The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-03-31
Noted Far and Wide for It's
Cold Spring of Water
Whence Name Is
Derived
HOME OF MANY BIG
MEN WHO FIGURED
IN STATES HISTORY
Splendid Fair Is Annual Fea-
ture-Educational Facil-
tiles Splendid; Church
Life Very Active
BY FRANK WILLIS BARNETT

the Tennessee river, about one mile from
the northern limits of the present site
of the town. This creek Is the outlet for
the immense spring which rises in pic
turesque beauty near the center OF the
town. and flows in circuitous route
to the Tennessee river. 1t affords a fine
power for mills and factories, and has
been SO utilized for many years.
Tuscumbia is one of the Oldest cities
in Alabama l have seen the statement
that it was settled in 1872 and was in
corporated in 1878 under the name Of
Ococoposa, which is Indian for cod
water.
1t can be very easily traced why tina
Indians whose names are so descriptive
called it cold water, for Tuscumbia Is
noted far and wide for its cold spring,
or rather subterranean creek, of free
stone water. which gushes from under
the plateau on which It Is built. and
which, according to a noted civil engi-
neer, discharges LIZA cubic feet of water
per minute at an average the year
round.
FIRST FAMILY TO SETTLE
The first white family to settle in
Tuseumbia, which takes its name from
famous local Indian chief, was in 1919.
In 1Sf6-l7 quite a number of families
arrived, and the town became known as
Big Spring. Shortly afterward a bat
talon of United States soldiers cut out
new wagon road, extending from Nash
Vile, Tenn, through TuscuinbIa, to Co.
lrmbus, Miss, and known as the military
road. This was done under General
Jackson, and is at present the Jackson
highway, being par. OF one OF the great
trunk pike systems of the Mississippi
valley
Tuscumbia was surveyed and laid of
as a city by General Coffey in 1877, and
was incorporated in 1918 under the name
OF Occoposa, and the first brick house
was built son eSixeh street i'm 1si9. Fine
first representative in the Legislature
from Colbert county, at that time part
OF Franklin county, was Anthony VIM
ston, the grandfather of Colonel John
anthony Winston, who was afterward
the governor OF the state He was raised
in Tuscumbia.
Robert =. Lindsey of this place, and
brother-in-law of Governor Lindsey
was elected governor of Alabama in
1870 Tuscumbia is also the former home
ii not birthplace, of two United States
senators-Senator Matt Ransom of North
Virginia. Ex-senator Henry S. Foote
also commenced his career here as
lawyer. Maj. Joseph Ii. Sloss, at one
time congressman from the Eighth dis
.hlct OF Alabama, was also a resident OF
Iuscumbia, though afterward moved to
huntsville. and Hon. Ed B. Almon, the
present member of Congress from this
district, resides here Doubtless T,Is-
cunbia has the distinction of furnish
ing larger number of representa- tiyes
who have served as speaker of the house
OF representatives in the state Legislature
than any other town in the state Gen.
John d. Rather, Hon. e. Z. Almon ana
hon. A. Fl. Carmichael, the present
speaker of the house. are all from this
place. General Rather also served a
term as president of the senate
Iuscumbfa is also the home of Miss
Helen Keller, who despite the handicap
OF loss Of sight and hearing has
and authoress.
SECOND RAILROAD IN U. S.
Inc second railroad in the United
States, and the first one south Of tho
Ohio river was the Tuscumbia, CourtIa nd
and Decatur railroad. incorporated Janu-
airy Is, 1880 1t was commenced In 1Ss,
and completed in 1884, and the event wa
celebrated by the firing of cannon and
the giving of dinner and BALL The road
extended around Muscle Shoals and
thereby established a continuous line ~
transportation from New Orleans IN
Chattanooga, Knoxville and other noints
along the upper Tennessee river For "
Years after this road was built an i'm
nense trade was done with New Orleans.
and magnificent steamers ran to thai
place. some of them carrying as much
as 5000 bales Of cotton. Other steamers
ran regularly, as they do now, to cities
on the Ohio and st. Louis, but the New
Orleans trade was broken up soon after
the extension of the railroad to Memphis.
when in 1857 it became merged into the
Memphis and Charleston railroad.
For a number of years previous to the
great financial crisis in 1887 Tuscumbia
did large wholesale business Most of
this was done in two rows of brick store
houses. known as Commercial and Plant
ers' Row. The latter was DESTROYED by
ire many years ago, but the former
is still standing, all of the stores being
occupied and in a good state OF preser-
walton.
Until the completion Of tho Memphis
and Charleston railroad the Tliscumbia
postoffice was distributing office, and
PROBABLY the largest and most important
from Nashville to New Orleans num-
Der OF stage lines converged here and In
its former and better days probably no
town OF its population in the south had
VI.
the fearful struggle Of the civil war there
was no part Of the south more completely
devastated than the beautiful Tennessee
valley. Large blocks Of brick stores and
many private houses were DESTROYED.
Fortunately new and brighter day has
dawned. and with the wonderful deyelop-
ment of the government nitrate plants
and Muscle Shoals project obseryant and
far-seing men recognize the fact TINT
Tuscumbia has every natural advantage
possessed by any other place In north
Alabama and which money can secure.
RICH FARMING SECTION
The town is the county seat OF Colbert
county; named after two Chickasaw half
breeds. is in the heart of rich agricul-
tural section. and the corporate limits adj
Join the thriving manufacturing city OF
Sheffield on the north. The town has q
large number Of well established business
houses, two prosperous banking estab-
lishments. the Tennessee Valley bank and
the Colbert County bank. an excellent
cotton oil mill. known the Colbert
County Oil and Fertilizer company, and
IL the site Of the Tuscumbia water mills,
which bear an enviab.e and long estab-
1fs}e4 >r~tesie
q aeaxszs TzzIey Fair association