The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-12
A TRIP OVER THE SOUTHERN
RAILWAY THROUGH THE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

RAILWAY THROUGH THE
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
Ths Southern Field
"I am much impressed with this
section of country and the number Of
good towns we are viewing" said a
Westerner while on recent inspec-
ton TIP over the Southern Railway in
South Carolina, where, by the way, he
has since chosen q location and is now
establishing himself in business. "It
strikes me most (avorably AMI the Op-
portunitics presented are attractive
aud give promise of much profit" he
continued, "and are such as commend
themselves to one seeking a new
home" The representative of The
Field who was his tla,eling companion
unfoldcd a map of the Palmetto State,
and using it to illustrate his talk, gave
a few facts and some figures concern
ing the State which was the text of his
discourse.
"Thc Southern Railway has 585
miles Of rond in this State, running
through 18 counties and by 50 stations,
where arc employed agents to look
after the company's business. 1t will
interest you to learn that nearly
a third of these towns have a popula.
ton of LOCO or in excess of tina, num-
bel, the 81 towns which figure in that
table beng classified in the latest re-
ports on file in this wise five 1000,
three 1 200, two 800, three 1900, one
$500, one 1900, two 800, one 900,
seven 5000, two 5000, one $4,000,
one $4,000 one 5000, the last igure
having reference to the number of
people who dwell in Columbia, the
capital of The State.
"Ihc main line from Washington to
Atlanta enters the State near the
northwest corner of York County and
runs through York, Cherokee, Spar
tanburg, Grecnyille, Pickens and
Oconcc counties before covering the
l25 miles which bring one TO the (tcor-
gia border in 3 l-2 hours as run by the
vcstibulcd trains These counties are in
what is designated as the Piedmont
section, possess fertile soil, arc rich
IN minerals, timber and water power,
and grow u great variety Of crops.
| "HOrk County has some fine level
lands, though its surface is broken TO a
considerable extent. n d and yellow
clay underlays the sandy and clay loan
soils, and in the valleys is found deep
vegetable loan. Tobacco, fruit and
grapes all do well, in addition to the
main crops Of cotton, corn and small
grain. The forests arc made up of
oak, hickory, short-lcaf pine, ash and
poplar, and other varieties which al
attain great size, some sycamorcs
measuring more than % feet in cir
cumfcrcncc and with sugar NAPLES and
the tulip tree attracting attention
rough their size. The main line of
Southern cuts the corner of the county,
Blacksburg, 1900 population, being
The only town upon this mileage in
York. There isa fertilizer plant and
Il foundry employing in the ncighbor-
hood OF 100 hands, and splendid open
!nSs for other industries which have
the assistance of local parties. Fine
watcr-powcrS arc near by. The prin-
cipal town Of the county is Rock Hill,
a place of 5000, OH the branch of the
Southern system, between Charlotte,
N. G. and Augusta, Ga, at the juno
tion of Ohio River q Charleston Rail
road. The manufacture of yarns and
shcctings is here carried on by four
mills operating 81 900 spindlcs and $40
looms, and buggy factory; with a
i.3pucity oT 5,UUU vehicles, increases
SV Importance as Il business center.
S%ort Mill, with population OF 500,
4Thnd two mills of 49, 600 spindlcs is an
other flourishing town in the northeast
part of the county.
! "Thc next county is Cherokee, a
new county, in which is located Gaff-
,'cy, the county seat, and two cotton
foctor;, turning about so, 900 spira'sA.
and running a" ,Jy' l2o,% lE2oo..as, anil has re-
Gently added to its industries carpet
mills with capital Of 300 1000. "A
lime works near town does an extern
sivc business, shipping also to adjoin-
ing States.
| Then comes Spartanburg, noted as
the largest cotton manufacturing town
in the South, and as one of progress
lis mineral wealth includes gold, cop.
per, iron, graphite, asbestos and
soapstonc. It's water-powcrs are fur
nished by number of rivers and
creeks, and its hmbcrs include oak,
hickory, pine, chestnut and walnut
It's soil is gray, sandy loan, and pro-
duces cotton, coia, fruit and grain.
Its town of chief Importance bears the
same name, and III Spal taEburg, a
healthy, growing little city Of 10000,
arc numerous mills with spindlos by
the hun,lrcd thousands, looms by the
thousands, and pay rolls that bear the
names of hundreds of employees. The
consumption of cotton Mt this point is
enormous, train loads Of the staple
being spun and woven every year.
New mills are adding always to the
list, and those built during the last
twelve months have int reased the
spindies nearly hundred thousand
and furnished employment to hun
drcds of wage-earners. Other manu-
featuring enterprises arc comprised in
the Industries of the town and dis
pcnsc thousands in the business com.