Friday, December 6, 2024

 About 20 years ago, the Tuscaloosa News had a promotion where they asked their readers to write the paper and tell them why you loved T-town. I think there were some "I 'heart' T-town" bumper stickers that were part of the promotion. I sent in an entry and  it was the last one of all the ones they published and I liked that. It went like this:

Standing on an old street corner laid out in 1821 

Shaded by Druid oaks all around.

That's why I love T-town.

Sitting on a sandy bank

With my feet in the river

While the sun goes down.

That's why I love T-town.

Now that I've entered retirement, the "Why I love T-town" composition I wrote over 20 years ago summarizes my idea of a "perfect day." Spending my days walking the old streets of T-town and then heading to the river to feed the fish is my idea of a perfect day. I thank the Good Lord for allowing me to live this long and even though my old body's givin' out on me and the Lord's about to call me home, I still hope I'm granted a few more days and nights to walk T-town's streets and to explore its river banks and swamps.

Thursday, November 7, 2024

 DJ HML (a.k.a. robertoreg, a.k.a. MACK DADDY KA$H)'s NOVEMBER 2024 Hit List!!!!

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE by The New Radicals

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL7-CKirWZE

PARALYZER by Finger Eleven

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJk6gZuPKRE

AIN'T IT FUN by Paramore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFEmTsfFL5A

Y.M.C.A. by The Village People

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3-Ytl80qqo

JUMP AROUND by Trump

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxJZd-o_5ZU&t=10s

TRUMP WON & YOU KNOW IT by Natasha Owen

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbTjWvP0oxI

  HOW GREAT THOU ART by the Trump Victory Crowd

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyyHGzDs_Vk

FIRE DOWN BELOW by Bob Segar 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7r-V1id038

TAKE ME HOME COUNTRY ROADS by The Petersens

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qap9Qm-Q894

DISTANCE by Cake

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_HoMkkRHv8

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU by Love Actually

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7VKQMytX8M

WHIPPING POST by The Allman Brothers Band

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUvxRjYqjEQ

ROCKET MAN by Elton John

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GELJ7QhRT20


Friday, October 25, 2024

 Tuscaloosa County Democrat Convention of 1874

from the June 18, 1874 THE BLADE (Tuscaloosa)

COUNTY CONVENTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC AND CONSERTATIVE PRATY

Pursuant to a call of the County Executive Committee, the Democratic and Conservative County Convention met at the Courthouse on Saturday, the 13th inst.

 On motion, Capt. Joseph B. Eddins was called to the chair and H.H. Brown and Alonzo Hill were appointed Secretaries. 

Upon the call of the beats, delegates from nineteen beats, aggregating fifty-nine, came forward and enrolled their names. 

Hon. Ryland Randolph then introduced the following preamble and resolutions which were unanimously adopted :

 WHEREAS, The Radical party in Alabama has persisted, in a remorseless manner and with unabated and diabolical determination in the effort of forcing the RACE ISSUE upon the Democratic party; and

 WHEREAS, The failure of the Democratic party to accept that Issue has emboldened its political foes to engage in frequent acts of hostility against the white people of the State; and

 WHEREAS, The success of the Democratic party in Alabama depends on bold, prompt and unflinching acceptance of said ISSUE, so defiantly and unremittingly thrown down as a gage of battle at the ballot-box by the unscrupulous leaders of the Radical party in this State ; and

 WHEREAS, The prejudicial teachings, pernicious practices and acrimonious hostilities of said Radical party, as recently exhibited by the overwhelming passage of the infamous so-called Civil Rights Bill, by the Senate of the nation, are waxing stronger, more cruel and insufferable by the continued forbearance on the part of the Democratic party, and by its repugnance to engage in political strife of a character calculated to array race against race in irrepressible hatred, resulting possibly in bloody and ruinous internecine warfare; and 

WHEREAS, Further failure to accept the ISSUE thus forced upon the Democracy of this State would be subversive and destructive of all their rights and privileges, social civil and political: therefore, be it Resolved, that we, white men of Tuskaloosa County, in convention assembled, in consideration of a due regard entertained by us for our own ancient and inalienable claims as sovereigns of this Southern soil : and for the protection of our altars and our fires ; and for the maintenance of the honor, purity and preservation of our superior race, untarnished; and the better to establish law and order in the land, do accept and adopt the ISSUE OF RACE SUPREMACY insolently forced upon us. And-acting in accordance with this determination, be it further resolved, That all members of the Radical party in this county and State, regardless of color, who favor the aforesaid infamous so-called Civil Rights Bill, and who are politically allied to those who advocate said Bill, shall be regarded and treated in the light of enemies to the white race; and the white-skinned, black-hearted portion of said sympathizers of said Bill shall be denied all social intercourse whatever with the true white men of this county or their families. Several of the county beats claimed a larger representation in the convention than they were entitled to upon the basis of the Democratic vote cast for Governor in the last election ; and after considerable discussion a committee, composed of J.R. Maxwell, J. Collier foster, T.A. Hargrove, H.M. Somerville, L. D. Brown, A. C. Hargrove and R. Randolph, satisfactorily adjusted the matter by scaling the representation from Tuskaloosa beat from 10 to 12 delegates, and from the North Port beat from 12 to 9 delegates, upon the ground that a considerable number of voters from the country had voted at these boxes at the last Governor's election.

 After the report of this committee had been read and adopted, the county Executive Committee resigned, and the convention elected in their stead the following gentlemen to serve until their successors are elected :

 H. M. Somerville, J.W. Taylor, R. Randolph, Dr. A. Clements, D.L. Foster, John Hampton, J. R. Maxwcll and A. C. Hargrove Then, on motion, the convention proceeded to the election of delegates to the State Convention, which resulted in the choice of the following gentlemen as delegates and alternates  H.M. Somerville, N. N. Clements, Jno. M. Martin Ed Tarrant, J.W. Taylor, B. B. Lewis, A. G. Hargrove, S.T. Palmer, E.B. Hemphill,. Alonzo Hill, R. Randolph, Jno, S. Kennedy, Geo.D. Johnston Jno. Hampton, H. H. Brown, Jo. C. Guild, Alsey Clements. D.M.Scott

 It was then agreed on motion, that the Convention proceed to the nomination of candidates for the Legislature and the various county offices, and that the two-thirds rule be adopted. 

(Pending the ballot for Probate Judge the two-thirds aide was rescinded and majority rule adopted.)

For Probate Judge N. H. Browne

For Legislature-N.N. Clements

 SALT by J.A. Bozman

A WAR INCIDENT. HOW SALT WAS MADE DURING THK FOUK YEARS' STRUGGLE. The following interesting article frrm the pen of Capt. J A Boz-man is clipped from the Mobile Register: On December 2, 1862, General Graut, was with his entire army landed at Miliken's Bend, Missis sippi river, lor the purpose of cutting a canal on the west side of the river to Young's Point, in Ja liirect linenot mote than three miles through a.21 1 beavily-timberej swamp. Ibis piece of military strategy, when completer), would enable the Federal gunboats and transports to pats through and avoid the Confederate batterits lo cated onthebaights of Vickeburg surrendered.

July 4, 1863. At the above ttated time I was successfully planting in Louisiana, a few milae below Grant's point oi landing. My negroes, about one hundrsd in number, though aware of the spr roach of their so-called friends, remained loyal to us, and without compulsion packed "bag and bakgage" into their six-mule wagons and started for Alabama, via Vitkfcburg, leaving behind the beet improved plantation in the parish, with about six hundred ba'ea of cottou, ten thcu-and buxh- h c f corn, a lr(;e stock of cattle ami hogw, Rnd other plantation products too numerous to mention of which were confiscated or appropriated lor the use and bene- i'- of the Federal army soon to fol ow in our wake. As we appioach- ed Vickaburg, the Federal gunboats, pstrolhngrthe river, espied n the distance our whitetop wagons, o doubt thinking they contained provisiousa'comiog in from Texas for the Confederate soldiers then occupying that then 'tilth t impregnable - city, commenced shelling? our fleeing cavalcade, t i the disgust and fright of their so- called friend and brother. Th Confederates too, no doubt, shared the supposition witbjtheir river foe, and commenced replying over our heads, a veritable duel going on, shot and shell filling all aroDnd ns, not an enviable place to be in, I assure you.

Before reaching our destination Colonel Catteby ap R Jones, su perintendent of the naval gun foundry located at Selma, impress ed forty of my men for the use of tb Confederate government, paying me $40 a month for each, I protested, I had matured plans which would enable me to use these men to great advantage. Salt was worth $20 per bushel throughout the Confederate States. We bad in Alabama salt wells sufficient from which we oould make salt without diffiulty, but we lack, d the implements or utsnei's such as caldrons, etc. With these forty men I could overcome these obstacles. My father-in-law, Captain James H Uearfng, being one of the pioneers of Alabama, built at St.

Stephens, above M 'bile, the firet steamboat, that as cended the Alabatra river, in 1819 She ran eucceasfu ly to and fiom Tuskaloosa to Mobile until 1824, then, by urue miemanaKtment, she taak at the wharf near TuakaljOBa. All that re-maiutd of this historical ciaft was her boiler, seventeen feet long and six feot in diameter, tbree-'ourths of an inch thick. If I could get this monster boiler out of the river and cut it open j lengthwise I would bave two caldrons sufficient to make a great quantity of i;t.' I explained to Colonel Jones my poi. He saw they were feaaible and practical and piopoded loaning me the men for two weeks, my pay to com.

mence immeJiftieiy, as the Conleder atj government would be benefited to the extent o' one-tenth of all the sale' (we were paying a lithe of all product etc., made to the government dunug the war.) My undertaking was a perfect sue. cess. I engaged Dr. Ltacb, a nracti tical foundryman, paying him suffi cient remuneration to assist me. Wej got the boiler out upon the blufi.where! he superintended the cutting of this huge boiler open lengthwise, as pro- pored, after which he inserted etaples so as to attach a rudder for steering at the end of each, fixed attachments at each side for the support of two seats: near which were oarlocks riveted for the use of two oars; staples upon each side for half-dozen bent hoops or wa" gon bowi, which were oovered with common waeon cover, so as to protect the occupants from wind and rain.

The iron monsters were fnow completed. They were provisioned for a cruise of ten days. These improvised boats were lauched iulo that water where they had rested near half a century. Three men getting on board ol each, one steering and two plying their oars, they started on their eruise of 260 oiilesto Clarke county.ilabama. Upon arrival there, the boilers were placed upon brick furnaces and in them were made thoua iuu of bushels j of salt.

With this staH of life, I was enabled to clothe, feed and shoe my other negroes, which others found very difficult to do duriBg this four years siege which we were subjected to, euv ronnaents being thrown around us on eyery side. 1 J. A. B. Tusk.alooea.'AU , Dec.

4, 1895..

Friday, October 11, 2024

 

 Danford Avenue in 1883

From the June 17, 1943 PANAMA CITY NEWS HERALD:

Judge Hutchison's parents, and Mrs. Perry N. Hutchison, West Bay, who came to St. Andrew 60 years ago, were among the most interested visitors.  "I came to St. Andrew from DeFuniak Springs 60 years ago," Mr. Hutchison recalled. "We first lived in a tent where this house now stands until we could get a home. There were so many deer I guess I've killed more a than thousand, nine in one night. Many a wild turkey and deer have I killed where Wainwright Shipyard now stands. I used to ship the meat to Pensacola to the butchers who paid me 10 cents a pound." 

Mr. Hutchison also operated fishery, and was director of a band he organized. 

"Many people came here as result of a boom promoted by Cincinnati company"his sou, the Judge, explained. "They circulated pamphlets all over the country declaring that bananas and oranges grew wild and that this was a land of plenty. Sold lots, 25 by 125 feet, used to say from, the bell buoy of the Gulf to Bear Creek, 20 miles up," the Judge smiled, "There was no Panama City then, just a settlement of two three houses where Panama City now stands. It was called Harrison then and before that Park Resort, and before that Florapolis."

SLACKER

By Unknown author or not provided - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17207788