in the world, from which the furnaces of Shef- fiel,l and of Birmingham, too, draw ma terial in train load lots daily.
 The farmers of Franklin county are among the most prosperous and inde- pendent in Alabama. I am told that they do not buy corn, hay meat. but that in handling these commodities they stand on the inside of the counter, in consequence of which they own their cotton when the harvesting time comes round. In other words, they are out of deht And. by the way. Franklin coun- ty does not owe dollar, and even at this season of the year has in it's public treasury nearly 5000 to the good.
 These farmers are not neglectful of stock raising. I am informed that west ern beef finds place in this market, and that in addition to supply for con sumption at home, car loads of cattle are shipped from here each week to Birming- ham and other markets They are fat too. for Franklin county has pastures green and waters that never cease 70 flow.
 [ Russellville, besides possessing an ex- cellent graded school. is the home of a magnificent county high school. This county is making rapid advances in edu- cational lines, and there are evidences here of culture and refinement. Yet out in the hills. as in other parts of Ala bama. ignorance prevails to some ex- tent, and when one who can see beholds it. he is forced to the conclusion that compulsory education is necessary to off, set the tendency of some fathers to ur- derestimate the value of education.
 I was relating to a Russellville lady the incident in Winston county, where the Primitive Baptist brethren were un- clurched for saying they had seen fec made by steam, and she went one better by relating that hill countryman of Franklin county, whose wife was suffer- ing an attack of fever. and for whom the doctor prescribed ice, that the hus- bard came to Russellville, purchased tho block of ice. and while attending to some other purchases, left the ice in a suburban creeek, to keep cool while it waited. T. vouch for the accuracy of this Incident, because a lady told me so.
 The crops of Franklin just now are pronounced the finest in the last 25 years, and verify they look so to me
 
 SIS WASHINGTON AND RETURN August 19. SOUTHERN RAILWAY.