The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-07-17
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

I went to Russellville recently to
 speak at the chautauqua and tired out
 from ride on the famous 1oping train
 from Jasper, I went to the hotel ex-
 pecting to get a good nights sleep in
 a quiet town.
 But got fooled. My room faced tho
 street, and nearby a wheezy organ,
 melodeon, or other f1endish contrivance
 for murdering rag-time was going at
 full blast to let all the world know
 that the movies were moving. About midnight it quit.
 Just as I was getting snugly en- sconsced in the arms of Morpheus.
 along came either joy rider or the
 new owner of an automobile, who was
 trying out his horn. I at first thought
 the town was afire and that he was trying to arouse the sleeping citizens, but looking out into the night there
 was no red glare. Either he got tired blowing his own horn or the old thing busted for at last it ceased to give | out a sound.
 I was getting ready to emit lit tie noise of my own of the fog horn variety, but ere my nasal organs got to working a switch engine began to maneouvre, and from its puffing and blowing I was afraid 1t would explode and wreck the depot. I was told that only two trains a day passed through the city, but my informant was Joking. It may be true but at night more run through Russellville than through Bir- | felt about 1t.
 The trouble with me was I had ex- lpected to find Russellvi1le a sleepy town and its hust1ing, busy city ways got on my nerves and I was peeved. It is a good solid, enterprising communi- ty. There is something substantial and public buildings are built as if the people expected it to grow into a big city.
 When I got down for breakfast I found the Hon. Ray Rushton. who had been travelling from Montgomery prac- tically the whole night in order to fill a speaking engagement. We went up to the courthouse and out under the trees large tent had been erected, but as it had not been seated we spoke in the courthouse.
 I think the chautauquas are doing good service by trying to take culture and amusement to the smaller cities. only wonder at their ability to give such good bills The address of Ray Rushton was a masterpiece and might have been delivered in the Senate. The talk of Prof. J. T. Kee of Florence was practical and instructive, and the regu- lar chautauqua attractions were of high order.
 I had the pleasure of meeting pr. Clarke, one of The Age-Herald's old correspondents, whose articles made such hit. found out that at last he had bought a newspaper for himself and that he is making the Russellville Times a going affair and taking his town along with it.
 I went into a store and while talk ing to the proprietor was glad to learn that the bill of stuff that he was checking up had come from a Bir- mingham house. It was big lot of dry goods. I told him it was worth the trip up there to find that at last Russell vile firm had begun to deal with a Birmingham one
 Russellville is situated in a great framing section. It is not depend- ent on ore for 1t can live off of the ground and store what 1t makes in the cellar; in other words it is independent and can live at home, but Birmingham wants to buy food for man and forage for beast from Franklin county, and want our merchants to get in closer touch with the Russellville business men.
 Franklin county was established at the first session of the territorial leg islature, February 4, 1S18 It seems funny to read in Brewers Alabama that Russellville has 1S0 inhabitants, but let it be remembered that he wrote this in 1872.
 Franklin county is in the northern limit of the Alabama coal field, and comprises 620 square miles. It borders on Mississippi, and was named in honor of Benjamin Franklin. It is said that the first furnace for the production of pig iron in Alabama was built in Franklin county, the charcoal process being used on a small scale.
 I left Russellville feeling that 1t had a future and that it's agricultural and | mineral interests deserved to be brought more fully to the attention of the rest of the state and that Dr. Clarke ] was going to put 1t on the map.
 We have been flirting with them | Mrs. Mathis, and the food con- servation committee, but we must get | down to business and make love to them in dead earnest. We need what | they raise and they need what we make.
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