The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-09-20
An Interesting Letter From Cherokee
Falls:
BLAcKsBuRa, S. c., Sept.

BLAcKsBURa, S. c., Sept. II.
EDITORS INTELL1aENoER Since
my last communication from this
place we have had very destructive
storm and rain. Two weeks ago on
this Monday the rain fell in torrents
and the wind blew a regular gale and
did great deal Of damage to the
crops T believe more SO than it did
in our own country, as there was a
good deal more rain here than there,
destroying considerable of the corn,
which, in most places, was very fine,
and on Saturday and Saturday night
last we had another big rain, raising
the Broad River as high as the other
rain. Both corn and cotton are con-
siderably damaged throughout the
State as far as I have been (that is
from Piedmont to this place, some
eighty miles.) With as favorable Fail
us we had last year, I don't think
there will be over half of q full crop
Of cotton made-certainly not more
than two-thirds Of an average crop at
best, and if we don't get ten cents for
that we are gone up-that is I am.
I have had the pleasure of meeting
and forming the acquaintance Of Col.
fJohn Logan Black, veteran Colonel
Of Gen. Hampton's Confederate Cav
airy, and Of course great admirer OF
Gen. Hampton and his worth to Caro-
lima. Col. Black is a well.imormed
man of considerable intellect, and
altogether genial, whole-souled gen
tleman of the old school Carolina
planter. He is well-informed as to the
geological formations Of this State,
and especially Of this locality, and of
the various deposits Of the several met
ais and ores which abound in such
great abundance near this place. Col.
Black was born on this hill, he tells
me, sixty-three years ago, and was the
son Of Mr.. James Black, who was one
of the pioneer iron manufacturers Of
this country. He can tell a great
many amusing incidents that happen
ed around here in his boyhood days.
Among them was a story about the
election of an Elder in Presbyterian
Church near here. 1t seems that they
had elected several who had refused
to serve. Among the Church mem
bers was a Mr.. Me, who run a
distillery and was said to make first
class quality Of whiskey-so to speak,
So on a certain occasion the members
had met to transact the business Of
the Church, and among other things
was to elect an Elder. One old broth
er arose and said: II move we elect
brother Mo-, for he makes the
best whiskey Of any man in the coun-
try" and he was elected without a dis
senting vote. He can both amuse and
instruct you all the time, for he never
stops talking on.J when he goes to
| sleep, and he generally goes to sleep a
talking. Col. B., with others, owns sew
eral thousand acres Of fine lands around
Cherokee Ford, which have never
failing supply of the finest ores in the
world, and I would not be surprised
(that if this present money panic gets
over) to see furnaces and iron working
machinery established at old Cherokee
Ford in less than two years from now,
There is certainly one Of the most
magnificent water powers at Cherokee
Ford to be found in the South. There
is ample fall, with never failing sup
ply of water to produce several thou
sand (not hundreds) horse power,
which can be improved for trihe.
Just what will keep capital off of such
producing property I can't see.
Aside from any iron interest at all, it
is one of the best, if not the best, To-
cation for cotton or woolen mill, that
is mill of very considerable proper
tions, to be found on the Piedmont
belt, and as healthy place as can be
found in the world. If we ever get
confidence restored and peace and har-
mony and good and wise and economi-
cal government again in this State,
which we certainly will, such oppor-
tunities for investing capital will be
taken up by monied men from abroad
as we'll as at home. Some peor men
seem to ignore capitalists-I do not.
In fact, I have always had sort Of
liking for rich men-thcy are the men
who give me employment, thereby en-
abling me to make a living for my
family and to acquire' home to call
my own, which is one of the most
comforting things next to religion to
be had in this world, and [ wish
everybody could get oncy ycvenif it was
ever so small. Yes, I like rich men,
fo1sthcy are nearly all gentlemen, and
are generally charitable and sympa-
thizing, using little money along
with their sympathy, which makes it
90 further when poor fellow is in
need. I wish VIC had more Of them
millionaires and thousand dollar-aircs
too-then we could build more facto-
ries, which would give more employ
ment and better and more comfortable
living to the la'oring poor and better
markets for the poor farmer. Let
us all strive for this end with an abid-
ing faith in an ever merciful Proyi-
dence, and we will certainly via in the
oud ttTf tho ,victod rule the neoDle