Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-10-12
/. O R T O. T ~ "A T.
Letter from Chas. III. Fonde,
TAN OSSEE,
PIoKENs SDIsTRICr, So. CA,

nave been much struck with the sad contrast
presented by the present condition Of our be.
loved South. Throughout the entire linc of
my travels, North and West, tho ovidcnccs of
thrift, enterprise and progress woro every
where disccruible. But here, where nature
has been so bountiful in her gifts there arc
constant evidences of decay and discourage
ment, tending to utter stagnaton. 1t is not
my purpose to allude to the too we'll known
causes Of this state Of things but to assure
you that sec the remedy. l know not how
to impress my convictions upon You in a more
forciblc manner than to relate to you a few of
tho facts and observations from which have
drawn my conclusions
In my travels through the upper portion of
the State of South Carolina, visited a small
Cotton Factory, about twelve miles from
Grccnvillc G. H., called Buena VISTA it was
worked by water.power, and employed about
thirty operatives, and upon careful inquiry l
asccrtained it was very successful enterprise
Mr.. LESTER, one of the proprictors, informed
me that during the war they had worked two
sets Of hands, running day aud night; since
that time they have doubled their machinery,
and that one Of their firm was then North,
engaged in procuring still larger amount Of
machinery. Mr.. PUMroy, the Agent of this
Factory, told me that they could draw on New
York for the full value of their Yarns upon
consignment, being at all tunes c;sh article;
and that if they had the necessary amount Of
capital, they could increase their business an
hundred fold that labor was abundant the
late war having left The country filed with
widows and orphan children, to whom this oc.
cupation was a blessing, and almost their only
resort, next to working in the open ficlds.--
Upon inquiry, fohnd that their wages was
81 per week, and the Agent informed me that
they expended nearly all their pay in the Fuc,
tory's Store. They furnished goods at such
prices rs made their wages rcallye'nctt them
fifty cents per day. This seems like very poor
pay; but when compared with the cost of liv-
ing here, is, aDl sure, fully cqual to the pay
of operatives in the New England States.
There is another Factory within few miles
of said Factory, where they weave their Yarns
into cloth, employing about sixty hands; this
is also in hourishing condition. And as far
RIGS in the State arc doing we'll the one
at Pcndlcton being about to double its ma
chinery From these and similar facts, have
the South were but to devote tithe of our
energy aud capital to cotton aud other manu-
factories, that We could with the aid of our
great natural advantages, ere long, wrcst from
the New England States the palm of manu-
facturing supremacy ON this continent and
render our people in every way more indie
pendent and happy. 1t indeed strange that
our capitalists have ,harAfages We have over
I tSew England in this powerful, wealth -produ-
cling business.
Should it be asked in what do these alyan-
| tages consist would reply: lst. Is not the
cotton grown at our very doors would not all
the expense of transportation, commissions,
insunnccs &c., be saved Ga very handsome
profit in itsclf.) I'd. Have we not market
ut home, and in New Orleans, which could be
supplied by our Factories at less cost than
they could possibly be from the New England
States Bird. We have abundant water. pow.
er-the finest in the world-and much of il SO
situated that it can be made available at much
less cost than those of New England general
ly. | know Of one in this vicinity that has
sufficient power to run all the Mills at IIo-
yoke or Chicoporc, where Nature herself has
been the Architect, constructing an immense
natural dam, race, &c rs though it we're ex-
prcssly designed for the site of large Facto
rics. 1t is, without doubt, the finest in this
section of country; Nature having left scarce
anything for man to do, save to adapt his ma
chincry to it. The most skillful hliIlwright
could not imagine combination of all the
requisite elements superior to this one. Here
we have a never failing mountain stream pre-
cipitated over prccipice full thirty feet in
height, with an immense natural dam Of solid
granite the land so situated Immediately BE-.
low the Fall rs to present most admirable sites
for the Factory buildings. On the other side,
beautiful hill to locate a Factory Village,
from whose crest magnificent view Of the
Blue Ridge Mountains is presented, scarce
three miles Distant shutting out the North
and Northwest winds; surrounded by abun.
dant Springs OF the coolest water; climate
! subject to no extremes of heat or cold where
Doctors find it hard to make living; where
chills and fcvers are not known, except when
brought from the low country, from whence
lnvalids frequently resort to gain cxuberant
health from the pure Mountain air aud clear
natural fountains where there is also abun-
dant fine building stone, lime and timber just
where it is wanted.
Little River rises among the Mountains Of
tho Aphiaclian chain in Pickens District, s.
G., and flowing along the Southern slope be-
tween wooded hills and fertile aud cultivated
bottoms, unitcs with the Tamassee Creek and
other tributaries, until it's volume equals twcn.
n