The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-03-12
THE CALHOUN ESTATE.
Sale Of the Vast Landed Property Of the Late
James EDWARD Calhoun.

Sale OF the Vast Landed Property Of the Late
James EDWARD Calhoun.
Abbeyille Press and Banner.
The vast landed estate Of the late
James Edward Calhoun will be sold
by the executor on March 3lst, 1896
The sale will take place in the town OF
Calhoun Falls at twelve o'clock. The
estate consists of sixteen Thousand
acres-twelve thousand in Abbevillc
County and four thousand in Georgia
the Savannah river running through
it. The tract, it seems from tho ad-
vertisement, will be sold as a whole
sixteen thousand acres, including the
finest water power in the State.
Taking no consideration Of the water
power, the land itself Is fortune, and
unless some one, or some syndicate,
looks after this sale, tho land and wa
ter power will go for song. Tho vas.
stretches Of unimprOved land could
not possibly be worth less than, say,
four, five or six dollars an acre for
farming purposes, and, with the facil
ity for transmitting electric power.
the waterfalls Of tho Savannah river
would be an inexhaustible and ever
increasing source Of wealth to those
who may improve it. II the water
power should be improved, and the
lands should be occupied by thrifty
Immigrants this estate may yet be-
worth an amount far In excess of our
widest dreams. 1t was wise in our
constitution and laws to prevent aliens
from buying such land for hunting
grounds and deer parks. The opening
Of these lands and the Improvement OF
OF the people OF this county for half q
century, and now it seems possible
That these dreams may be realized.
TO the younger generation it may
seem strange that any one man could
buy and own 80 much land in ono body,
but these large estates wore secured
by purchase from adjoining landown-
crs. Mr.. Calhoun commenced life with
q fortune and no was economical, and
oil his savings In o long life he inves.-
cd in the lands which are now ipc!u
cd in his estate. He always bought,
but never sold land. The pres"pcn OF
a great number Of slaves mado tho i'm
mediate vicinity an undes radio COM
munity for white mon, and Mr.. CAL
houn's .neighbors became fewer and
fewer. People moved away. Their
settlements were dismantled. Theil
to go to destruction.
Under conditions of this sort the
white men who had small holuiugs OF
lands, ono after another, sold their
farms and won't TO the West. II those
years MississipD!, Alabama, and
Louisiana afforded the most inviting
folds for our non -slavc-hOlding fam
crs. These sturdy and well-to-do far
mers could not stand tho petty annoy
ancos to which they wero subjected rs
the multitude Of slaves, and, accepting
liberal prices for their lands. tbuy left
the homes OF their nativity to populate
and build up tho waste places, where
the slave nolier had not or could not
crowd them out.
1t was thus that tho inost portion o,
Abbeville Codnty was depopulatcd OF
white mon. 1t Was thus that theii
improvements wont to waste. 1t was
thus that their mills, their lino dwell.
ing houses, their school houses. thcir
and all the evidences of a
thrifty civilization were absorbed bv
tho neighboring slave. .ho!ders, and |
nothing but slavoB, decimated frrcst,
and cultivated fields wore loft. After
the war these folds wore either al. |
lowed to remain idle, or were Guilt. |
waited by negroes, who had not tn.
Intelligence nor the capital with whicl |
TO preserve the finest OF the farming
lands OF this county. a few slave.
holders on tho Savannah side becan.
The owners OF many thousand acres OF
land. Tho free whito man was crowd
I'D out to give place to the negro slave
The Press and Bnnncr is not il form
ID as to the capital that NAV possiblv
DO Invested In the Calhoun estate, and /