The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-03-04
THE CALHOUN ESTATE.
Sale of the Vast Landed Property O1
the Late James Edward Calhoun.


The vast landed estate of the late James Ed
ward Calhoun will be sold by the Executor
on March 81, 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 Abbeville county and
four thousand in Georgia-the Savannah riv
er running through it. The tract, 1t seems
from the advertisement, will be sold as 8
whole sixteen thousand acres, including the
finest water power in the State.
There are several men in Abbeville county
who are not able 10 buy the land, and proba
bly, will not be Il bidder, or even witness tC
the sale, but in the sale OF this land 1t occurs
to the Press and Banner that an exceptionally
fine opportunity is offered to any capitalist
or capitalists, who may have the money and
the nerve 10 back their judgment In making
a venture.
Taking no consideration Of the water pow
err, the land itself is a fortune, and unless
some one, or some syndicate, looks after this
sale, the land and water power will 60 for q
song. The vast stretches of uni m proved
land could not possibly be worth less than
ing purposes, and, with the facility for trans
mitting electric power. the waterfalls of the
Savannah river would be an inexhaustible
and ever increasing source of wealth 10 those
should be improved, aud the lands should be
occupied by thrifty immigrants this vast es
tate may yet be worth an amount far in ex
cess OF our widest dreams.
1t was wise In our constitution and laws to
prevent aliens from buying such land fol
hunting grounds and deer parks.
The opening of these lands and the improve
ment OF the water power has been the dream
of the people OF this county for half cen
tury. and now 1t seems possible that these
dreams may be realized.
To the younger generation 1t may seem
strange that any one man could buy and own
so much land in one body, but these large es
tates were secured by PURCHASE from adJo o.
ing landowners. Mr.. Calhoun commenced
life with a fortune and he was economical
and all his savings in long life he invested
in the lands which are now included In his
estate. He always bought, but never sold
land. The presence of great number o.
slaves made the immediate vicinity an unde
srable com munity for white men, and Mr.
Cdlhoun's neighbors became fewer and fewer
People moved away. Their settlements were
dismantled. Their churches and their schoo
houses were allowed 10 60 10 destruction.
Under conditions Of this sort the white mer
who had small holdings of lands, one attel
another, sold their farms and went 10 the
West. In those years Mississippi, Alabama
and Louisiana afforded the most inviting
fields for our non n-sIave-hoding farmers.
These sturdy and we'll 10 do farmers coulC
not stand the petty annoyances to which
they were subjected by the multitude o
lands, they lett the homes Of their ma
tivity TO populate and build up the waste
places, where the slave holder had not ol
could not crowd them out.
v!ln county was depopulated Of white men
1t WIS thus that their I'm provements went u
| waste. II was thus that their mi lis. their hnt
dwelling houses. their school houses, theil
churches, and all the evidences of thrifty
civilization were absorbed by the neighborinf
Shareholders and nothing but slaves, deci
mated forests and cultivated fields were left
After the war these fields were either allowed
10 remain idle, or we're cultivated by negroes
who had not the intelligence nor the capita
with which 10 preserve the finest Of the farm
ing lands OF this county.
A few Shareholders on the Savannah sidt
! became the owners of many thousand acre.
of land. The free white man was crowded
out to give place TO the negro slave.
The Press and Banner Is not informed as t
the capital that may possibly be invested II
the Calhoun estate, and we are equally igno
rant as to the policy which may govern tht
possible buyers, but we think that II only th'
spare lands from the water power were open
ed up 10 desirable settlers and the proper ef
fort was made to bring immigrants from tht
West, or elsewhere, that vast fortune woult
reward the effort.
If Intelligent energy and a sufficient capita
Is put into this enterprise no man could esti
| mate the possibilities that await the endeav
But ON the other hand: If the whole wate
power and land should be sold for seventy
| five cents or dollar an acre, 1t might be helt
by some rich capitalist as pleasure ground
and thus clog and retard our progress In the
march OF material prosperity for mother hal
a century.
Patriotic citizens OF Abbeville county
| should form a syndicate and see that th
lands are not bid Off by strangers who coult
| for song sit down on us for generation
paralyzing our energies and obstructing ou
best interests.
Whatever may be in store for US, and what
ever late may await the Calhoun land, mel
with money and credit, as we'll as the nerv
to make big ventures, no less than patrioti
citizens and lovers Of Abbeville county
should investigate this matter. A big private
fortune may be made in advancing the pub
lie welfare.