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News of people and events transcribed from the Birmingham Iron Age, April 16, 1874

• ENTERPRISE – The streetcars in Montgomery were put on the track for the first time last Tuesday. LeGrand & Co. had opened that morning their splendid new Temple stores and chartered the street cars exclusively for ladies’ use in visiting their magnificent establishment. Such is enterprise in the Capital City.

Wagons hauling cotton bales at Court Square in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, with streetcar visible  (Alabama Department of Archives and History)

• PROF. CONNERLY — This gentleman, Principal of the Free School, returned from the West, a few days since, having succeeded in procuring 100 double seats and desks for his school, without their costing the institution anything but the freight. — This is almost a miracle in these tight times, and only the well-known energy and vim of Prof. Connerly could have accomplished such work. We have known the Professor long and intimately, and we say that he will build up a school here that we may all be proud of if he is left to manage it as he desires. As an educator and manager of boys, he has no superior. The school opens next Monday.
• Mr. T. W. Morefield, Deputy Postmaster in this city for more than a year past, and who has given general satisfaction to all calling at the Post Office, was arrested last week by a U. S. Marshal on a charge of embezzlement. He was put on bond, and went to Huntsville last Sunday and returned Tuesday morning. Why the Deputy and not the Postmaster should have been arrested has puzzled many of our citizens. The 3d Monday of next month is set for the trial.
• The appointment of the four assistant teachers in the Free School, was confirmed by the City Council last week. The salary of each was fixed as follows: 1^st assistant teacher, $70 per month; 2d $60; 3d, $50; 4^th, $40. The opening of the school is announced in “the other papers,” the “chairman” having ignored our claims as a friend to education.
• The Odd Fellows of Montgomery will have an anniversary celebration on the 26^th. Hon. John R. Tompkins, of Mobile, will deliver an address.

Barnett plantation flooded

• The Wetumpka Republican reports that on the Barnett plantation, down in the fork of the Coosa and Tallapoosa, out of 2000 acres of land, not over 100 were above water two or three days ago, and much of the corn recently planted is twenty-five feet under water.
• The commonwealth says that Capt. Pack, who was removed from the Post Mastership of Marion, to make room for a negro appointer, is not and never was a Republican. He is a true Democrat and a most excellent gentleman.
• The monthly expenses of the Selma city government are $5,341.
• C O. Whitney, late Assistant Superintendent of the A & C Road, has resigned. Whitney was for several years Senator, under reconstruction rule, from Jackson County, although his home was for the greater part of the time in Chattanooga.
• General N. B. Forrest has resigned the Presidency of the Selma, Marion & Memphis railroad.

Traveled six thousand miles in a year

• Rev. Mr. Boykin, Sunday School Agent of the Baptist Church in this State, has during the past year traveled nearly six thousand miles and organized 113 Sunday Schools.
• Mr. Watson Walker, at Shorter’s Station, on the Western Railroad of Alabama, twenty-three miles from Montgomery, will make this year one thousand bushels of small grain. He has planted four hundred acres in rust-proof oats, now knee high. He has not a seed of cotton in the ground.
• The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to remove the disabilities of John Forsyth, editor of the Mobile Register, and his case is now before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
• Dr J. C. Pope, formerly Mayor of Eufaula, and one of the most eminent physicians in the State, died at his home in Eufaula last Saturday.
• The Montgomery Advertiser of the 11^th inst. Says: “Mr. E. Bebee, of this city, has turned his attention to the practical encouragement of German immigration, and with his usual success. We learn that a number of immigrants— the first installment of three hundred—will reach this city in a few days and be colonized on the South and North Railroad. Success to Mr. Bebee and his praiseworthy enterprise, say we.”
• RESIGNED — Dr. A. S. Garnett, of the State University, called to see us last Saturday. He informed us that he had resigned his position in the University and would leave Alabama in a few days for Hot Springs, Arkansas, his future home. The Doctor is one of “Nature’s noblemen.” A man of talents, generous and honorable in the highest degree.
• Mobile firemen are good on the run. Friday morning, Mr. Conley’s sawmill was burned on Dog River, five miles from town, and No. 5 made a dash for it, reached it, and stayed there some time.
• STRAWS – J. C. Stanton and his two sons have been in Chattanooga for some days, and it is rumored that he has resumed work on his Hotel and Passenger Depot. The latter was in the process of construction when the A & C. Road passed out of his possession. Mr. Whitney, Asst. Superintendent under the present Receivers, and who formerly held an important position under Stanton, has resigned. And rumor says Stanton will soon have the A. & C. Road again. (Livingston Journal
• Members of the Club are requested to meet tonight at the Hall over Williams & Williams’ Drug Store, 20^th street for the purpose of fully organizing. None but members admitted.
• Yesterday morning at 6 o’clock, the engine, two box cars, and the baggage car were pitched into the Bigbee River on the A. & C. Railroad by the 2d span of the bridge giving way. The engineer was killed, and others were seriously injured.
• There are over ten million women in America, and yet Tom Hutton, of Georgia, hung himself on account of a girl fifteen years old.
• The dinner bell of George Washington’s mother was recently sold at auction. It has a sweet, silvery sound, weighs about six pounds, and bears date of 1667.
• The Tuskegee News offers to send that paper gratis one year, and guarantee a husband, to any young lady of that place who will discard bustles, corsets, tucks and flounces, and come out in society arrayed in a plain dress made of eight yards of material, and walk erect, like her maker intended she should.
• At noon on Tuesday, Col. G. W. Hewitt addressed the people assembled at Sublett Hall, upon political topics, and advocated holding a county convention. Dr. Roe followed with some remarks in opposition to the Conventions. It is rumored that he is ‘in’ for a scrub race for some office.
• The Brandon (Miss.) Republican has the following in relation to our absent friend, Batte. It is surmised that he may soon appear here with another Battalion under his wing. “Our friend Green L. Batte, of Birmingham, Ala., has been spending several days with his relatives and friends in this place, and we are glad to see him looking so well, and to learn that he is doing so well in his new home. He is a young gentleman of rare promise and good habits.”

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