The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-08-22
By DAVID HOLT


 The story of colonial Mobile ends with the sale of Fort Charlotte, just 100 years ago. Judge Peter Joseph Hamilton au- thor of that valuable and interesting his tory, found al that point fitting period for his great work, for he says:
 Even at Bienville removed the Choctaw wigwams in order 10 build Fort Louis, that fertilization now made place for homes and institutions of an American Mobile" The sale was held in october, lS20, 100 years to the month arter the name of tbe fort had been, changed from Louis to Ccnde by order of Laws Com pany. The fort, by whatever name called, Fort Louis, Fort Condo or Fort Charlotte, was the beginning and the ending of the old story the story of Mobile, the colonial settlement
 Mobiles history during the past 100 wears has not yet been compiled and printed. Here IS work for a Judge Hamilton or an Erwin Craighead. One not in love and sympathy with the sub Ject would make a mess of it. There is plenty o1 good material to work with Accurate and interesting chapters of the story have been written from time to time, and newspaper files covering the century can be found practically com plete. But what a task to put it all to- gether ard cement the parts with romance and understanding,
 HIGH POINTS TOUCHED
 High points of history in the rrst thirty-fve years following the sale of Fort Charlotte are touched in an enter tatning manner by an anonymous writ CT giving a Synopsis of the History of Mobile" supplemental to a Mobile direc- tory for the years 1855 and 1856 The di- rectory was published by Strickland & Co.,, but t does not appear that MT Strickland wrote the synopsis. A copy of this beck owned by W. D. Belling- rath of Mobile, recently came to the att tention Of the writer. For instance;
 The legislature of the new state Of Alabama Incorporated Mobile as city in December 1919, by the name of the mayor and aldermen of the city of Mo- bile" Addin Lewis was the first mayor, and from a footnote it is learned that MT. Lewis was the collector of internal revenue for that olstrict, before we got possession of Mobile. He came down here and continued to perform the same duties, and was a very efficient business man in many vacations Besides being col lector of customs he was postmasrer, mayor of the city and president of the Bank of Mobile. a half-mlli ion dollar cor poration, and one of the greatest finan- ciaI institutions in the country at that time He held all Of these places at once, came from Connecticut, returned to his native state in 1S2G and died at ripe old age in the early fifties.
 The city then contained about 800 inhab- itants, and it's growth after that was very slow until 1880 During that first ten years as an incorporated American city, Mobile was not healthy nor beautiful place. Two disastrous fires within that reriod proved to be undisguised blessings. The historian tells about it in this man. ner:
 '.There was an occasional epidemic which kept away the unacclimated. ln- deed, the condition of the place, built as if was upon the old foundations of our predecessors, was enough to invite dis ease The streets were badly graded, with very imperfect drainage; and a,large part of the town consisted of Spanish ana French houses and shanties. whose lower floors were in close proximity to the damp ground, and so huddled close to- gether in many places, on Dauphin street Particularly, as to defy any erfectuai sanitary action on the part of the au- thorities There had been great nre in 1927, which swept off large part or inc river front; but it did not remedy the evil referred to.
 REBUILT AFTER FIRE
 "The buildings swept away in that year were. it is true, rebuilt of brick and Tn improved style, but it remained for hre on October T, 1889, to cleanse out the then filthy and unseemly part of the town. Eleven squares were completely burned over, commencing near Dauphin street, on the south side of the public square, and taking almost everything in its way up to Franklin street, and extending rom Conti to St. Francis street.
 "The destruction of property was very great. There were scattered through this district some handsome stores and dwell ings; and there was everywhere much persorfal rroperty. The losses were se- were on individuals and insurance or fees But it was nevertheless calamity onlv of that day The sacrifice has re- suited in great blessing. The streets have beef straighTened, widened graded and we'll drained. The fire limits were extended over the whole area. The houses