The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-05-10
For the Anderson .L,telliga.cer.
ABBEVILLE COUNTY.

A recent trip to. the eastern part of
Abbeville County produced favorable
Impressions as to the future outcome in
the history of that County. From the
earliest settlement Of. the country Able,
vile has, been. renowned for the fertility
of her soil and the intelligence and
gallantry of her people. On the bosom
Of her soil some Of South Carolina's most
distinguished sons first drew the breath
iof life. She was not only rich in the
fertility of her soil and the historic men,
ories of her ancient legends, rich IN the
intelligence and honor of her sons aud
daughters, but up to the period of the
late war she was rich in all that makes
up the material wealth of a great people.
But upon the Inauguration of reconstruc-
tion since the war blight, equalling
Egyptian darkness, withered all the
fountains of Abbevilie's ancient pros
perity and renowI. Having a majority
of colored voters, who were early led
astray by the carpet-bagger, all her
places of honor and trust and public
responsibility were filled by the ignorant.
and corrupt. And for while so hope.
less apparently was the case that not a
manly struggle was made to throw off
the degrading bondage. But lat last,
thanks to kind and merciful Provi.
dence, the day; Of deliyerance from the
robber band was ushered in by the elec-
ton of Hampton as Governor. of the
Slate. Once more old Abbeyille is her.
self. again. Once more will she be ruled,
by intelligence and capacity AMI honor.
While every material interest withered
under the spoilation Of, the robber band,
the original fertility of her magnificent,
soil remained unharmed., .,,Tis true that
Abbeville, like other of her sister coun-.
ties, had suffered even before the war by
careless cultivation of her soil, yet old
mother earth. will abundantly respond to-
the calls of science and skillful cultiya-
ton. Under the rule Of the Radical
band her lands which formerly, comman-.
ded from $40 to SIS per acre dwindled in,
price to an average of about three dol
lars. Some of the finest lands in some
of the finest sections of. Abbeyille along
the valley of the Savannah could have
been purchased year ago at these de-
preciated prices, Now the scale is
turned. Under good and honest govern.
ment, government under whose benign
influence every citizen, however humble,
will feel perfectly secure in person and
property, we predict that Abbeville will
be one of the first counties in the State
to regain her former high position of
respectability.. an, ~ .,...ys. .as
On short trip to Greenwood recently,
alongside the bed of the Greenville g.
Columbia Railroad we were favorably
impressed with the evidences of return
ing prosperity. This road is located for
stretch of about fifty miles, extending
from Williamson to Ninety-Six, on a
beautiful ridge Of land dividing the
waters of the Savannah and Saluda
Rivers. These beautiful ridge lands as
they descend towards the territory of
Abbeville seem to-increase in fertility,
especially in the production of cotton
and wheat. In the neighborhood of
Williamson and Bolton, the writer pass
ing along a country road was strongly
impressed with the beauty of the sur
rounding country. For the most part,
the farms consist of level fields, composed
of productive sandy loan, here and
there intorspersed with branch bottoms.
Along the line Of railroad all the little
towns have puton the garb Of improve
ment. Lands adjacent to the road COW
cred with old field pines are now consid-
cred the most valuable of any. The
timber for car wood is worth twenty or
twenty-five dollars per acre, and for
few years such lands. produce astonish-
ingly in cotton 2 or the small grains.
And, to our astonishment, We found at
Bolton at the residence of DR.. W. O.
Brown beautiful carpet of blue grass,
covering his yard of nearly two acres.
So, then, sandy plains are not only good
for cotton and the small grains, but can
be made to produce luxuriant grasses,
far grazing purposes at least. no.
As we approached Honea Path and
Donnaldsville we discovered a marked
change in theiappearance of the soil.
The soil changes to a rich clay soil,
which is we'll adapted, not only to the
production of cotton but also of wheat.
At Donnaldsville we found hospitable
people and some evidences Of enterprise
and improvement. There is one pecu-
liarity about the ridge lands of this sec
ton: On the highest parts of the ridge
there are wet spots Of such nature that
it is almost impossible to drain them,
and when ditched will not produce any
thing but peas. They afford, however,
fine grazing grounds. In this section
during the winter season much Of the
labor is devoted to cutting car wood for
the steam engine. It is worth two dol
lars per cord, delivered and stacked on
the railroad, and the farmers usually pay
about. seventy-fve cents for cutting,
which leaves one dollar and twenty-five
cents for the timber and hauling. The
health of this portion ''of' Abbeville is
good. bilious fever being prevalent only