History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 97

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 756

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Cunningham, Arnold Seals, Esq., Macon; John McTyeire, Russell; Frank. Gilmer, Montgom- ery County; John B. Tate, Russell; John P. Nalls, Lowndes; Hon. Thomas H. Watts, Montgomery; E. G. Richards, Chambers; Rev. J. M. Jennings, Alabama Conference, and their successors.

The session of the Alabama Conference held at Eutaw determined upon the location of a male college in the bounds of that ecclesias- tical body. After a sharp contest between Greensboro and Auburn, the former was adopted as the location, and the Southern University was chartered by the legislature January 25, 1856, in further development of plans. West says "That discussion on the college question was fiery and exciteful, and engendered strife never allayed, and inaugu- rated division never arrested."

The Methodists of the eastern section of the conference, however, were not to be deterred. Continuing, West says, "They had conceived the idea of establishing, in their midst, a literary institution of high grade. In the pro- jection of their commendable ambition they had aroused their latent forces, put under contribution their energies, and called into requisition their resources. The work, in its inception and design, in its outline and detail, in its execution and progress, was under intelligent guides and active agencies, and was not the outcome of day-dreams, wild reveries, and idle rhapsodies." The trustees, taking immediate action located the school at Auburn, then in Macon, but now in Lee County. In 1857 the cornerstone of the main building was laid, with Bishop George F. Pierce as the principal speaker. The first session opened October 1, 1859. Shortly thereafter the conference convened in Eufaula November 30, and the new college at Auburn presented its claims for denomina- tional support. Bitter opposition arose on the part of the friends of the Southern Uni- versity, but after full debate, the conference voted to take the East Alabama Male College under its patronage, thus making two Metho- dist institutions of college grade in the State. Rev. William J. Sasnett was the first presi- dent. Rev. E. J. Hamill was appointed finan- cial agent in 1856. It is said to have been "well equipped for a classical college, with apparatus and appliances, and had a prosper- ous career until it suspended in 1862." Rev. Mr. Sasnett and Rev. Mr. Hamill continued in their positions until suspension, and the former nominally until his death, November 3, 1865.

The buildings were used as a. Confederate hospital during the latter part of the War.

The exercises were resumed on September 5, 1866, with Rev. James F. Dowdell A, M., as president. He was succeeded by Rev. Alex D. McVoy at the session of 1869. In the latter part of 1871, plans for the organization under Federal aid, of an agricultural and mechanical college had about matured, and the board of trustees of the East Alabama

*Defunct.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

Male College made a tender of its property to the State, which was formally accepted by the legislature, February 26, 1872. At that date Hon. David Clopton was president, and Gen. George P. Harrison was secretary of the board of trustees. The trustees had previ- ously executed a deed of conveyance to the State, dated February 17, 1872. On March 22, 1872 the agricultural and mechanical college was organized by the election of a faculty, consisting of the members of the faculty of the old college, two additional pro- fessors, and a commandant. By this action of the new institution, there was no inter- ruption of the school work. As a part of the gift, it was provided that the senior class of the East Alabama Male College should gradu- ate in June, 1872, and that its alumni, should be recognized as the alumni of the Agricul- tural and Mechanical College.

See Polytechnic Institute, Alabama.

REFERENCES .- West, History of Methodism in Alabama (1893), pp. 730-739; Acts. 1855-56, p. 212; 1871-72, pp. 84, 85; East Alabama Male College, Catalogue. 1869-70; Alabama Poly- technic Institute, Catalogue of officers and alumni (1906), pp. 3, 16.

EAST ALABAMA RAILWAY COMPANY. See Central of Georgia Railway Company.

EAST LAKE ATHENEUM. A former pri- vate seminary of learning for young ladies. It was founded by Dr. Solomon Palmer, for years a leading educator of the South, and at one time state superintendent of education. It was locally promoted hy a number of public- spirited men of Birmingham and the com- munity of East Lake, then a promising sub- urb, and by the East Lake Land Company. It was chartered by the legislature December 5, 1890. Its first board of trustees included Robert Jemison, Solomon Palmer, A. D. Smith, Dr. J. H. Phillips, W. H. Wood, S. L. Robertson, R. G. Hewitt, M. V. Henry, C. C. Jones, J. H. Finch, James Van Hoose, Henry H. Brown and James Wilson. The charter declared its objects to be the "establishment, organization and maintenance of an institu- tion of learning of high grade for the educa- tion of young women, in the arts, sciences, and practical industries." The first session opened October 7, 1890. The main building was completed in 1892. Preparatory, class- ical, scientific, normal, musical, art and indus- trial courses were offered. Dr. Palmer con- tinued as its head until his death May 15, 1896. He was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Cum- ming, who served for two years, followed by Dr. W. S. Weissinger. About 1900 the school closed, and the property passed into the hands of the Sisters of Charity of the Roman Catho- lic Church, by whom it is now occupied as an orphanage.

See Child Welfare activities.

REFERENCES .- Catalogues, 1890-1896.

EAST LAKE LIBRARY. See Libraries.

EAST TENNESSEE, VIRGINIA AND GEORGIA RAILWAY COMPANY. A reor-

ganization, June 30, 1886, of the East 'fen- nessee, Virginia & Georgia Railroad Co., which was itself a consolidation, November 20, 1869, by authority of the Legislature of Tennessee, February 25, 1869, of the East Tennessee & Georgia Railroad and the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad companies, the change of name being authorized by an act of December 17, 1869. During its separate corporate existence, the East Tennessee, Vir- ginia & Georgia acquired numerous other railroads, several of them in Alabama, so that it became one of the largest of the early transportation systems of the State. In June, 1894, it was merged into the Southern Rail- way and its lines still form a part of that system.

Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad .-- The oldest of the Alabama roads which formed a part of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railway Co. was the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad Co., which was projected by James E. Saunders, Joseph W. Lesesne, of Mobile County; John W. Lapsley, Thornton B. Goldsby, of Dallas; Daniel E. Watrous, of Shelby; Richmond Nickles, of Marshall; James Neal and William Horton, of St. Clair. These men were the commissioners to whom the charter was granted by a legis- lative act approved March 4, 1848, which authorized the construction of a railroad to extend from some point on the Alabama River at, or near, the town of Selma to some convenient point on the Tennessee & Coosa Railroad; capital stock, $1,000,000, with the privilege of increasing it to $1,500,000.

Twelve years prior to the organization of this company an attempt had been made by citizens of Selma to build a railroad on prac- tically the same location subsequently used for the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad. The genesis of this early effort is told by John Hardy: "The Alabama and Tennessee Rivers Railroad, though distinct from the Selma and Tennessee road, may be said to have had its origin in the latter. The obtain- ing of the charter for it, which was strongly contested in the Legislature by Judge Smith, then a very influential representative from Madison county. and Arthur P. Bagby, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, was considered such an achievement as to induce the people of Selma to compliment Senator James M. Calhoun with a public dinner on account of his strenuous and successful exer- tions in obtaining the charter against such formidable opposition. The charter was granted at the session of 1836-37, and con- tained provisions that five per cent in specie should be paid on all subscriptions at the time of subscribing, and that $500,000 should be subscribed before the company could be organized. Books of subscription were opened in Selma in the early part of 1838. As evidence of the popularity of the scheme, and of the liberality of the people of Selma and the surrounding country, although Selma then had a population of whites not, probably, ex- ceeding 1,000 or 1,200, if so many, $500,000 were subscribed, on the day the books were first opened; not by men of straw, but by

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men of property, who subscribed in good faith, with the expectation of making good their subscriptions. Wm. Johnson, then a leading merchant and man of wealth, sub- scribed $50,000; P. J. Weaver, $40,000; Dr. Uriah Grigsby, $30.000; while the planters subscribed liberally-John Tipton, $20,000; James M. Calhoun, $10,000, and various others from $2,500 to $50,000. The company organized soon after the $500,000 were sub- scribed. Gen. Gilbert Shearer was elected President and Maj. Alfred A. Dexter was ap- pointed Chief Engineer. Immediate prepara- tions were made for surveying and locating the road, and putting the work of grading under contract; the contractors being David and Isaac Cooper, brothers, of Delaware. They went to work energetically, and graded the road to Plantersville, or thereabout. In the meantime, the great monetary revulsion of that period occurred, extending through several years, which brought the enterprise to a close. The commencement of this enter- prise acted like magic on real estate in Selma, and engendered a general feeling of specula- tion, and much speculation in real estate, by which not a few small fortunes were made on paper."

This moribund enterprise was revived in 1848, as indicated above. The promoters arranged for a convention at Shelby Springs in the summer of 1849, with the expectation of stimulating by that means the development of sentiment in favor of adoption of their projected route for a railroad connecting the Tennessee and Alabama Rivers in preference to the route by way of Wetumpka and Mont- gomery, advocated by citizens of the section of the country lying north of the Coosa River. The convention met on August 27, and it was attended by delegates from Mobile, Dallas, Perry, Autauga, Shelby, Talladega, and Ben- ton (now Calhoun ) Counties.

Although the town of Montgomery was especially interested in securing the location of the road through its territory, it failed to send representatives to the convention, probably regarding the enterprise as of in- sufficient importance to justify the trouble of selection and attendance of delegates. In any event, the members of the convention regarded the matter in that light, and Mont- gomery's neglect cost it the loss of this early transportation convenience, which, if it had been secured, would have added much to its commercial resources.

The contest was close, and the Wetumpka delegation cast the deciding vote, the Rev. J. P. Perham being the spokesman. He had formerly favored Montgomery for the south- ern terminus of the road, but feeling that the indifference of its citizens exhibited by the absence of delegates in the convention, for- feited their claims to consideration, he ex- erted himself in favor of Selma. His activities decided the issue and the decision of the con- vention favored Selma. At the close of the convention a motion was adopted that it ad- journ to reconvene at Talladega 30 days later.

At this convention, which met September

24, the same counties were represented with the addition of Cherokee, DeKalb and Mont- gomery, the latter by a strong delegation headed by James E. Belser, one of its most popular and influential men. The contest over the route of the proposed railroad was renewed and resulted in the selection of Sel- ma as its southern terminus. (For details see South and North Alabama Railroad Com- pany. )

In response to the memorial of the Tal- ladega convention, the legislature, by an act of February 4, 1850, appropriated one-half of the two per cent fund and $100,000 from the three per cent fund, "to aid in the con- struction of a railroad from the Alabama to the Tennessee river." The route was divided, by the terms of the act, into three parts, of which the first two, extending from the Ala- bama River to Gadsden, constituting the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad, were to receive their prorata share according to distance. The third part, extending from Gadsden to the Tennessee River at Gunters Landing, was to be built by the Tennessee & Coosa Railroad Co. "A subsequent act of the Alabama Legislature authorizes the Tennessee and Coosa Railroad Company to be incor- porated with the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad Company. Thus the entire route from the Alabama to the Tennessee River, is to be under one Company and under one direction."-Exhibit of the progress and condition of the Ala. & Tenn. River R. R. Co., June, 1852, p. 3.

On February 5, an act was approved which authorized "the Intendant of the Council of the town of Selma," to subscribe on behalf of the town for $50,000 of the capital stock of the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad Co., for which purpose the property belonging to the corporation might be sold, or bonds issued, or a tax levied upon "property and persons within the corporate limits of said town at the rate of fifty per cent, or less."

The progress of the work of construction is thus reported by Hardy, p. 109: "On the 4th day of July, 1853, a grand dinner was given by the people of Shelby and surround- ing country. Here the track laying stopped for over fifteen months, but was again com- menced and continued uninterrupted until it reached the Coosa river, in 1855. The bridge was built, and the track laying continued until it reached Talladega, in 1859. A short time after the bridge was built over the Coosa it was burned, but in 1857 the present splendid structure was completed. A short halt was made at Talladega, but track laying was renewed and by 1861 the road was com- pleted to Blue Mountain, one hundred and forty miles from Selma. The war came on, and nothing further was done upon the work until 1867."

The charter was amended, February 10, 1852, so as to define and broaden the powers of the directors in procuring right-of-way for the road; to authorize the issuance of bonds; to remove the limit to the capital stock so that it might be increased as became necessary from time to time, at the discretion

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of the directors; and to increase the direc- torate from nine to eleven members.

Up to July 1, 1854, only 55 miles-Selma to Montevallo-of the road had been put in operation. The total earnings during the eight months previous to that date were $32,535.91, and the net profit from traffic, $9,182.97.

An act was passed over the veto of Gov- ernor Winston (q. v.) on January 21, 1856, to make a loan of $200,000 to the company semiannually, upon the security of an equal amount of its first-mortgage, 7 per cent bonds. to be hypothecated with the state comptroller of public accounts (auditor), and in addition, personal security to be approved by the gov- ernor, for not less than $100,000. The com- pany was given the privilege of paying the whole or any part of the loan at any time prior to its maturity. On February 6, 1858, this act was repealed, the railroad company having been unwilling or unable to comply with its conditions.

Pres. Thomas A. Walker, June 1, 1857, reported that, "In the last Annual Report, it was made known to the Stockholders, that about 642,000 acres of public land had been by Congress granted to this Road. This land, by the act of Congress of June 3d, 1856, was 'granted to the State of Alabama for the purpose of aiding in the construction of Rail- roads,' and 'shall be held by the State of Ala- bama for the use and purpose aforesaid.'" For some reason Gov. Winston declined to carry out the law referred to by Pres. Walker, that he should appoint an agent to select and locate lands on behalf of the Alabama & Ten- nessee River Railroad Co., although he had made such an appointment for the Alabama & Florida Railroad Co. (q. v.) After several efforts to induce him to make an appointment, the management gave up the attempt to get its land grants arranged for the time being.

President Walker reported, June 18, 1859, two years later, that: "The entire road will be finished to the town of Talladega in the month of September, if no unavoidable occur- rence prevents it, a distance from Selma of 109.77 miles-completed and equipped at a cost, exclusive of interest, of about $1,832,- 856, or $16,706 per mile. The distance from Talladega to Gadsden, the terminus fixed by this Company's charter, is 57.65 miles. Of that distance 32.58 miles are graded, 8.83 miles partly graded, and 16.24 miles not com- menced. If the Company had the iron to clothe the road the track-laying might prog- ress to Gadsden without interruption.

"At Gadsden, the Northern terminus of your road, the Tennessee and Coosa Railroad sets in, which connects North and South Ala- bama at Gunter's Landing, at the South bend of the Tennessee River, a distance of 361/2 miles from Gadsden. This company, so we are advised, have 23 miles of their road graded, and have let the remainder to con- tract. Thus it will be seen that the distance from Talladega to Gunter's Landing is 94 miles, and out of this distance the two Com- panies have 5512 miles graded, 8.83 miles

partly graded, and 29 34 miles not graded. If the road is completed to Gunter's Landing, the connection with the Nashville and Chat- tanooga Railroad, near Winchester, and with the Memphis and Charleston Railroad, will be made in a short time.

"At or near Gadsden, your Northern termi- nus, The Wills Valley Railroad will connect with yours, which will give you a connection with East Tennessee at Chattanooga. This road is under contract 60 miles, and the work has been commenced some time since. At Jacksonville, the Coosa and Chattanooga Railroad, and the Dalton and Gadsden Rail- road expect to connect with your road. Heretofore your attention has been so often called to these important connections, it is deemed unnecessary at this time to say any- thing further, save to invite your attention to the report of the Chief Engineer.

"It is gratifying to the Board of Directors to have it in their power to lay before the Stockholders, the important fact, that the land grant made by Congress the 3d of June, 1856, to the State of Alabama in trust, to aid in the construction of this road, has in part been adjusted, and the evidence or muniments of title have been forwarded to the Governor of the State, for the use of this Company. Upon receiving the lists of the lands, Gov- ernor A. B. Moore notified the Board of Di- rectors of the fact, and forthwith certified to the Secretary of the Interior, that the Ala- bama and Tennessee River Railroad was com- pleted and in daily operation 100 miles. Which fact of certifying and notice by the Governor, entitles this Company to sell or dispose of the lands one hundred and twenty miles, as designated by the act of Congress, and as located and set apart by the Land Office Department. This company is entitled to more lands. That portion which comes in conflict with the North E. and South W. Rail Road, and the Tenn. and Ala. Central Rail Road is left open for future adjustment.

"At the last convention of the Stockholders the Board of Directors revised the table of rates and charges on freights, and adopted a new table of charges. The tariff was in- creased on many articles, which has operated advantageously to the company. There are many articles of transportation now carried at rates which are not remunerative, and it is a question of grave consideration whether the interest of the company does not require, that all articles of freight should be raised to the price which will pay expenses and interest, notwithstanding it may by some be considered unpopular. A road in its infancy, struggling with all the elements of opposi- tion, should pay due regard to a healthy popu- lar sentiment-yet it seems to the writer of this paper, that every Railroad should re- quire that each article carried should pay expenses and interest, notwithstanding it may produce antagonism in some, and run counter to an unhealthy popular sentiment."

On February 7, 1861, an act was approved which appropriated the amount of the two per cent fund then on hand in the treasury to the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad

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Co., upon condition that an equivalent amount of the company's capital stock should be issued in the name of the State of Alabama; that before obtaining the fund, the company should give bond and security, to be approved by the governor, to insure the faithful use of the money in paying to the State the duties then due upon iron rail then held in the cus- tomhouse at Mobile, and in laying the rail on its road.

When the War began in 1861, the import- ance of the early completion of the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad, particularly that portion of it between Selma and the Monte- vallo coal fields, was greatly increased. The road was needed to transport coal and iron to the Alabama River for distribution to the military and naval forces of the Confederacy, and therefore every effort was made to ex- pedite the work of construction.

On December 9, 1861, another act was ap- proved, appropriating $5,861.99 of the three per cent fund to the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad Co., for which certificates of stock should be issued to the State, and which should "instanter be paid over to the Treasurer of the State in part payment of the first interest that will be falling due from the said Alabama and Tennessee River Rail- road Company on the loan heretofore made to said company."

As the War progressed and the leaders on both sides began to realize that they were engaged in a struggle which might last for years, they appreciated more fully the mili- tary value of transportation facilities. The Confederate Congress in 1862 passed a bill providing for the construction of a railroad from Blue Mountain, Ala., to Rome, Ga., as a "military necessity." Blue Mountain was then the northern terminus of the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad and it was planned that so much of the new line as lay within the State of Alabama should be built hy and operated as a part of the lines of that company. In accordance with this plan, the Alabama Legislature passed an act, Novem- ber 4, 1862, to enable the Alabama & Ten- nessee River Railroad Co. to perform its part of the work. Its charter rights were extended to cover the new line. The first section of the act was couched in the following terms: "That to enable the Alabama and Tennessee River Rail Road Company of this State to comply with the enactment of the congress of the Confederate States, making provision for the construction of a rail road from Blue Mountain, in Alabama, to Rome, in Georgia, as a military necessity, it being understood that the president of the Confederate States, to whom the arrangements for the construc- tion of said rail road is committed by the act of congress aforesaid, desires the said Ala- bama and Tennessee River rail road company to construct so much of said rail road as is to be constructed in this state; the charter of said rail road company, as granted by this state, is hereby so amended and extended as to give to the said company the right of ex- tending and constructing a branch rail road, as a branch of their main rail road, (and con-

nected therewith,) from Jacksonville, in the direction of Rome, in Georgia, to the line of the state of Georgia, then to connect with a rail road to be constructed within the state of Georgia, from a point at or near Rome, so as to comply with the requirements of the congress of the Confederate States under the aforesaid enactment."

An act of November 28, 1862, authorized the Alabama & Tennessee River Railroad Co., the Alabama & Mississippi Rivers Railroad Co., the Selma & Gulf Railroad Co., and the Western Railroad Co. jointly to receive dona- tions of land, stone, timber, wood, etc., for the construction of a union depot at Selma, the first cooperative effort of the kind in the State.

A branch from Ashby Station, on the main line of the Alabama & Tennessee River Rail- road, to the mineral region near the present site of Birmingham was authorized December 8, 1863.

Despite the efforts to maintain the rail- roads, and even to extend their lines, made by the Confederate Government and the State of Alabama during the progress of the War, practically all of them sustained heavy dam- age to their property and losses in their funds and securities, and the close of the War found all the companies practically bank- rupt and their roads unfit for use. The Ala- bama & Tennessee River Railroad lost a million dollars in Confederate currency and securities, its shops, tools, and machinery at Selma, six bridges, its trestles, some track and many depots, its locomotives and cars.

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History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 97

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869- Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 756

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 756