The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-12-05
At Observation-Disclosures. 9. C..

At Conference...Winns 8. G.
Dear Neighbor:
The car I was in TUESDAY Nov. ~
from Columbia to this town was well
filled with some ladies and number
of preachers and laymen goingto Con-
ference, and as usual they all seemed
happy. The few passengers who re-
mained in the, car after "all out for
Winnsboro" went on to some other
place. Our host, Mr.. Geo. A. White
got five of the six guests assigned him
&C. H. Prichard, H. NJ. Mood, J. A.
Mood, w. W. Mood and this one.
We were all soon in quarters 80 COM
Portable and every way so pleasant that
we concluded if we were not in the
best place in town, we would enjoy
our home without any desire for bet
ter.
Winnsboro, the County Seat of Fair
field, is an ancient town with about
sixteen hundred inhabitants white and
colored.
The present is the first Conference
ever held in this venerable borough of
hospitable citizens. Though the Con-
ference has often met in larger towns
yet probably no community within
our experience of more than forty
years has manifested a higher appre-
citation of this annual ecclesiastical
avalanche than these Winnsboro hosts
and hostesses. Methodists are not
more than third in the list of churches
in the place Presbyterian, Associate
Reformed Presbyterian, (Methodist).
Episcopalian, Baptist-yet there seems
to be no differen ce in efforts to minis
ter comfort to the Conference. This
town or "city" as some may have it,
is esteemed for its intelligence. It Is
here that the old Mount Zion College
stands on hill and has been for some
years past and at the present time un-
der President w. 81. Witherow, one of
the best administrators and teachers
have known.
One of the two hotels of the place
was burned down a month or six
weeks since, completely wrecking the
brick house in which my wife,
daughter of the Rev. Henry Bass
was born sixty-five years ago.
Winnsboro and the county support
The Iri- Weekly Nea0s and Herald,
also the Fairfield Herald, weekly
all going out from one office, owned
aud managed by P. M. Brice (Editor)
and J. @. Davis. The type setting
force of this enterprising firm know
how to be polite.and accommodating to
caller when the editor is out attend
ing service at the Opera House.
These gentlemen have been running a
Daily during the sessions of the Con-
ference, and otherwise showing favor
to the body.
Besides the five churches named there
are three colored churchescPresbyter-
ian, Methodist, Baptist. The Episco-
pal (white) house of worship, burned
some months ago, is to be followed by
q new one.
The city has we'll organized Fire
departments steam fire engine,
manned by the whites, and hand en-
CINE and hook and ladder company
manned by colored citizens.
The Winnsboro national Bank is
doing good business both for the peo-
pie and the stockholders. The Build
ing and Loan Association is also doing
well, 80 also is the Cotton Gin Factory
Movements are now on foot to build 8
Cotton Factory in the near future on
the "instalment plan"
One of the most useful things I see
in this city is the venerable four face
town clock high up over the Market
or Town Hall and giving correctly the
time of day to all who will look and
the time of night as well to all who
will listen. In this Winnsboro IL
ahead of Columbia. The Post Office
is near the depot and adjoining the
telegraph and express offices.
One of the most indispensable insti-
tutions in the town the excellent ba.
kerry and store of Mr.. Geo. A. White,
who runs "dailyn during Conference.
"Chickens" without bread would de-
cline in popularity. So with my most
agreeable fellow guests I am where,
in case of q famine, the last man
would perish.
The people of the town and of the
country around Gncluding the ladies
of course) certainly appreciate the
meeting of the Conference in their
midst.
Bishop Keener with an eye to re-
deeming the time and to the safe dis
patch of business is moving the Con-
ference and it's business toward the
close-( Monday night, I predict).
The Bishop holds the sincere respect
and deserved esteem of the brethren,
some of whom, however, with some
visitors seem to forget the repeated
raps of the gavel. The Bishop is &C