The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-04-17
Immediately neighboring

that live little town but few negroes
were induced to remove, but in the
moro remote regions to the north
west OF that point vacant cabins, with
Their smokeless chimncys, broken
fences and general air of descrtion
become oppressivrly apparent. One
small farm after another is passed,
anu now and then an extensive plan
tatlon, upon which no signs of life
appear. Evidence of recent and hasty
removal arc everywhere visible. Parts
OF broken furniture, cracked or broken
cooking utensils, old brogan shoes,
and various remnants of wearing ap-
parol, all i'll Il shape Of having been
car"lcs#ly and hastily thrown aside,
bear testimony to the hurry and furry
with which the late inhabitants took
their departure. Occasionally u va
grant cur dog, which, us Il general
thing, the country negro prizes above
even the members OF his family, is to
be seen still, with mute but loyal
iortitudr. standing guard over the
empty h"n" Of his whilom friend and
master, The country is full of these
miserable brutrs. which were of ne
ccSSlty left behind and no amount of
roaX;n!: will induce the sadeycd,
man"y coated mongrcls to desert the
hrHrthStOnc. Here and there little
mounds, with plain board markings,
| ten ni the last rest resting place of
TN" k!idrcu OF those who have vOlun-
tar!ly sought new homes in the dis
tAnt Southwest. Once in Il white !,
'amlEr,i coon pclt flaps in the breeze
against the gable Of the empty hut:
IN old battered bucket sits by the
we'll side; widc-opcn barn doors.
vacant managers, empty cow pens,
AMI neglected garden patches com
blnc to present II picture in detail of
utt"r dcsolation. The humble ''mcct
ing house, in which God was wor-
shipped ON Sunday and the young
| blarkS received Instructions in the
blu" black sprllcr on week days. is
now Il lonesome testimonial of uu-
van,a@cS enjoyed in homes they have
LETT, which may not be SO easily ob.
| tanned ny;liu
Stlll lufthCr on one comes to cross
roads, and here again all is h,,shcd
| and silent rs Il churchynrd. The
blacksmith shop is nailed up. the
tor%" is gone, and with il the smith.
! So also Is the store rlosrl and barred,
th" goods removed, and the store
Keeper with them. So contagious
WI; III" exodus epidemic that one or
| two whit" families, formerly resident
here. caught the Infection anu went
along with their colorrd nri"hbrrs.
\ stray domestic fowl, which prObn
biN rn"1trd III some SCuucst rrru spot
| unknown to It's OWNER. is met with
now AM then. rs is also pig or two
N;uniN searching for It's former mates.
Ihr road itself shows that there has
| b"rn no recent travel over it, and.
with ihc advancing spring, weeds and
grass arc sprouting forth soon to en-
SwHth TN" pathway in Il track OF living
green
Such are the visible evidences of
h" drsnlation wrought by the exc
duS, but of course they are only to
b" m"t within the more remote sec
tons. From the vicinity of I'LL towns
vr,N few negroes have removed, for
the double reason that they were not
wanted and would mot have have gone
if they had been. In and about I'LL OF
tn" cities and towns there is an nh,md
ancC OF negro labor, which, but fon
III" effect OF town life Ol
the rOlOrcl citizen. might be utilized
IL restoring the waste places and re
| hnbilltatmg the planting interests
now ut Il stnndstill. If it was possi
hl" t" properly distribute the surplus
amt burdcnsomc negro elements of
the towns throughout the farming
districts now lying waste the exodus
would prove Il blessing to the State,
which has for SO many years suffered
from IN excessive. consuming and
non producing population. But that
tins will be done. or that it is possible
to do II. none who knows the town
! bred negro darcs hope.
But even rs matters now stand. the
landowners arc taking II very philo-
SOpmcal view OF the situation, and the
more lorcSccing agree that the effect of
the exodus will ultimately be bcncti
rial t" tn" State IN every way.