The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1882-01-12
The CoiOreta Exodus,
And the Causes Leading Thsreto-AI the En-
migrants From South earoiina-They
Claim They Cannot Make Living in
That State-A5out 2, 500 Have Left
This Season.
Chattanooga Times.


a large number of colored emf.
grants from South Carolina passed
through the city yesterday en- route to-
Arkansas During the past two weeks
fully FIVE hundred have gone this way,
besides may more By other routes.
The exodus is attracting considerable
attention all over the county. and it
is. the general opinion that an exodus
not far below the ones Of past years
will occur. To give our readers some
information as to the Wholesale elni.
grafton of the colored people from
the Southern country, d Times re-
porter yesterday interviewed Capt:
Id. s. Sisson, Southern Passenger
Agent Of the Missouri Pacific Rail
way and leased lines. Mr.. Sisson has
just returned from the section Of
country these emigrants arc leaving,
and is thoroughly conversaut with the
causes leading thereto.
lie says that he was at Ncwberry,
S. C., cn the 18th Of last Month. and
enrolled at least one hundred names
Of heads Of families who desired to gp
to Kansas, aud when he quoted them
the rates they remarked that not over
fifty could raise the money to 90.
Thay had all sold out, but the ~
ccipts were hot sufficient. Fifty of
the party did 90, and left for Pot
tawotomie county, Kansas, where
they will settle on Government lands,
there being few of their race in that
county. They state that they cannot
make living in South Carolina !;
that each year they fnd themselves in
debt, and when they rent lands from the
large planters. are given the poorest sec.
tions. Some of the emigrants, how
ever, are well TODD. There is no
political significance attached to the
exodus, their only desire being to
better their condition. The planters
10 the West, in some instances, have
forwarded to them the funds to pay
their passage, they being very snx
ious for that class of labor. A short
time since a colored preacher left Ar
kansas with fully" $4,000, which was
raised by the planters for the pur-
pose of bringing the eolored labor.
Some of the South Carolina planters
claim tina, they have no cause to regret
their departure, but, on the other
haud, a large share arc doing all in
their power to stay the Western fever
They fear that there will be great
scarcity of la Dor in that section, even
during the coming season, and some
cannot secure labor to work their
present crops. During the past few
nooths some sections Of South Caro-
lima have been visited by a large Dum-
Der Of railroad agents, but in almost
every Instance their presence is due
to the large number of letters they
have received from the colored people,
asking rates, etc. The railroads have
made no special ,f1orts to induce the
exodus, but it seems al almost spon-
taneous desire On their own part, tne
large majority, however, being in a
measure Influenced by the profer Of
Western planters to pay their fare.
As yet the State authorities have
taken no action to stop the exodus,
but it has been intimated that the
Legislature will make an effort to
keep them in the State. ......s
The exodusters arc principally from
the northwestern corner of the State,
in the couutry lying contiguous to the
Atlanta aud Charlotte Air Line. The
class of negroes. in this locality are
for the most part. poor farm laborers,
but are thrifty. The exodus is now
about over for this season, At low
estimate, fully $500 have left South
Carolina the past season ; but now the
Western planters have about become
supplied, and there will be but few
more to leave until the next season.
But few are leaving the other South
ern States.