The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-05-30
HOW VISITORS TALK ABOUT US.
Observations OF the Visiting yinticultu-ists
al Outlined by Col. Aiken.
SUMTER.


Speaking of Sumter they say: "This
town of about $500 inhabitants is situa-
ted Immediately upon the Wilmington,
Columbia and Augusta Railroad, forty
miles from Columbia, one hundred and
thirty-fve from Wilmington, N. c., and
one hundred and forty from Charleston !;
it has many local advantages, and is
surrounded with growth of trees mex
pressibly beautiful, while its tasteful
flower gardens fill the air with fra.
GRANGE that reminds us of the fairy land.
The kind and hospitable treatment we
received at the hands of the citizens was
characteristic Of that old and noted rep-
utation of South Carolina" Perhaps no
part of the State impressed this commit
tee more favorably as grape growing
section than the High Hills of Santee,
and they were equally we'll impressed
with the water power, timber and soil.
From Sumter the committee went to
Florence, aud thence to Society Hill, of
which they speak as extrayagantly as
they do of Sumter, and reiterate their
praises of the hospitality of the people,
both black and white.
From Society Hill they went to
CHERAw,
and there believed they had found ha.
ven of rest. Within the vicinity of
Cheraw they saw a turpentine distillery,
and were very much pleased with this, to
them, new and strange industry. They
were particularly struck with the tall,
limbless pines, with nothing but "top-
knot of long, bushy pine straw"
COLUMBIA.
From Cheraw our visitors came back
to Columbia, and we can best express
their impressions by using their own lam
guage, to wit: "There are many places
and many things Of exceeding great in
terest in and around this capital of the
State of South Carolina it needs greater
descriptive powers than we possess to
portray the beauties of this lovely city.
Once and so recently marred and dis.
figured by the ruthless hand of war, it
has risen from its ashes, and is to-day
unsurpassed for beauty of locality, resi-
dences and healthfulness of climate, by
any town or city Of the same size, that
we have ever seen."
They speak quite accurately of the
public buildings of the city, and give
somewhat in detail statement of the
taxes, appropriations, especially for the
free schools, and our system of admins
tering the State Government. The wa
ter power of the canal is highly COM
mended.
Newberry was their next place of halt.
ing for night, and they were most
favorably impressed there with the
change in the country from what they
had already seen, and were particularly
impressed with the increased area OF
small grain as they advanced up the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad, and
with beautiful clover patches seen on all
sides. The free and easy, open and can
did manner in which they were met, too,
by the citizens, particularly touched
them. They say "Newberry is the
county seat, and centrally located in a
county of the same name; it has pop.
ulation of about 1900, equally divided
between the two races. Churches and
school. houses are numerous, and one
prominent building in the town is the
Lutheran College, which now has seventy
scholars"
ABBEv1LLE.
Il
"On the 18th April we visited quite
rolling country, ten miles north of Cokes.
bury, on Saluda River, where we found
on that river a grand water.power, only
utilized in turning an old-fashioned over
shot wheel for a -four and grist mill.
This river is 600 feet wide here, never
freezes, seldom less, even in summer,
than 500 feet width of water, never over
flows, and, in distance of one mile, has
fall of 100 feet. The location for fac
tories is here unsurpassed; lands cheap,
climate and water superior"
On the 18th April the committee visit
ed the Savannah side of Abbeville coun-
ty, and were much pleased with what is
known as the Flat Woods country. They
we're held enchanted when they entered
the yard and saw the remains of the old
house in which John G. Calhoun was
born; and when they visited the family
burying- ground, and saw with what care
every grave had been preserved, and the
monuments erected by the munificence
of Calhoun himself, they were struck
with silent admiration.
Of the Flat Woods they say: "This
whole country is delightful location fol
a colony; the soil is dark gray mulatto
composed of disintegrated granite with
clay base the country is rolling ano
easily cultivated and productive; a large
portion of this land is now ready and al
once available for cultivation and i'm
proyement.
ANDERSON.
"This County is blessed with fence
law, which, depriving it of those dilapi
dated fences and briery fence corners
gives it an appearance of thrift tina
makes it very attractive. The Cour
House, or county seat, is centrally loca
ted, and is surrounded by fine, rolling
country that seems more productive thar
what we have heretofore seen. The alti
tude of this County, its perfect climat
and healthiulness, its productive soil, it
splendid water, all contribute to make j
the banner County of the State for agri
cultural PURPOSES. No place that W
,.,I,