Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-11-08
Hcstcr fros.a Col. q. n3. Calhoun.
GRoTTER's SHOALS, SAVANNAH !
RIVER, June 5. 1877.

hifHHi June y, 1870.
Cyrus II. nc Cormic, Esq, Chicago:
DEAR SIR-In letter just received
from hlcsars. Gaines g. Yipyling, real estate
and Immigration agents, No.9 Astor House,
New York, are the queries suhjoined;
which, since they relate SO nearly to your
interests, l refer to you, viz: ''Can you
give US any in ornlation concerning the
Dorm gold mine? is it for salc? is it now
worked? does it pay?'
Doubtless, to the second query, might
answer, no; now the Augusta and Grcen-
wood railroad will pass by it. That on the
contrary, you will carry out your original
intention of building thcrc to escape the
horrible winters Of the North. You will
soon realize that the region embraced by
Aiken and Anderson Court House enjoys
ono of the finest climates on earth Equal
iy removed from tho great agents of atmos-
phcric change, the ocean and the noun
tains, it is exempt from destructive storms
of wind, rain or hail. Blessed with sun
shine aud showers throughout the year, it
is the surcst for crops. There is Just winter
enough to keep insects in check, while tho
pomcgranatc and tho fig do not require to
be sheltered. Through the operation of an
obvious cause, the summer is ultcmpered BY
constant set of the air from higher
elevation, through forests, and over innu-
mcrable pclucid streams. The nights arc
cool. Living immediately on the bank of
river, half mile wide, | am never troubled
by mosquitoes. Nowhere eau there be
tonnd larger percentage Of population Of
seventy years and upward. Mrs. Fleming
numbered her ninety eight years on this
estate. My nurse, "Aunt Peggy" died
here from the effects of tall, aged LOG.
Her mother went lis. Several Of my
tenants, older than myself, still use the hoo
J am an octogcnarian with the fresh vitality
of Twenty-Five This is tho country in
which to grow old comfortably. Of course
you will add to your possessions, on the line
destined, in the early future: to be one of
the grandest thoronghiarcs Of the continent
If you enlarge hitbcrward, you may reach
the peculiar, generous "mulatto soil" ad-
mirable for wheat, and which produces the
finest upland cotton that grows The ia
nous Abba Correa da Sierra, many years
Portuguese Minister at Paris, was transferred
in my time to Washington Ho said the
district including Washington, Georgia, ami
the "talhoun Settlement" Abbevllc, S.
g., resembles the best sections of France
Gov. Chamberlain, With magnanimity
consonnnt to his high culture and superior
intellect, said tho other day: "South Caro-.
lima offers the most Inviting inducements to
the immigrant. Her resources are almost
'ndcscrlbabc. Her cotton, long stap pie and
upland, her rice and corn, her facilities for
production and manufacture are absolutely
unsurpassed u x For she is Mas.
sachusett, Alabama and Iowa rolled into
one She has great variety Of climate and
soil" IIo might have added that her co
)orcd people are tho best laborcra, the best
1omoa!ics in the world.
Iu 1923, at the breakfast table, the See
retary of War, as if thinking aloud, said:
"l'm sorry cunt spare St. Ialcott."
"For what? l asked. "AIajor Long ought
to have an assistant engineer to aid him in
exploring St. Peters River" "Cau't
take the place." "Ycs if you wish" The
second night [ was off in the stage to inter.
ccpt Major Long and his party at Columbus,
OHIO. We passed few days at fort Dear
born, a dils 2idatcd stookado on tho site of
Chicago. was taken in canoo up the
South Fork Of Chicago River to n flooded
prairie, whence tho water flowed in one
direction to the Gulf Of St Lawrence, in
the other to tho Gulf Of Mexico. ! did
not thon anticipate that in so short time |
would become aware of an outlet intcrmcdi~-
ate to those two, ono quasi Artic, the other
quasi tropical. |
In 1925, while visiting my friend noar
Pcndlcton, | heard Of the failure Of repeated
attempts TO ascend the Wh,csde Noun.
tain plainly in sight from tho village.
That was enough for nc. Taking servant
and packhorsc, | went up Kcowco River
and at tho North Carolina line, engaged as
guido a man who bad never been near the
mountain. The region was SO thoroughly
a wilderness that in excursion Of several
days VIC did not sec tho least sigu of settle
mcnt, nor did wc meet siuglo human
being. Finally bear path led us to the
summit of the mountain. On tho way back
to my Naval Station fell in with Major
Long. told h!m that at tho Whtcsdc
IL. e.