The Orangeburg democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1879-1881, 1879-10-03
BranchviiIs.


I have thought that line from
this busting, busy town might not
be unacceptable to your readers. But
little appears in your paper from this
section OF the county. It is not, how
ever, your fault-it is ours. We do
not write-and we do not write, not
because there is nothing to say, but
because Of an indisposition to exer-
oise pen and head. I am satisfied if
we would write you would give us a
place every week in what conceive
to be one of the newsiest county pa
pers in the State. If had tue car
of Orangeburg County would say
substantially to every man that he
was doing himself and his family and
his county positive harm by not
taking and supporting this paper.
Their was time in the history Of
this town when it was about as much
as mans life was worth to spend
the months Of August and September
here. But under the direction Of
thoughtful and enterprising men who
have for several years been at the
head Of affairs, the streets have been
thrown up, the lots have been filled
up by hauling dirt, and the town has
been thoroughly drained, so that now
health reigns where few years ago
sickness and death brooded. A lady
said in my presence several years
ago, in defending the place, that the
''town was healthy but that the peo-
pie were inclined TO be Sick Now
it can be said "the town is healthy
and the people are inclined to health" I"
There are just now many indications
Of thrift. Old houses are being taken
down and new, more substantial and
slightly ones are going up. The
painter is also busy, and in short
time Mr.. Mitchell, who is a superior
workman, Will give more slightly ap-
pearance to the place. Mr.. A. +. II.
Dukes, who leads the trade, has
greatly enlarged and beautiied his
place of business. He is opening
now very heavy stock Of good in
all lines, and is marking them at very
low figures. heard his clerk say to
min yesterday T"tliere Is no place for
this piece Of fine dress goods we must
sell it out to-day at cost to get rid of
it." lie is q very accommodating, en-
tcrprising and successful merchant.
Indeed, the town is full of excellent
men, in the mercantile line. N1essrs.
Bruce, Rhoad, Myers, Loryea, &C.,
are all doing we'll. 1t is l believe
the best cotton market on the line of
road. 1t has sold rs high as 10 "a
cents, and you weight it yourself.
do verify believe that if the people OF
Orangeburg, lower Barnwcll and up
per Collcton knew how cotton was
handled here, and how cheap goods
were sold, that they would all turn
their attention to this place. We
have wonderful facilities here, two
daily mails from Charleston and two
to Charleston, and four opportunities
of going to the city by rail in twenty
four hours. We have two churches
in and near the place. One Me;ho-
dist and one Baptist. Preaching in
the former three Sabbaths in the
month, and in the latter one Sabbath
in the month. These churches are
on good terms. They vie with each
other only in seeing who can serve
the Master best. The churches arc
we'll attended, and religion is very
far from being under par. We have
also in and near two schools-one
taught by lady and the other by
gentleman. They are now running
as public schools, and are very we'll
attended. There is just now no
Trial Justice here. There are two
applicants for the position, but neith-
er has yet been appointed. 1 do not
know that we will be seriously dam
aged if no appointment is ever made.
I have long since been inclined to the
opinion that if we had fewer and
simpler laws and less law facilities,
we would be more contcntod and
orderly people. There is, however,
to all this, one draw back, which the
City Fathers might control-to wit,
the large number of hogs that are al
lowed to go at large in the streets by
day, and sleep around the doors and
corners at night, thus generating
filth and tleas. Have we not written