The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-14
CHANGES IN NINE YEARS..
The Abbeville OF Today Is Not the
AbbeviIIe of a Decade Ago.

AbbeyilIP OF q Decaue ago.
The editor of the Press and Banner Is in re.
ceipt of very pleasant letter rom MT f., >, n;
of Chapel Hill, Kinds County, mississippi.
He states that he has been away from Aope'
willie for nine years, and that he has just cele-
brated his seventy-dfth anniversary, ana IL
in GOOD health.
II Mr. Cunningham were to come back to
Apbeyille he would hardly recognize this
city as the Abbeyille which he Len Len nIne Years
road was constructed after he LETT, and now
many trains pass this place every day and
night. The Railroad Shops were built, and
the erection Of many houses on the Wardlaw
land and other lois has been accomplished.
The place which was then in forest trees is
. now thickly settled portion Of the town and
hundred vacant lots In other parts OF Town
now have houses on them.
The cotton mill was not thought of until af.
ter Mr. Cunningham left. Eighty acres OF
what was then waste expanse is now cover,
ed with houses, railroad tracks, lakes. and
towering smoke stacks which Will run
mighty engines and turn flying wheels that
will give employment to an industrious null
We have built, since Mr.. Cunningham left
us, the finest school house In upper South
Carolina, and It's graceful proportions and
handsome architecture, take the place OF the
old academy which stood 30 long as an eye
sore.
added beautiful house of worship. and the
splendid temple.
On the old Dendy corner q magnificent
range OF iron and glass front stores takes the
place of the old wooden rookery that stood
there 30 long.
Since Mr.. Cunningham left US the bar-rooms
have been closed, and their places on the
Northeastern side OF the Public Square have
been allied by general merchandise, furniture
and jewelry. One OF the stores on the bar
room side OF the Public Square is now occu-
pied by one OF the finest jewelry stores in
South Carolina. In that building where
drinks were once sold, and which was then
frequented by the average aggregation Of
rum-suckers is now TO be found diamonds,
jewelry, watches. sterling silver, china, ETC.,
and that place is freQuented by ladies and all
others who want the incest goods TO be had in
the magnificent display which r. g. Bernau
makes. That side OF the street which was once
Stunned by that class OF people who patron
lie q jeweiry store Ia now resort for the
incest and best OF people.
Since Mr.. Cunningham left US. we have
built many store rooms on the Public Square,
as we'll as on the side streets-and every place
is filled by respectable stores. Washington
street now has as good men on it as there are
to be found In town-and every store Is occu-
pied.
But II Mr.. Cunningham were to come back
to Abbeville even amid his amazement at the
great work which has been done within the
last nine years, he would, amid all the evil.
dences Of rush ana growth, surrounded by all
the scenes of push and prosperity-hnd rea-
son for sorrow. He would have occasion
when his heart would be filled with emotion,
even If his eyes did not over-run. Since he
left us many of the honored and loved ones
OF our number have gone from amongst
us. Life has departed from their bodies and
their souls have gone out IN The dark ness. to
that undiscovered country-to that land TO
which we are all Fastening.
He would miss bis good old friends w. A.
Lee and James d. Chalmers.
His kinsfolk: Mrs. Jane l.. Cater, Mrs. j..
7. Robertson. Miss Eliza Cater. Miss Lizzie
Cater, Mrs. John L. Miller. Mrs. James NJ.
, Giles, Jam es A. Reid, are no more.
Major Andrew Wardlaw, Mrs. K. c. Perrin.
Capt. j. Wardlaw Perrin, Mrs. Fanny Law
Ron, A. NJ. Hill, DIR. Thos. j. Mabry, John
Knox. and many other honored and beloved
citizens have gone to their reward.
Among those to whom we all looked for
guidance and for leadership In former years,
and who are still living but who are not with
us, we might mention that Judge Cothran is
now citizen OF Greenville, and his former
places in the church. in the law Offices and in
the town Of Abbeville know him no more.
Judge Benet and Mrs. Benet have left u.s.
They now live in Charleston, and their pre-
sence Is missed from amongst US.
Two OF our best young men-Lewis w.
Parker and Thomas p. Cothran-are now
prosperous and successful lawyers In the city
OF Greenville.
He Is now busy lawyer in the city of Allan
DR.. Sam Visanska and Lawyer Walter Wis
anska are active and talented professional
men in the Gate City.
our Public Square he would know scarcely
half the men whom he would meet. New
men and new faces crowd our busy streets,
and new factors in politics, and new men In
business have appeared on the scene; The
Of former years, but the Scriptures admonish
as not TO say that the former days were better
than these.