The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-03
A Lesson to South Carolinians.

SIX
The emigration of white people from
South Carolina to the southwest, which
took away from this State in IS years
hundreds Of thousands of residents and
built up other States with millions OF
their descendants, has practically
ceased, but it is worth while now and
then to fortify the resolution OF the
stay-at homes by showing them what
good many South Carolinians have
left their State to find in new fields.
The Piedmont Headlight prints let
ter from Mr.. b. P. Templeton of Ely
SUM, Bastrop County, Texas. to his
brother, who resides near Cross Anchor
in Spartanburg County. Mr.. Temple
ton left South Carolina for Texas in
1867. Under date Of March % he wrote:
/ wish that some Of the rain that the
papers say is falling in the Allegheny
and Blue Ridge region could be trans
ferred to this God-forsaken, drouth-
stricken, water -famine-cursed western
Texas. You know have been writing
you about the very light rainfall which
we have had for several years. Since
the weather mas turned warm the little
surface moisture we had on the ground
is rapidly disappearing. Many people
all over western, northwest and south
west Texas are hauling water anywhere
from to 30 miles and in many places
the water supply that they are now
drawing upon is being rapidly ex-
hausted, hundreds and thousands OF
people all over this drouth-stricken
section will soon have to abandon their
farms and homes and go for many
miles to water, and camp where the
water is until it is exhausted and then
move to other water if they can find it,
IF it does not rain in a few more weeks
thousands OF stock (horses, sheep and
cattle) will be dying for water, it will
be impossible for their owners to save
them. If they are driven to permanent
water they will starve for something to
eat, therefore it will be impossible for
their owners to save them.
tell you it is terrible to think OF;
it is blank, black despair for thousands
Of people all over western Texas; no
such conditions ever existed before.
During the drouth Of 1856 and 1857 in
west Texas, there were but few people
here to be affected by it and the dry
portions Of the country were entirely
unsettled at that time, where it is now
largely in cultivation and thickly set
tied where the land is good and water
to be had.
You have often heard the expression
Hell broke loose in Georgia" butif it
does not rain soon all over western
Texas the expression must be changed
to "Hcl]'s broke loosein Texas Think
of it, people hauling waters, 10, 10 and
in scme places 90 miles. Right here Ill
this section some people are going ),
and miles with their plow teams
once aday for water, and this Is IN mere
OH the Colorado river where the water
is supposed to be permanent. What
would you do, if you turned out to-
night after a hard days plowlng and
had to go miles to ctyour poor Old
mule or horse geta drink OF water! /
! tell you tits terrible, and there is no
sign of rain. All signs and indications
point to i; long continuation OF the
present weather and conditions.
IT we could get some of the rain that
you fellows don'tnccd We would=bc all
right. am discouraged, llisgustcd
and hcart-sicls and will not bore yoll
with the subiect;uay longer. but emit
think of anything else.
TO mako the crop with t!ls ieasi ex-
pense is business, and il goo mean bnsi-
ness il is simply business 70 buy vour
| HarrOws. Hoes, &c, OF Sullivan Ha!d-