The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-09-13
SYndicates Swallow
The Long Leaf Pine.
Hundreds of Millions OF Feet
Bought in Many Counties.

next twelve months there will be
complete coruer on all tie lopg-leaf
pine timber 10 South Caroiioa," remark.
ed prominent saw mill man yesterday,
and from present indications il seems
as ii his predictions will be verified.
The tall yellow pine trees that Tor SO
many years have graced our forests and
furnished Toe lumber with which our
Southern homes have been built are
fast passing into the bands of aliens,
and will soon be numbered with the
things Of the past
For several months representatives
Of capitalists, especially Of three dis
tncs firms. have been making canvass
of the counties Of Horny, Georgetown,
Williamsburg, Clarendon, Berkeley
Sumter. Darlington, Florence, Marion
and Marlboro, and buying all the
timber that could be secured. the price
varying from so cents to Sc an acre.
These agents are slick, smooth takers
and the farmer who comes within the
the sound of their siren voices fod it
bard to get away without ciguiDg one
of their carefully worded con-
tracts Here is where the mischief is
done and it is confidently predicted that
these contracts will result in endless
litigation. 1t has been observed for
several months that the lawyers at the
various court houses 10 the counties
named have been busily engaged in
looking up titles to various tracts Of
land to ascertain if the owners can sell
the timber on their lands and if 80, the
terms of the contract which are signed
in substance are as follows:
The owner upon the acceptance of
the purchase money bargains, sells and
reliuquishes all his claim to the timber
standing or lying on his land "tbst
measures twelve inches stump diameter,
and upwards, twelve inches fron the
ground at the time of cutting" bat
reservation is granted to use the timber
from this tract for ordinary plapta-
ton purposes, and right Of way,
generally about sixty feet wide, to be
used whenever desired by the purchaser
or their assigns for permanent railroad
or tramway or for any permanent
branch railway or tramway. The pur.
chaser next gains the right to erect
buildings. establish roads, ETC.. and at
the end OF contract. (Which never
teruina.esl has the right to carry away
every improvement made upon the
land.
After pledgiug himself to defend and
guard this timber the seller then enters
into an agreement to give the buyer
ten, and even in some cases fifteen years
to cut ard remove this tinber-0ot
from the date Of the signing of contract,
but from The time it might suit the
buyer or his assigns to begin. This
may be twenty or forty years hence, it
matters not which the time limit does
not begin until the cutting actually
coumebces, and if at the eDd of the
,eo or fifteen years furtbec ;ire is
granted for the removal Of the timber,
or rather to allow the younger trees to
grow, for az indefinite period Of years
upon the annual payment Of 6per cent.
cf the original purchase money in
the meantime the lsDdowne: is bound
By this contract 10 pay the taxes due
upou his land which in few years
will amount to. and in many cases
exceed the amcuot received for tie
timber, thus "selliug his birthrigbs FOR
mess of pc.tage." and leasing his
lands for az indefinite period to those
lumber companies for the purpose Of
raising timber for the Nortrern and
fcreign markets
One company claims to have prr-
chased 96,O00,000 feet of lumber
during the month of July.
If this timber could be scid and
removed in a reasonable length of time
these lands could be cleared up and
used for agricultural purposes, but
urder existing contracts it is specifically
expressed that DO part shall De cleared.
This IS DO cverdrawn picture. but the
records 10 the court house iD escn Of
the counties named will verify every
statement made.
Where the matter will end 30 one
COW krows, tut devoted old brother
in Williamsburg County, Of the Pses0y.
terian persuasion, who has read the
Bible ali bis life and has sold bis tim Der
for good round sum ard pccketed the
money, declares that be can prove by
the Bible that the millennium will begin
with the year 1900 Let US hope for
bis sake, at least, that this prediction
will be verified. F. P. Cooper.
Ponce. Puerto Rico. Sent. Ii The