The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-02-17
AFFAIRS IN WILLIAMSBURG.
The Labor Troubles OF the Farmers
Vagabond Traders-Cheering Pros
poets OF the Old Town-The Peoples
FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE

Paper.
GFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENCE
WILLIAMSBURG COUNTY, 8. c., Februaryl2.
Another planting season is fast approaching
ua, but, as yet, most OF our farmers and
planters are but poorly prepared for 1t. This
is due In some instances 10 the scarcity OF
labor, but mainly from the fact that most OF
our planters failed to get what la50rers they
did succeed in hiring 10 work until the mid.
die and latter part of January, thus losing
the work OF an entire month, which, when
properly considered, ls no small matter 10
the farmer in these days, when there Ia no
such thing as making up for lost time. All
his fencing is rotting down; he has made no
manure; his place Is fast going 70 diiapida.
ton, und, 10 fact there Is so much to do that
he does not know himself which to go at
first. Labur is much higher than 1t has been
any previous year since The war, and
Ia still In great demand. There are
plenty of negroes In the county; In
fact. We couli very well spare few,
but they do not seem 10 be anxious about
hiring themselves at any price, and won't lis
ten to It 30 long as they have three pecks OF
corn ahead aud can reut some old. WORKOUT
field, too poor 10 bring grass. and can get q
COW, steer, heller or Uillygoat to plough and
ride occasionally. The height of their ambl.
lion seems to be 10 get from under The juris-
dIclion of The white man, and have farm OF
their own; and even If they do not make the
seed they planted, they appear always 10 e
perfectly satisfied, seeming to think that the
great end for which they were put here has
been accomplished. We have NO fears about
gellng labor enough, after the spring opens,
10 carry on our fnrms, for, of course. when
Cuffee's three pecks gives out he Will be at
his rows end; but the ruo with the farmer Ia
now, when he will neither work for love nor
money, and at the very time when there Is 80
much 10 be done, in order to be ready to plant
at the proper time.
We have roaming through our county this
week set of vagabonds, whose chief occu-
patton seems to be fortune-telllng and trading
old broken-w winded horses and mules. This Is
the second or third trip they have made
through this county within the last year, and
It ls said they do all kinds of trading, have no
license, and yet they are permitted TO so and
come whenever they see proper, and are never
moested. Why they are Permitted by the
officers of The law to do these things Ia
mystery to us.
Having read q graphic account of The burn
Ipg of that almost world renowned "city,"
Kingsree, In The NEWS Of recent date, we,
more out of curiosity than anything else,
were Induced to visit the place few days
aimee. On arriving we found an unusually
large crowd assembled, who seemed to be re-
Iocing rather than lamantlng over tnelr late
calamity, but we were not there long before
we heard that some one had rented the bar
bpr's shop and had opened bar there instead,
and another party hnding The demand for
..blue ruin" increasing had opened In stable
for want of better house. Thus the mystery
was explained, for almost every one had 30
much "blue ruin" on board that they found
It rather difficult to restrain their feelings.
We were pleased to learn, however, from
some Of the princlpal merchants tnat they ex-
pected to rebuild and In the course OF very
lew months to reopen at their old stands, and
carry on their business on a larger scale than
ever before. This sounds like business.
We were pleased TO meet, lev days since,
Mr.. Robert III. Cooper and Mr.. j; Milton Full
ion. formerly two well.known and highly re-
spectable cllizens of This county, who, few
years ago, moved 10 Monroe County, Mo;
They are out visiting their many friends and
relatives, 10 this and adjoining counties, with
whom they expect to apend few weeks, and
then return TO their Western home.
THE NEWS Is very popular here. All that is
necessary to show thai man does not keep
no with the times, is 10 say that he does not
read THE CHARLESTON NEWS. G. E. o. B.