The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-05-05
For the T,nrs.
In.srsstins Letter from Rev. B. Q. Lanpl.y.

Interesting Letter from Rev. B. @. Lamplsy.
GREESyILLE, Miss, April 27.-AIr. E.
itor.-I will fui6ll my promise to yeu, BY
giving few dcts from my Western home.
Let me first, .ay, IL wes with much sadns IS
that I-turned away from my native State.
shall always love old South Carolin', and
should mover return TO share her destiny,
trust that my bones will be carried and
laid 70 rest in her soil, beside the decaying
body Of that ono Of my own household, that
has "passed over the river and is now rest
ing under the shade of the trees" ~
Your tswn and surrounding country are
very dear to me. Some OF my happiest and
scme of my saddest days were passed in the
years when was one Of you. My friends
among your people are many, true and
tried. to whom am beuud not only by the
tics Of association, but also by testimonials
too numerous to mention These give to
Union place in my affections which timo
and distance can never sfface. No one
will rejoice mere than in the prosper ~
and future growth of your town and county,
and l am pleased TO ns,e in your columns
the bright outlook for an curly development
in the liue Of prosperity.
Greenviile, Miss, my present home, is the
county seat of Washington county, said to be
one OF the Oldest in point of settlement, aud
largest iu area of the counties of the State.
The people here claim that they have, In
land, the richest county in the world. 1t
lies between the Yazoo and Mississippi
rivers, and is known as the Yazoo Dslts.
In this county the large Hampton plantation
is located, and am proud TO say that out
here, the name and fame Of the grand old
Carolina hero of rs" are loved, honorsd end
reycred, as they should be all over the State
in whose behalf he shed his blood, aud to
whose advancement he has given the better
days Of his manhood. Near here '.Dahomy,"
the largest o; The many plantations Of the
estate of the worldrenowned cotton planter,
Med Richardson" is lucated. Many
of the largest and finest plantations Of tho
State are in this county. The land is level,
the soil black and rich, and doe, not need
commercial fertilizers.
The farmers here ore in the same boat
with those in South Carolina, behind, caused
by the low price Of cotton and overHows by
the river, tho last three years. Up 10 this
writing, the f,rmers claim the brightest out
look for three years past.
The city of Greeuville is located on the,
bank Of the Mississippi river, and said to be-,
on the highest point of land between Mem.
phis aud Vicksburg. One Of the best rights
to the claims made for the place, both as to-
hea tn and prosperity, is found in the ez-.
istence of the city. One c,n scarce believe,
the statcmcnt, made by some OF the oldest
and most substantial citizens, regarding the
less Of property by the changing of ,he.
river. Standing on the levee in company,
with one Of the older citizens few days.
siIce, ne remarked to me that the river had
taken of $4,000 worth of his property.
lie sad when he came here, thirty years.
ago, the bed Of the river was Two mites west.
Of its present site, that tho bank had cayed.
on the east and filled in on the west until IL.
had reached its present bed. The planta-
lions thu: he bought when he FIRST came here
had oil been taken away by tho river. Then
pointing 10 an old house near by, he said,
"When that building was put ur, twenty-five
years ago, 1t was placed on the extreme east
ern limit Of The town, now it is within fify
feet Of the waters edge" 1t is the nearest
house to the river on the west side of the
city.
From all that can gather, I or. .ss. IL
saying that there arc not twen,y.iv. houses
standing that were constructed inside the,
town limits 70 years age. Greenvi le has.
gwen back from the river, but she has con-
nucd TO keep up life and growth all through,
these years. AS to buildings, il is n new.
place, built up in the lat ten or twelve.
years. The people are now, confident that;
there will be no moro caving. The U. 81.
government has spent hundreds of Thousands
Of dollars in putting in mattresses 10 stop
tho caving, which seems now to he success.
The city was overfowed in 1890, tho only
time within its history, but it gaze the plao,
"the black eye" Many moved away not
SO many have moved in o, in the few pre-
ceding yea,s. But there is life, push an
energy here, and the citizens are looking for
general return Of growth ani development.
They tell me that if one lives here for = time.
he will never care to leave. The city is vel
and regularly laid out ;-the streets are broad.
and iu dry weather they are fine, but in we.
weather very bad. The mud here has In i.
the elements that compose the stiekiest stick
OF any mud with which i ever came in con-
tact. 1t is hard for sober man to keep his
head aud heels from changing places.
The business houses are large and substau-
tai buildings. We have many elegant
homes. The public buildings are of modern
design. The courthouse, nearing couple.
uon, is the most substantial building that [
ever saw. 1t is built Of Alabama bro " nstone.
hre'Proof, there being but little wood about
II. 1t cost 100000. The furniture cost
$4,000, and is the bandsomest l ever saw
IN public building. Thy public boarding,
house. attached to the courthouse, is Of
modern des'gn, and cost $4,000.
We have very fue public school build
ing, we'll located and splendd'y equipped.
There is large commercial business car
ricd on here. We have two large cotton
congresses, two cotton seed oil mill plants,
q large lumber and milling business, ice
factory, branch Of the Armour packing house,
electric plant. street railway. aud will soon
have water works.
In The line of traffic there arc fine facilities
by the railroads centering here, and also the
,iTer. There are three papers ptfbli heI
here. The population is about 5000
mixed, badly mixed. We have represents
tives Of clmes aud nations, manyas This i.
the Jerusalem" Of the State. There are
many Catholics here. In tho way of churches
we have Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian.
Methodist. Christian or Campbellite, Cah-
olic, aud Jewish Synagogue.
kindest regards to all Of my many friends.