The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-04-30
.r,"niy.nt'rs lAr - it> nn,l
.r>n. -, c'yaI'ug ..s .in Ygu,

n ten thousand pounds could he safely ma,
n igatcd down to Augusta. The princiD,
. distractions were large tress which I'm
, fallen into the water. The general dept
I. Of the river would admit only fiat bOtto,
I boats, except in eases of high frcshcts
: WhcE the soil and seasons we're fayo,
able. twenty acres of corn could be cult
natcd by one plowman and two no
hands. Tho product was about fort
bushels to the acre. The average pric @
Of corn was fifty cents per bushc, there
fore the three Iaborcrs would raake fou
hundred dollars from twenty acres. /
similar force would cultivate tiftcc,
acres in cotton. The product woul,
bring about four hundred and eighty dol
lars. These were the two staples OF tn,
country. Corn was less liable to be aifLct
cd by unfavOrable seasons than cotton
anu is also more easily prepared for mar
| kct. In late springs the bottoms wcr,
| infested by Il black worm, resembles tn,
| common grub, which destroys all vcycta.
ton until they became dormant on the np
preach Of summer None of these worms
were found in the uplanlS' Ii II market
for rice equal to that OF Charleston on
savannah. could be found ut Auwtleta il
was thought probable that more moucy
could have been made Dy the cultivation
| of this article than either OF the prccCd-
ing. In many SITUATE ions there were small
fields with Il command OF water which if
not in propcf order would have yielded
three barrels pc: ac:r. Three lahorcrS
could cultivate twelve acres, which would
produce thirty-siX barrels, and this guam
tity ut usual prices, would bring between
six and seven hundred dollars. Low
grounds were valued from twenty to
forty dollars per acre and uplands from,
fifty cents 10 five dollars
The forests OF The low grounds contain
rd walnut. poplar. white oak, elm. ash,
brech, birch, elder, chestnut, etc. While
high grounds had he same with hickory.
pines and other species nf oak. Goo;!
shingles were made Of the heart of pine
and still better made OF yellow poplar,
FMc furniture was made of walnut and
birch. Thr.ln WAS not Onc-iOurlh OF the
land In the district cleared, and not more
than onc.half was accounted lit for culti-
vation. On all streams there were III.
tural advantages for the erection Of mills
and other labor saving machinery but
only Il few saw and g'lSt mills, and some
cotton gins we've worked by water. a
Yuling mill WAS erected on Cane Creek.
hut was only operated for Il Shart while
for want OF Il proper person to conduct
the hl,SincS
Great quantities Of Il III were caught hy
means OF traps both in winter and sum
mcr. The most productive fishery was
i'm the latter end of the spring, when
shau camo up the rivers to spawn. In the
vicinity of the mountains Stocl, was raised
with advantage. as there We're large pas
lures of the wild pea vine aud green
canes, but in other parts of the district
the range WAS dillcrrr'.
During the winter the weather was not
ca Al tl,., ~,
part occnred later in Sping and earlier in
fall. There WAS three workS difference
between his climate and that Of Char
lesion. In summer the days were very
warm but nights are generally cool. The
greatest quantity of raln falls during
winter, hail and Slcrt St0rlhs sometimes
occur so late in spring to do great dam.
age to corn and cotton.
The prevailing diseases in this section,
were chills and fever, summer com
plants and the usual inammatory dis
eases of cold climates. Upon the whole
the district was considered rs healthy II:
amy part Of the United States.
The intcmpcratc Use Of spirituous Ii
quors produced the same bancfui effect
rs now, although not SO quickly nor to S,
made spirituous liquors IL quantity o
rcrdigris was frequently formed whicl
( was afterwards dissolved in the liquor
T. and thu, another patent poison was cou
| vcycd into system,
Although there were frequent imiwr;
3 tons beyond the mountains, the imm
= GralionS into the district balanced til
= account. The population increased irol
e the following causes: The people gene
It ally married young, led lives OF stead
industry, and they lived upon rlai
wholesome food in Il healthy conntr,
J. AS an evidence of this there w;,S Scarcri
q Il house to be found without several Chi
:, drcn. The black population increase
u every year. The birth rate among tt
Is slaves was exceedingly greater than tn;
, of tho death rate. The surplus scral
It was generally vested in the purchase ,
y more slaves. Nearly all OF The cmigran
!, brought; slaves into the district with then
~ The census Of 1900 showed that none DC
g cent. OF the population Was composed {
c negroes, but in 1880 eleven per cen
;. were negroes. In the first period til
II white population was S.13l; i'm the III.
Z .S2s; All increase of more than two
l. one in the course OF Il decade. In tn
same period the black population In
}" increased so milch that it only wantc
s. ia tr hc three fol one. Domestic man,
SC features were carried on to some eXlc,
~ w supply iiN NillS Ol Iuh lnUltllll;
rc family, but few were carried on TO an
III extent except iron. OF This metal thcl
Is were several works in various parts ni Il
III district. The manufactures were chief
Il coniincd To the making of bar ro
n plough shares and farming utensils ~
or bar iron was cheap and equally as go,
n rs that imported, if not better in qu;,it,
II, Several persons were engaged in ril
'd making, and in the manufacture of g,
10 powder. The streams and c0nvenicl
u falls offered great advantages for conduc
IT ing all manufactures where the impcllil
Is power Of water is needed but to inlpro,
'r them capital and enterprise were nccc
n Sary.
:" Edmcation was at Il low rbb, ana yer
little knowledge was dif1'llScd throu@ho,
= the country. There waS but one classic
! academy in the district. That acaden
i WAS under the direction OF an able tcac
" cr, MIR. Edwin Reese, and srpcrintcndr
, by trustees Of competent abilities.
:, - was situated near the court house, in
~ Soiubrons spot, and had a fine view q
u the Blue Ridge Mountains. The pric
{ of board was sixty dollars and that O
;, tuition. twenty dollars BY the year
- Several English schools We're found il
!. tho district but taught by ines cmpctcn