The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-06-16

was Lynn's park. It was filled with stumps and rock Over there where the Brown Marx stands was called 'Linn's folloy," for there Mir. Linn erected the
 first national bank of Birmingham. Then
 it seemed so useless to have a bank we were all so poor and struggling
 together. All through the part mapped out to build a city was level and low with small streams wandering here and there; plank walks were construct
 ed and footlogs were common ways of crossing the streams.
 When Mir. Erswell bought Pizitz cor
 ner, the rest of us laughed at him, call
 ing it duck pond." so low and marshy
 vas it, that the travelling nurserymen used to bury the roots of their trees in the soil to keep them fresh until
 they could be delivered over the eoun- tvs distances
 Mackey had the first and only grocery store here for some time. an upright building where the Virdette now stands. The town simply pulled along and everybody dated from where the city began before the cholera" on
 what We have done since" Like one great family we kept the interest alive, with the monotony only disturbed once a month and that was when the I.ouis- vile and Nashyille's commissary car visited the city with a fresh supply. It was loaded when it reached the station surely empty when 1t left. It soon be- came "a fad" with us all to look for the train, but the darkey generally gives the rarest expressions and tho most meaning names and they called it "The Grab All Car" because it took up all their money. This became quite a joke-it was Birmingham's first bar gain counter and was the beginning of the Magic City's first Special sales"
 Everybody was hard up for money. and when one of its pioneer society men was to be married, he avowed his intention of giving the preacher an or der on "the grab all' for his fee. The very first boarding house kept in Bir- mingham was by Mrs. J. C. Dargin just where Drennen's store now stands, on the upper floor. and "Subtlett hall" was the dance hall and theatre for en- tertainment. Later Mrs. J. T. Nixon had a home for the first settlers where Goodall- Browns dry good store now stands and home it was, for no man, woman or child ever left the roof without effectionate recollection of Mrs. Nixon, the real mother 10 everybody
 The Relay House" was right there, pointing to the spot just back of the and one can almost see the oAh boANdit Oui HiSl DdSStHStI ttChcl office, with genial Mir. Throckmorton to serve the public. Everybody in Ala bama used to feel at home at the Relay House, where Mrs. Ketchun and MT. and Mrs. Ward were at home Birming- hams first hotel to the visitors who at once felt keen interest in Birming- ham after being told of the expectations yy those earnest promoters of the city's | welfare; these were the parents and l of our Mir. George B. l Ward of today He does not deserve l iil the credit for his love of his county | this is part of his inherited fortune | loyalty to his friends and the cause.
 Across the railroad. where the brew .ry now stands. was the citys park the | oa ndstand was built high up, encircling l tree. with steps leading thereto.
 Cheap John" sold patent medicine ind old clothes on Second avenue and Twentieth street for years. until Mr. -ane was elected mayor. and at once be-