The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-04

Churchcs-K. K. K.-Corn-Ment-PtS
n Delicate Subject-A New Plan for
Preserving Pork-Sten1ing-1heP Pros
pect -Christmas-A Color
ed Tournament-Negro Shertffs and
Magistrates.
Eastward now the news-bird wings his flight ;
from Columbia to Kingsvile, from Klngsville
along the Wilmington and Manchester Rail
road past the f1ourishing Towns OF Sumter and
Tmmonsville, your correspondent found him
self early in the afternoon under the large pas
sengcr shed at Florence. Here he parted COM
pany with his further eastward-bound friends,
and devoted half ali hour to sightseeing
in the famous South Carolina town with
the famous Tuscan name. Every city, town
and village in America has it's history, and all
of it modern history. am tired hearing
men say, 81 can recollect when Chicago
was wilderness" Atlanta piece of
woods, or San Francisco an Indian village.
One hears this sort of thing so constantly,
that it ceases to excite wonder or even atten-
ton. You have heard OF the old negro ferry
man on the Mississippi, who when asked how
long he had been living there, astonished his
interlocutor with. the reply, "Lor bress you,
Massa, Pse been 'ere long time. When fust
cum ere, dis 'ere rlbber were no bigger nor a
leely branch" Well, I, your correspondent,
though can by no means lay claim to the dis
tinguishcd honor of being the ''oldest inhabi-
tant," can remember when there was no such
place as Florencc-when the site of the pre-
sent fourishing city was vast, illlmitable ex-
tent of low pine fiat, with nothing to relieve
the monotony of the melancholy picture. /
spent day there, from necessity of course, in
1856, and it was lonely, dull, dreary-ft place
for frogs and suicides. That was in the olden
time. Very different now. True, it is not
very pretty place yet; but it is the
centre of trade to large area cf coun-
try, and has massed together consid-
erable population. I should not like to
say how many stores there are in Florence,
but, from q rapid reconnaissance, without ac-
tual count, I should say there must DO from
thirty to forty. Some Of these do considera-
BIO business. Others, again, do very little.
There are mechanics here, restaurants, saw
mills, churches, machine sbops-in short, all
the elements of substantial and rapidly
growing civilization. Florence enjoys the ad
vantage of unsurpassed railroad facilities, hav-
ing railroad to the north, south, east and
west. This, of course, draws considerable
traffic, aside from tho shipping OF the great
staples Of the vicinity, cotton and naval stores.
Florence has no newspaper at present, but it
has had one-the Florence Gazette; and there
is no telling how soon one OF the two Iapers
now holding forth at Darlington Courthouse
may take up its bed and walk ten miles 10
Florence. AS it is the fashion just now for
every village and cross roads shop to ask our
worshipful Legislature to be made county
seat, expect to see, before long, in your Co.
lumbia correspondence. that such a bill has
been presented in the House from Florence.
But the whistle blows, and we are off for
Darlington. This is one of the oldest and
finest villages in the eastern part of the State.
Although scarred and disfsured by the rayag-
es of several recent fires, the towu shows every
sign Of having for years been the abode OF q
class distinguished for their wealth, culture
and refinement. am pleased to SOC, more
over, q steady improvement every year have
visited Darlington since tho war, over the year
preceding; and in another year or two feel
confident at every vestige &C war and fire
will have disappeared; /. e. if the funds
can be procured the building courthouse
and ''appurtenances" say appurtenances
because it is not polite 10 say ''jail"-tho latter
word might call up unpleasant associations or
"reminiscences in the minds of some Of our
readers.
Darlington is rich county, but Of course
tn, trade is much divided. Timmonsville,
Florence and Society Fill combined get far
more of it than goes to Darlington Courthouse.
Some goes to Sumter, and some, perhaps, to
Camden, while much OF it goes direct to
Charleston or Wilmington. Darlington Dis
trict, according TO the census Of 1860 had
population of twenty thousand three hundred
and sxty-seven, OF which number eleven thou
sand eight hundred and seventy-seven were
slaves. There welc then, Of improved lands,
one hundred and ffty-eight thousand eight
hundred and forty-tour acres, and of uninprov-
ed three hundred thousand two hundred and
elghty-one acres. Cish value of farms sl,7S6,-
1892. The number OF bales OF cotton produced
in the district in 1850 IS set down as sixteen
thousand ulne hundred aud twenty. three.
The crop Of cotton has not been as good here
as last year; not half 4 crop as compared with
before the war. Last year the crop was about
IL, 600 bales: this year it will probably not cX-
coed 5000 bales. So also, l have been told
that business has not boon as good here as i'll
other parts OF the State.
About 1000 bales OF cotton have been shipped
from this depot this season. Tho largest buy
ers here are Messrs. Parker & Kelly, fur u Bal
timore house. The business fins here are
Parker g. Kelly, Eason g. Co., Hurt, Parker &
Co., B. A. g. J. f. Early, S. Marco, Fl. nyems,
A. Weinberg, ]. G. Mccall & Co., S. A. Woods,
E. W. Charles & Co., and j. NJ. Woodward.
There are two newspapers here, the Southern
er and the Democrat; and there is the usual
complement of doctors and lawyers. Of
churches there are three-Mcthodist, Rev. j:
Watson, pastor; baptist, Rev. F. w. Eason and
Presbyterian, Rev. VIM. Brearly. a flourish
ing institution here, also, is st. Davi Is Lodge,
A. 4. NJ, No. 72. I was also informed most
positively, on tie word and honor OF several
Gentlemen, that there are no TX. K. X. here,
nor have there been any here at any timo since
the war.
The county made about corn enough the
past wear for home consumption. Mcat-weii,
I was gong to say that it was Impossible to
raise any meat now hcr reabou;s; Ill TACT. have