Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1868-06-17
German immigration.

| JOdN L. 1dOMhS.
German Immigration.
The Abbevilie Banner publishes highl,
interesting letter from Mr.. Jas. Wood Da
| wilson, giving some hitherto unpublished de
tails in regard to the condition and prospects
of Germantown, the new German settlement
in Richlaud District. The letter also embodie
sensible and practical suggestions bearing
upon the general subject Of German immigra
ton. Mr.. Davidson writes:
Twill give you the results Of my inquire
abont the German settlement in this District
1t is called Germantown, and is located TWEEN
ty-6ve miles east of this city, on the Wateree
fifteen miles east of the South Carolina Rail
road, the nearest depot being Clarkson's Turn
out. .Operations,nwere commenced on the
first Ct November last; and the settlement
consists of four families Of Germans, number
ing nineteen persons. Seven negroes are hir
ed as farm hands !; and these, with FIVE able
bodied Germans, make the sum total of twelve
farm laborers.s :, .:i.'
The settlement was made by and is under
the superintendent OF Mn Leiding, Ger
man by birth; but Confederate by four
wears of times with US, in addition to ssy
era years of business residence in Charleston
Immediately after the war Mr.. Leiding took
his family to.Germany, to await better. times
and while there, had numerous application
from families OF farmers and laboring men to
bring them to the South but times were not
then favorable for that, This tendency il
that people to come, added to desire to dc
something to aid our prostrate country, in
duced Mr.. Leiding to form the project of 9
colony. Germantown Is the result o. tha
project. In fixing upon spot, two points
I were kept in aview-healthiness and fertility.
A tour of inspection in company with Ger
man fresh from Germany was made. In ex
amning this locality-the one finally selected
the good health of the inhabitants bore am
pie testimony upon the first point. Upon the
second, the. German agriculturist decided
thus: The land is not Of the richest sort
but it has all the elements for comfortable
support, andb by proper tillage-manuring with
stable and barnyard manure-it can be
brought into high state of fertility; besides
if desirable, the alluvial bottom soil can be
brought up to the sander elevations and thus
greatly improve them"
Thus assured, Mr.. Lelding determined tt
secure the place, and make it the centre ofar
extensive colony of Germans. As the safes
mode of proceeding he determined to begir
with few who were already resident in the
State, and from this point advance to the de-
sired extent ina few years. The TOUR fam
lilies engaged had been living in Charleston
in mechanical pursuits, from ten to fifteer
years.
| give you, in the words of the colonist, the
details of operations at the oulset We hac
FIVE little dwelling houses built, plastered, ane
With brick ehimneys, also outhouses and
general stable to hold fourteen horses anc
their pruvender. We had two wells dug ont
Of iilty-Gve feet depth, and the other eighty
nine feet. We split rails for two hundred
and City acres cleared two acre garden lots
for three dwelling houses each. These gar
dens are now green with corn, Irish potatoes
c,bbage, and the usual vegetables Of the re.
gion. We sowed in November thirty acres
in rye; aud since then have added eight acres
in lrlsh potatoes, three acres in sweet potatoes
talrty acres in oats, seventy acresin corn, thir
tv FIVE acres in COW peas, and fifteen acres in
cotton. We had on an average six horses EN-.
ployed. We ploughed the wheat, rye, oats and
potato lands very deep and narrowed then with
heavy harrows. Up to the Goth April, the lands
bio fair to ield an abundant crop, but the occa
sionally heavy rains, from the 20th Of April
ior near three weeks afte.ward, have mater!'
ally Injured our prospects, besides we have
lost q great dsal Of time because Of the con-
san. heavy rain, However, under the bless
ing Of Providence, we hope TO earn living
tue first year and surplus the hest,
all this is In keepiHg with the German char
acter; and it's patience contains a world oi
wisdom for our American sestiveness. In
Germany, the climate is SO cold that they
have but seven months out of the twelve in
which it is possible to work in the fields, and
land very scarce at that while here these
Germantowners can gather Ia ten months out
OF the twelve, and do farm tillage every
month of the year. This comparison, Mr.,
Leiding holds, will bring as many immigrants
TO South Carolina as we wish, as soon as the
facts can become known and the country q
little better quieted. In this colony they pre-
fer the uplands, because there is less risk, al
though less profit in successful years. The
German mind prefers this sort of certainty,
and is willing to labor for a eertain though a
limited gain. This is on element of charac'
ter we very much need among us. Mr.. Leid.
ing says, !" am anxious to become the means
of bringing from overpopulated Europe hon
est and industrious and ambitious men-men
who wish to rise-to this land 80 abundantly
blessed by Providence in climate, soil, 'mate-
rial and water power"
With these views, based upon his knowledge
of both countries, aud upon this experiment
thus far so successful, Mr.. Leiding suggests o
plan for the gradual and rapid development
of his own and similar colonies, of whicS
SEQ no reason why there may not be one hum
dred in South Carolina. / give the several
points in his own words:
l. Get such labor as the country now al
ready has. If they succeed they will induce
others, their relatives or friends, to immigrate
from Europe.
3. Put up comfortable little house in q
healthy locality, for eaoh family.
3. Iuru over to the laborers fifty acres Of
good. land for e lvation, and furnish him
with mule, q, and SOW with pigs.
4. Furnish Kim with bacon, corn and pro.
Yender for six or eight months l.,sa2 (
$. Pay him eight OF, ten dollars q month III
-, - r., .r.nsono anJ fhe,n trfexyr:ot i'm