The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-07-25
ORANGEDURG, s. c., JULY %, 1870.
Editorial Notes.

ssS&SSs
Taking advantage Of the kindness
of Mr.. d. G. Allen, General Ticket
Agen! of the South Carolina Railroad,
an and Col. Podamead, of the Grecnville
=! and Colnpbia Rail lroad, we got
aboard the excursion train bearing
the Sumter Guards, Of Charleston, to
the mountains on Monday 18th at
half past eight O'Clock with the yiew
of spending a wfck Of The hqt season
in Greenvillc ana other tpwne of the
up country. In tbc good old times
of personal safely and no wear and
tear 10 the Railroad we would have
been landed at Columbia at II o'clock
~, but by the, fast schedule Of
Mr. Fisher, We were whirled through
valley, plain, hill and swamp at the
rSStee Of twenty-five miles an hour with
scarcely time to note the effects of
the drought upon the growing crops
along the road. Hero and there, how
ever, we saw some hope in promis-
ing felq4 Of corn or cotton; but the
general aspect of the country was dry
and parched, and Of the crops, poor
and SqInpromising. In few spots the
crops were rot only poQr and parched
E9t grassy and indIlerently eultiva:
ted. From Orangeburg to Columbia
we doubt if more than half crop
either of corn or cotton be made,
At half past ten o'clock the train
gallantly rolled into the Columbia
,depot and after, fifteen minutes Of
!bnstle, transferring baggage, eating
ice cream, ETC., we were comfortably
seated ,, in a beautiful coach cf the
iG5reenYille train, and smoothly glid-
ing Py men, houses, streets and peni-
tertiary until We tapped the woods
beyond the city. and began to worm
our way deviously around the bills
and through the valleys that lie along
the margin Of the Saluda river,
twenty-five miles in tya hours
brought, US to Alston. the dinner de-
pot of this road. We had often beard
of starvation at fifty cents meal as
characteristic of Alston but we found
nothing of which to complain-rich
butter, excellent buttermilk, fair cof-
fee, raised biscuits, and q real St.
Matthews chicken pie, made up "a
meal good enough for lord or king.
f,'eerr!h}HHps, however, it Yae special
preparation for thp gumter Guards; F.;
:' OF this we eSpress 20 opinion, giving
x!:ts, x!stcn ths benefits Of the doubt.
Allowing fifteen Or twenty minutes
for this very necessary amusement,
we started again, and, after. smooth
FUN through broken country, with
here here and and h,. there RRIe RRIeaHti(Rl residencs
Gaping the top of 2 AiI|, we heard
Newberry announced, and, looking
out, saw the town lying costly nes.
tied on the right of the road among
the r! trees that seemed TO form beau
tifnl grove of evergreen oaks. Our
position at the depot afforded fine
view of the Court House, jail and
other prominent buildings, while
Newberry College stood in the dis
tance further north and called to
memory the names Of Holloway, now
Of 81. Matthews, and hundred other
good And great men who drew their
inspiration from her yellow walls.
Long liye and flourish this and all
similar iPstitptiqns throughout our
country.
The Company's shops, with their
laborers and machinery, their engines
and cars, and their hustle and din,
indicative of life, progress and enter.
prise, were soon passed, and then in
slow succession Prosperity, Ninety
Six, Greenwood, Hodges and Will
liamstpn-all up country towns of
respectable proportions and growing
business. At the last We looked out
for Mr. Lander,s Female College, but
before we could realize our disap-
pointment in not seeing the building,
tle whistle blew us TO our; seats again
where VIC passed the time in. medjta.