Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-08-24
The Crops, Mountains, 60.

OF course we saw good deal Of The oountfy
tho crops and the people, and perhaps can Civ
our readers some idea Of the material as we'll al
political prospects Of Oooneo and Piokeus.
Our main purpose was 10 visit tho Table Rock
that grandest Of natures display of scenery
and also the early home CT our foreparents
whose ashes, peace be to them, rest at Oolenoy
Church, five miles from the Rock.
Our first night was passed on Keowee River
q few miles below old Piokens, where we found
the crop prospect, both corn and cotton, oil that
the most sanguine farmer could desire. The
seasons havo been such as whlo not drowning
| ous the lowlands have taxed the utmost produo-
tive power Of uplands. Wo found here as else.
where in Oconee and Piokens that the corn crop
was not only large in area but larger in prospect
of yield per acre than at any time in tho last
twenty years. We believe from what we saw
that Oconco and Pickens Counties will not only
DO self sustaining in Bread but can furnish TO
other counties more than their proportion Of tho
deficiencies they may have, and that not in
theory but in reality our granaries next year
will be in South Carolina and not in The far
West The cotton, too, on the whole route
looked promising in weed, though II is evidently
later than for several years. The frequent
rains in July caused tho early bols to drop of,
but the August crop will fully compensate this
loss and with late fall wo expect the crop to
be above an average. We noticed It was planted
and looked we'll 10 the very foot of the noun
toins and on every road we travelled the farmers
looked happy. Fruits, too, of all kinds espe-
cially the peach and apple crop, were abundant,
80 that with good small grain cropa plenty Of
fruit and u certainty Of large yield of corn
and cotton, the present year has hardly u
parallel in the recollection Of the oldest inhnbil-
ant
On our way we passed through Old pickcns,
q perfect type of deserted village, thore being
but one house, that Of Silas Kirkscy, one of
the first built, left standing on or ncar The
square. The homcstcads of W. L. Keith, E. NJ.
Keith and Pleasant Alexander arc also within
the old town limits, but the rest are all gone,
some to Walhalla, some 10 West Union, some to
Seneca City and some to New Pickcns Tho
beautiful kcowec alone preserves its old time
appearance, and if VIC could only remove it 10
our town how greatly would il add 10 our place
as summer resort, both for bathing, fishing and
boating.
Or crossing the river the traveller finds the
roads not rs we'll laid out worked as in Oconec,
though they arc in good condition. Travelling
the upper road we spent the first night at tho
handsome residence of James II. Amber tho
ladies being able 10 get rooms and beds, the
remainder of our party camping out.
Our party numbered twcnty-six, comprising
r. W. shclor and family, of Tugaoo; Mrs.
Steele, Of Okalona, Mississippi; Miss Emily
r1n md Il Eo,lo 49,
self and family, numbering twenty-six, of whom
sixteen were children.
The next day We passed Oolenoy Church, one
Of The oldest churches and largest graveyards
| in the county, thence by Old Pumpkintown Ia
the Rock, arriving about noon. Tho house OF
| Old Pumpkintown, where Jnmes Keith and VIM
Sutherland lived together for twenty-five OF
more years up to their death and brought ur
families, has been torn down and o new framed
h%flF@ns fnnt two families should occupry tht
same building so long without jar or division
but SO it wns there. A store is now opened a
the old place md on the dny VIC passed tht
people were gathering in to attend politica
meeting.
On the subject Of politics Pickens is not Sc
much divided as our county. and while many o
ism ana good sense leads them to stick together
for The Democratic party, which alone promises
good government in South Carolina. Thc
division consists chiefly in generous rvalr,
for the different candidates., the election of an,
of whom will be Democratic triumph. Can
not our people move in tho samc line? On
grievances are trivial compared with thos
likely to flow from Democratic defeat. "
have always stood solid and trust yet that !,
November tho divisions CT the present will hav
given place to unity which will forever ban
ish opposition from our county. Seek redres
in the party and vote for men YOU Gun trust. NM
If defeated stand by the nominees. This seem
to us TO be both wise and judcions and practi
cable.
The old hotcl ut the Rock is not open for th
public, but rooms and beds can be rented rca
sonably and parties can enjoy both the grandcs
scenery in nature as we'll as the novelty OF cam,
life They can also dance and frolic to thci
hearts content. if they be so inclined. We will
not attempt any description of this woadcrfi,
irenk OF nature, where miles Of bare rock, will
nero and there patch Of cedars, lendin
variety to the view, towering into and ofc
above the Clouds greet the eye. No pen ca,
describe nor mind conceive tho view as present G,
from the hotel, much less from The pool whcr
the baro rock rises twelve hundred feet perpen
dicular, often projecting over slightly. Tb
numerous bonlder0 Of granite along the bas
indicate The falling Of largo masses during th
heavy freezes of winter. Having often been 0,
The summit we did not again 90 with the party
but visited tho pool which appears as it di,
| twenty-five years ago. We spent two nighis n