The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-06-22
flying fact Immediately adds immense
ly to the value of our forests.
S168,S7l,277
VALUE of IROfCRl1.
The property of South Carolina is as

~, iSD,Ohb
Railroad property. 26, 7C0,O 900
Total, $l68,87l, PIT
1T is obvious that this is not the true
valuation Of the property. Some con.
slider it not more than tWo-thirds, others
not more than Il half. The effect of
this undervaluatiOn is to make tax rate
appear double. Were the property as
sesSed at its vualue, no one would be
compelled to pay more for general ex
penses, ard the low rate of taxes COM
pared fayOrably with the levy in other
States.
The tax levy on this low assessment
Is for State purpose 5 mills, for Ordi-
nary county taxes about 3 mills, for
schools mills, with special taxes in
certain localities.
FUNDING TIIESTATE DEBT.
During the present year the State
has funded over $5,00O,OOO worth of
bonds which will fall due in j uIy. The
old bonds bore Gper cent. interest and
the new ones will bear Az per cent
These bonds are free from taxes, cou
pons are receivable for all taxes except
for the support of schools. a sinking
1Ound OF $4,000 a year, secured by
phosphate royalty. is provided. These
DondS were taken in block by a Syndi-
cate ana are now quoted above par.
The total bonded debt is about ST, 6,5OO,-
600
The Constitution provides that the
Indebtedness OF the State shall not be
increased without vote Of two-thirds
Of the qualified electors OF the State
and that no county or municipality
shall have a debt in excess Of 8 per cent.
of its assessed property. This wise
provision insurcs investors against
rash action and makes the bonds of the
State capital investment.
RallrOadS connect all parts of the
State with each other and with great
centres of trade and population. Water
transportation in the lower portions is
cheap and convenient. The total rail
road mileage in the State is 2,535. IL
miles.
RELIGION AND EDUCATION.
The people Of South Carolina are
homogeneous. Most of the whites have
population of low character to menace
our free institutions. The foreign citi
Zens of South Carolina are among the
best. They have asSimilated them
selves to existing conditions. Contests
between capital and labor are practical
ly unknown.
In every portion of the State chur-
ches abound and the different denomi
ntaiOns have each a large membership.
Popular education has much ad-
| Vanced in the past decade. la many
towns there are fine graded schools be
sides private institutions There are
fine higher institutions of learning
The State maintains three white and
one colored colleges and there are sew
eral private and sectarian colleges. All
are doing a good work. They offer
superior facilities for the youth of
| other States who cannot stand a cold
climate.
Persons who believe that every town
should contain a church and a school
house will find these conditions in
South Carolina. Public free school
buildings in 1892 3,487, costing in cree.
tion $l3S, ll2.49; enrolment. white, 93,-
$50; colored 1929. Total 2O6, 40; aver
age attendance, white, G7,93i; colOred,
S0,S27. Total 1886
MISCELLANEOUS.
There is ample opportunity for profit
in the oyster industry. The State owns
many acres Of fine oyster beds which
she leases on reasonable terms.
Though the Carolina oyster is not 80
large as his Chesapeake brother he is Il
rival in delicacy of flavor.
Diminishing yields elsewhere should
lead oyster growers to turn their atten-
tiOn hither.
Streams and lakes and bays abound
in fine fish.
Col. j. ID. Wylie, of Lancaster, made
the largest oat crop on an acre, which
was 116 bushels.
DR.. BrOyleS Of PendletOn is said to
have made the largest Yield of rice to
the acre in the history Of rice culture,
which was nineLy-tWO bushels
DR.. Parker Of Columbia, before the
war, made and gathered 200 bushels of
corn from measured acre.
Mr.. Drake of Marlboro few years
ago won the American Agriculturist
prize of = 900 for the best acre of corn
in the United Staets. The crop gath.
cred in the presence of representatives.
OF the paper and others. measured two
hundred and lifty-four (254) bushels and
some odd pounds. Tnis surpasses all
known records, and was on upland.
Some of the heaviest yields of cotton
in the world have been from this State.
Ten cuttings Of alfalfa averaging
twenty inches to the cutting were made
in one year, it is said, by Colonel RiOn
of Fairfield.
More than a million dollars worth of
gold was taken from the Dorm Mine in
Edgelield, and several paying mines are
now in operation.
The finest long staple cotton in the
world has been grown on our sea is
lands.
The above facts give some idea OF
the natural resources and the present
prospects of the State. South Carolina
oilers advantages to cOmers who seek
homes, a salubriOus climat or invest
ment. Whether desiring to be manu-
factureTs or farmers they cannot go
amiss If they set their faces toward
the Palmetto State, and all such a,
heartily welcome. B. R. TILLMAN,
Governor.
Train Robbcr shot.
SAN FRANCISCO, June IA special
from Nl3alia says that another fight be-
tween Evans and SOntage, the Cabs
train robbers, and officers took place
last evening. An officer was shot in the
leg and Evans was probably mortally
wounded, If not deal. John Sontag,
one of the notorious train bandits, was
brought to this city this morning. lie
Is mortally wounded. 1t was he and
not Chris Evans, his companion, whe
ir -,