The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-08-31
The r. R Barbecue-.Smokey Town, &c

SmOkey Town country 1DurSuaS, Lux
25th, the occasion heing the RAILROAD
barbecue at Brown & Moseley's Saw
Mill. The crops along the road be-
! tween Newberry and Prosperity. though
not as good as ordinary, on account o.
dry weather, are very good for this
year; and they are good for three OF
four miles beyond Prosperity. Further
down cotton seems to have been plant
ed late; there is good deal Of weed
brought out by the recent rains, but ii
does not seem to be we'll fruited.
Returning we came from Stoney Bat
terry by way of Mr. Michael Kinard's,
and Mr.. S. S. Paysinger's. The crops
along this road look very well. On
Timothy Creek is some Of the finest
corn we ever saw, and at one or two
other places we SAW good corn fields.
Smokey Town is desolate looking
country to one who IS accustomed to
oaks and hilly lands. The people OF
that section are mostly small farmers
they work bard, live economically. pay
their debts, and are an honest, sober,
solid Yeomanry. A great industry of
this section is the lumber business. The
pines are large, tall and numerous, and
large quantity Of lumber is hauled
from this section to Prosperity, New
berry and other places. The country
is healthy, and the people live to a ripe
old age. 1t is not a good location for a
doctor; he would starve for want of oc-
cupation.
One sign of prosperity observed was
the number of new dwelling houses.
We saw not less than half dozen bran
new, neat and comfortable cottages
along the roadside. The people are
blessed with church privileges, and they
are church-going. pious people. We
are crcdibly informed that only three
men of middle life in that whole section
are out of the church. Within the past
three weeks two churches in that Sec
ton have taken in forty-seven members.
They are also interested in the subject
of education, and are giving their chill
dren the best schooling they can afford.
Mrs. Jane Long, lady of ripe expert
ence, is teaching very successful school
near Bethel Church, and is doing no
bic work in that section.
As an evidence of the sobriety of the
Smokey Town people, out of the large
crowd at the barbecue Thursday there
was only one man under the influence
of whiskey-and he WAS not from New
berry County.
As to the meeting; there were about
one thousand people present, many of
them being from the neighboring Coun-
ties Of Edgefeld and Lexington. A
stand had been erected for the speakers
aud seats prepared for the ladies in u
beautiful shady grove. MIR. Jno. Adam
Kinard, of Edgefeid, the Chairman of
the meeting called on Mr. J. Brooks
Wingard, of Lexington, to preside over
the meeting and introduce the speakers.
Speeches were made by Messrs. Jacob
II. Boozer, of NewbcrrY, +. H. Folk, of
Edgefeld, Geo. Jobnstone and G. B.
Cromer, of Newberry, j. J. Dreher, of
Lexington, and D. D. Mitchell, of Lees
vile. The speakers dwelt upon the ad-
vantages accruing from railroads and
the great benefits that would follow the
building of the contemplated line. The
idea was insisted upon that to be sue
cessful it would be necessary to interest
some large railroad corporation in the
enterprise and secure its cooperation.
The propriety of communicating with
the Virginia Midland authorities was
discussed, but no definite action was ta-
ken looking in that direction. The
most favored route seemed to be to meet
the Virginia Midland at Spartanburg,
or further North, come through Union,
Newberry. Prosperity, Leesville and
Blackville to Port Royal. Something
was said also about Yorkville, Gaffney
City, Edgefeld, &c. The fact is there
was Il great deal of vagueness in what
was said. The speakers had not pre-
pared themselves to discuss the question
understandingly.' None ofthe speakers
invited to speak were present except
Mr.. Folk and Mr.. Johnstone; and Mr..
J. had not had time to prepare, having re-
ceived the invitation at so late a day,
on account of his absence from home
first at Greenville rs member Of the
Constitutional Convention, and after
wards at The Warm Springs. The other
speakers consented to speak after reach
ing the ground. Barring the vaguencss
the speaking was good, and the audi
ence was pleasantly entertained.
The barbecue was all that could be
desired. There was an abundance, and
it was we'll prepared. After the crowd
had eaten about twenty whole carcases
were left over. -
The day passed off very pleasantly.
Newberry's Cotton Shipments for 1880.
81.
The following shows the number of
bales of cotton Skinned from Newherrv