The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-06-03

Ground Corn for LAFAYETTE srv"nty-'''e
Near- Age.

Ground Corn for LAFAYETTE >'N'"'N ~
Near- Ago.
SAVANNAH GA. June the oIoIlS
being made on Narrasnrsfit iaL. - J."
aud at Los Aneclc-. CAL. ana "l Ni"S
Fails TO harue.s tides and waves 10 lh'
wheels of modern industry ieDah inc
time tnrcc-0ua4ters of 90 century ofo
when rice WIS pounded on the Nacca-
maw River lu South Carolina in Ills
dependent upon the tides 'or thcu mo-
tive power This was then the only uoi
power I'm the United states. and the sup
ply from 10 was sent al over The c'un-
trr.
4 typical mill Of the kind was situated
about seven miles from Geo 'G-lDwn. on
the oak Hill plantation. which belonged
TO the fine old AllstOn family family
OF Washington AllstOn. the eel DRAFTED
painter who married the sis- r Of hlfh-
ard Henry Dana and OF Joseph Ailslon,
Governor. who married Jhcoj)-i1, danfh-
ter OF AarOn Burr. j. is probable tat
one Of the AhsiOns personally iostiod
tho mill. for they were p-)g cssife 100
pic and The Old-SchOol gentleman or
South Carolina. who sent mis- SONS 90
Europe 10 poe educated had them take
courses iu cuginDcr.nl as well d- 300 ART
and letters The All~fOr mill. known io-
callv as the "DOuhlc-Gcarcd MILL was
possibly the hrst OF JAS kind i'm the state.
n WAS certainly the last. for 30 was dc
stroyed hy tle West Indian hurricane OF
lNG. which swept over the sea islands
with such devastating fury. The ma
ohncry. however had long since ceased
10 rov0ve for the emancipation OF the
slaves mad taken away the only labor
with which the slow and crude appara-
tus could Doe prontablv operated.
The immense rice fields at oak Hi.
surrounded hy dixie, served ass the stor-
age reservoir. Tho mill was Ou the cm-
lnnlneut at the river edge. with The
rice fields behind 70. The only inlet iniO
the field at pounding time was pit
under tho mill. in which there were two
water wheels. ono gclrcl 90 run the ma
chincry as the rising tide rushed into the
field. and the other gcared 10 run IL ms
the rcccding tide brought tine level OF
the river below tho level Of the water
in the field. From this fact the mill took
its name the "Doublc-Gcared MILL
There were several other plants operated
iu a. similar manner erected later, but
they had only one water wheel ana
hence did not approach In dignity the
"douhlo-Rearcd' one.
A. may bee imagined. the power ecnor-
atod did not amount 10 "a great deal as
measured 10y horsepower units. 10 took
20 long time to pound the crop. but
labor was cheap. timc WAS plenty. ana
the master. having barrels of money. d'd
not need to hurry the crop TO market
one crop could dc in the barns unth ITS
room WAS needed for the next one. and
st would make no difference.
4 feature of the "Double-Gearcd mill
and orc which probably cannot Doe found
i'm any similar building in the country
was its stairways They would have
Cracod mansion. There We're two
flights. leading to the immense loft,
upon whose polished floor harvest bail
WAS given each year. The stairwaNs-
steps. posts. ncwels-wcrc OF solid black
walnut with carving where it was pos
sible for carving to show to advantage.
The loft" was panelled with black wal
nut and the floor was Of solid oak. 10
was ballroom used for warehouse pur-
poses except one day and night in the
year.
1t is Of present as well as historical
interest 10 note that this remarkable old
tidc-drivcn mill stood almost within
sight of the mansion in which Lafayette
spent his first night upon American soil
The histories and biographies are very
indefinite with regard 10 Lafayette. S
landing I'm this country. Some of them
say he landed at Georgetown. others say
70 WAS near Georgetown The fact is
that he came ashore in "a surf boat. and
landed ON the beach i'm Prince George
Winyah parish 10 the southwark Of
Quoted across tho narrow neck Of land
intervening To Prospect Hin, the man
sion of the Hugcr family
This mansion was one of the finest OF
the magnificent old Colonial homes in
the Car0lin0s surrounded boy grounds Of
the area of mile. planted In the midst
OF splendid oak grove. hankcd on one
side hv the slave quarters, or Village
and fronting on "a gentle slope leading
q, the rice fields and the river. The in
tcrnal economy Of the little community
was complete. even TO the plantation
church. which in picturesque ruins n
few years ago. has now disappeared.
The mansion. however, stands and is oc-
cupied. And il preserves TO this day its
air of distinction. notwithstanding IL IS
the worse for the ravages of time it's
owners being in circumstances greatly
dincring from those enjoyed 10y its oc-
cupants 0f other days The lOrdiy Old
oaks remain dcfying the fight OF time
and swinging their long, gray boards Of
moss as If in pleasant rumination upon
the departed giories Of long ago
10 is tradition that Lafayette ate roast
Nenison for dinner on the evening Of his
arrival at Prospect Hin. and later stroued
through the avenues Of oaks and listened
10 the singing Of the slaves I'm their quar-
tiers. however that may be- il is certain
that on that evening The basis of fine
sincere. self-sacrhcng and lifelong
friendship between the Marquis and
Francis kinloch Hugcr was formed. II
viii hc recalled that Hucors daring and
brilliant rescue of Lafayette from the
dungeon or the Austrian fortress an Oh
mutt after his long confinement and
ill-uTagc therein. Is one OF the most ro-
mantle and thrilling i'm the history of
those romantic days. 10 IS tradition. huf
pretty certain. that Lafayette ate bread
and cakes made from meal ground I'm
the OLD mill. the first tidal power used i'm
the New World
The little mill stream which furnished
me only natural power i'm the United
states seNcnty-iive years ago. when il
ground corn for Lafayette.
OBITUARY.