The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-25
TEN YEARS OF ALABAMA
No. 64-Finding a Site for Birmingham
1865-1874

History" has ignored the undeniablc fact that it is better for today that the defeated Confederate soldiers, returned to-devastated homes. were able to arrest and turn back the flooc Of revolution and final ruin that was intended by the con- querors to be the logical sequence ot their conquest. If the fight was ours. and the glory, from 1861 to 1865, if the fight was ours and the glory, from 1865 until today, why is it better that the Confed- eracy, that was oura snould not have livedi Reasoning from analogy, 1t must be better that a people who proved them selves capable of maintaining themselves should abandon the American doctrine of self, government without just cause and deliver themselves to the service Of mammon. Birmingham manacled, is the demonstration of the capacity or the southern people to rise against their op- pressor Birmingham, free, would be the demonstrations of the capacity of the southern people to outstriD the civilized world.
 After the Louisville and Nashville rail road had absorbed the two lines to the south the building of a coal and iron emporium in Jefferson county became in- evitable.
 Engineer Miner bought out J. c. Stan ton of Boston head of the Alabama and Chattanooga railroad, to suggest to him the proper place on Stantons line for the crossing of the South and North road.
 Milner selected and Stanton accepted the place. McCalla, Stanton's engineer, then received information and instruction in accordance with the features or tho contract between the two principals.
 The place selected was 1000 acres of Vi'- lage creek valley, on which options were promptly closed. Village creek, bold
 II rfsfB laa full five miles of the reservation from east to west Fifty-two perennial springs were discovered on the tract, the pro- posed site Of the city and for thorough drainage the two engineers had located a sewer or canal.
 Tse two engineers rested contentedly. Stanton had a contract with Milner, They were in their tents on Alfred Roe bucks farm, north of the reservation. Bayless Grace came next Maj. Thomas Peters. and following him Lawyer Alberto Martin Each brought news of the per fidy of Stanton. He had purchased @ day options on more than 4o00 acres of land northeast of the 7000 acres. His op- tions were payable at rhe private bank ing house of Josiah Morris & Co. at Montgomery He had issued orders to change the location of his railroad tc compel the crossing to be on the later
 
 city of Birmingham.
 When the 60 days options held by Stan ton expired and the purchaser should have appeared at the office of Josiah Morris & Co. to conclude his transac- tion, he failed to be present. He was bankrupt. He had nothing more to do with the building of the city.
 Stanton's forfeited options were at once taken up by MT. Josiah Morris in his own name. The lands were owned in small bodies by farmers The titles were clear Some of the owners preferred part money in payment and part stocl. in the expected land company.
 On January 2 1871, the "Elyton Land company" was organized in the office of Josiah Morris & Co, bankers, at Mont gomery, for the purpose of building city. Mr Morris bought the options taken by Stanton and the whole body, 41oO acres, became his property. The capital stock of the corporation was put at s2o0,- eco. Mr. Morris retained more than 70 per cent and sold the remainder the pur- chasers being bona fide citizens of Ala bama and many expected inhabitants of the prospective town.
 A man of great energy and native re- sources of mind James R. Powell, YVES made president of the corporation He entered upon policy of liberality of ad- ministration and the growth of the city was rapid Willis J. Milner, brother Of the engineer, a young man of already established business methods, was made secretary of the corporation.
 JOHN WITHERSPOON DuBOSE.