The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-30
TOPICS IN EDGEFIELD.
Weather and Crops rhe New Railroad
--Gin-house Fires--Long Leases, &c.
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[FRoM OUR OWN ooRREsPoNDEN~1
ELMwooD, EDGEEIELD COUNTY :. c.,
December rs.
'The ground Is covered with snow that com.
menced falling last night about twelve o'clock,
and continued up to to-day at twelve o'clock,
which, the heaviest snow we have had this
winter. The first snow fell about two weeks
ago, when the land was very dry and well
frozen, which continued several days without
melting; but, strange 10 say, did not leave
much moisture; but since then we have mad 8
superabundance of rain, filing all the water
courses that have been dry for months past.
MANY mills have oeen stopped Tor months
past for the want of suffciency OF water to
keep them running, and many springs and
wells were dry; but since then all have sufn-
cheney. c.,,
look we'll with bnt few exceptions, where II
is rather thin, owing to the dryness OF the
land, there not being sutf1clency OF moisture
to bring full stand up. There have been more
fat hogs slaughtered the present winter than
have been since the war, aslmany freedmen
have killed sufficiency to do them the COM
ing year, and all have been put up IN fne state
or preservation, as the winter has been very
favorable, none being the least Injured Wnere
due diligence has been taken. recoect IN
1879 Kentukian by the name OF Emory
brought into this county two thousand hne
fat hogs. averaging over three hundred pounds
gross, and Offering them at two cents per
bound. Finding no purchaser at that price.
he concluded 10 have them slaughtered and
baconed up, giving the persons doing the
same the offaI, viz: the backbones, spare
ribs, heads. feet and leaf lard. The winter
being warm, In fact 30 mild that the cotton
stalks did not get killed below the surface OF
fOIlnNinD
spring, the consequence was Mr. Emory lost
all OF his meat but few OF the sides.
wrote to you some three years ago what
wonld benefit Edgehed more Than anything
else at the present time. viz, railroad run
ming from Aiken via Edgefield Village to
Ninety-six Depot on the Columbia and Green
Vile Road, crossing the Augusta and Colum-
bia Road at or near the Pine House Depot on
the latter road. Not much has been done,
only talk and the granting OF the charter by
who should slep in but Mr.. E. Reese,
with book In hand, for subscription
to the said road, meeting with good success
for the time he had been out, taking every
house indiscrimlpalely on the route from tne
there to Nlnety.six Depot, taking width OF
about ten miles all along the route. Mr.. Keeeo
is a working man, and is getting many. sub
scribers TO this road, both white and colored,
as I saw many thousands of dollars on his
book, many et the colored people subscribing
one hundred dollars, to be paid In work and
cross ties. think now the prospect fair to
succeed. The people at Aiken should Duiio
the road up to the Pine House Depot, as It
would not cost much to do this. There would
be very little grading on this part OF the road,
1t being very near level all the route.
There have been about sixteen gln-nouses
burnt In this county within the past Blk
months-about half by accident and hall oy
incendiarism. With these buildings there has
been 8 loss Of at least two hundred and nifty
bales of cotton. The whole loes Win gln-
houses, screws, gln-heads, wheat tansen cot
ton will not fall short OF sixty Thousand doi,
lara. and FIVE thousand dollars will cover all
the insurance. think every planter shonld
insure his clubhouse with Ten bales of cotton,
and not keep more than this Ia the building
at one time during the cotton season, as q
planter told me- the other day while he was
ginning his cotton he came upon slX matches
lust as he was pulling the cotton apart leeolng
his gin. Now perhaps II he haG had hired
laborer to Gin for him he wonld not have de-
tected the matches In his cotton; consequently
hIs clubhouse and contents would nave oeen
burnt, as one match is generally sufhclent TO
do the mischief
There ls not halt the moving with the Ia.
borers that there was few years ago, as
many are leasing land for FIVE years, giving
say for thirty acres one bale OF cotton weigh
ing four hundred lbs., hfty bushels OF corn.
and Ave hundred lbs. Of fodder, each year for
Eve years. This mode Of employing them
think q great deal the best, as 1t will cause
them to keep better fencing and Improve the
pIace more permanently. sENE1.