The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-11
ON THE WING.

ON THE WING.
.,s-gE t;.
Finding that our old friend Fahrenheit had got
to- {eyer heat, 1--WE took. the alarm stew days
ago; likewise took our valise," and passage On the
Northeastern Railroad, in desperate effort to find
IN the vast wilderness some cool lodge. We were
surprised, on arriving at Chapel street, to see the
large, commodious and very handsome new depots
that have been recently constructed by the North
eastern Railroad Company. From the number OF
travellers, We concluded that others, as well
as ourselves, had been stewed in our good old city,
and were making for o more northern cline. Al
though it was hot the cars, the open air Of the
country was relief and our eyes feasted on the
varied and ever changing verdure that invested
field and forest swamp, mead and grove. The
rich foliage OF the maple, gum and poplar; the
sombre coloring Of the pine. cypress and live oak;
the tropical luxuriance OF the "cane," and the
thousands of vines and parasites, comfortably
yegetatng in case, and void of care, depending on
other more hard working subjects Of that kingdom
for 4heir sustenance and support-these, and hun
dreds Of other rural sights formed pleasing do
rama to our wearied urban eyes, and we gazed and
feasted on them through all the hundred miles of
the picturesque Northeastern" scenery. Tho
fields of corn and of cotton were in order, and pre-
sented an agreeable variety in the landscape
The log huts, also, and freedmen's colonies here
and there observable, If not ornamental sin them
selves, were nevertheless picturesque But this
we cannot say pf the .barked and ''boxedg pino
trees, or Of the nnsightly "stils, with hundreds
.of barrels Of "rosin' and turpentine lying about
loose. So likewise with the numerous saw-mills,
situated along the line of road. These are all use
full, and speak well for tho enterprise and indus
trial activity of our people; but they mar the
beanty and harmony of nature. However, as long
as tar, pitch and turpentine bring good prices in
Liverpool, and lumber is agood deal in demand,
30 long. "virgin dip" will pay better than virgin
landscapes aud saw-nlills than sylvan sentiment.
The Northeastern Railroad is in excellent order,
al the wayside, as well as the terminal depots
have been rebuilt, and in superior style to what
they were before theuar. Numerous villages are
springing up along this railroad and Florence its
terminus and point Of intersection, is growing
with every month. II We were to judge Of the
amount of,business done there blythe number of
storeS We shohld say that Florence vas in the very
zenith Of prosperity. There are very many stores
there, 80 many that we were unable to count them
oil. The whistle tlew before were half Through
the.tasf.i IsMsGAaBIE, Esq yihaihe host Of The
large and elegant Florence Hotel keeps an excel
lent house, and though he entertains travellers,
and in frstrate style. too, we would not like to in
cur his dspleasure by saying he "takes them in"
They boast o newspaper nov in Florence, the Ga
zelte, which takes care Of the interests of this
rising city by day, relieved in its arduous duty at
night by the gallant. corps Of fremen who made
such favorable impression among the fair Of the
Palmetto city in April last. Watched over by such
sentinels (and having no mosquitoes), the good
people Of Florence can rest secure.
But we must delay in the fair italian city no
longer; We are off again on our way to Darlington.
This is our first visit since the great FIRE. Unlike
our own City by the Sea, we.fnd Darlington is not
nursing her burnt district but on the contrary
making all the haste she can to cover the insight
ly scar. The public square is once more surround
cd with number of new stores, larger and hand
somer than those that were burned. Themis
alone is still covered with sackcloth and ashes;
whether or not emblematic Of the present state Of
civil law we did not learn. The ruins Of the Court
House are almost the only vestgc left Of the late
fire. This speaks well for small community
like Darlington, at atimelike this, when business
is dull, money scarce, and prospects gloomy. The
goddess Of justice holds temporary court in pri-
vate hall, improvised for the purpose.
Darlington has fourishing newspaper-the
Soutlerner-with veteran son Of Faustus-Mr.
BRowN-to keep her citizens informed of what
transpires beyond her limits. We visited the
Office and found the typos engaged in their ardu-
ous vocation; the foreman imposing" thrilling
incidents, shocking murders, ''the weather and
the crops," "Hymeneal" and Reconstruction,
on an ex-tombstone, now doing service as an i'm
posing stone.
The following list comprises the principal mer
chants Of Darlington; some of whom have been
identified with the village for many years: Messrs
CHARLES & Co., S. A. WOODS, NJ. A. HUaaINs, B.
J. EARLY, EAsoN Co., PARKER & KELLY, D. Sill
BERsrElN,. Il. HYMEs, J. G. MCCALL & Co., j.
WoowARD, LAW & CHARLES, NoRMENT & OAR
GAN. There is hotel here kept by Mr.. RUSSELL
and restaurant by Mr.. PEARcE. Since General
S1cKLEs' order has gone into effect however, which
rung the knell to restaurants the latter establish
ment, we believe, has been ''aonoxed" to the
4ulS uOWofoi, bo iii0AS toenoA'
Darlington being the centre of q large ane
wealthy district, as may be supposed, is suffering
from an overplus Of lawyers and doctors the for
mer very busy, tho latter resting on their oars
owing to the distressngy healthy condition OF tht
country this summer.
Business is dull; indeed there is complete stag
nltion. There is no money in the country, anc
very properly little or no credit. "Pay as you 60,
and ''dont spend your money before you get it,
are two wholesome lessons, which, it is to b'
hoped, may survive the bitter school OF our presen
experience. If so our low e1chequer will have
subseryed one good purpose.
There is in this district as in many other parts
of the State, great. scarcity Of provisions; and
| large number Of persons, both black and white
receive eieemosynary assistance On Saturdays
when rations are distributed to the needy under
the auspices of the Freedmcn's Bureau every roat
leading to the village is crowded with the appi
cants, who come from Darlington and Chesterfield
districts, twenty and thirty miles, and perhaps
attn greater distances on foot on horseback il