The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1899-08-30
THE RISE OF MULLINS.
What Tobacco Culture Did for Flag
Station.

In 1889 Mullins in Marion County
was a small flag station, little known to
or thought Of by the railroad or travel
ing world. The Enterprise, bright,
neBsy paper published there, says for
depot there was few boards nailed
up, which s.arcely afforded shelter
from the rain and winds. In 1899, we
find a modern passenger depot, an ex-
press Office and large and spacious
freight depot, daily shipping thousands
of pounds Of farm products to distant
markets, and receiving car after car
Of merchandise for consumption in this
business-like hamlet" What brought
about the change? The Enterprise
tells what The Enterprise says: in
1893, DR.. G. 7. Ford conceived the idea
that this soil was adapted to the culture
of tobacco, and accordingly planted
four acres in this weed as an expert
ment. This was the first tobacco
raised in the county. The result was
so great, that from those four acres
planted in the western suburbs Mullins,
the cultivation has become so general
that in 1899 the estimated crop is over
5,000,0 900 pounds for Mullins market
alone. Ten years ago there were only
three stores here, today there are twenty
eight; 1000 population; three large to-
bacco warehouses, with floor space Of
10, $40 square feet; a stemmery, with
capacity of $4,000 pounds per day;
four prize houses, equalled by none in
the State; bank, in most fourishing
condition; saw mill, and several minor
industries, too numerous to mention.
Few people outside OF Mullins realize
the extent of our tobacco market. In
fact, Mullins will compare favorably
with our larger cities in the amount OF
capital weekly put out. In addition to
the large sums Of money paid to the
farmers for their crops, one must not
think for a moment that the benefits to
he derived stop there-that is only the
commencement. There are the grad.
ing rooms, the prize houses of which
there are four, the stemmery, team
sters, trucksters and other laborers in
and around the warehouses, white and
black, male and female-each receiving
his hard cash at the end Of the week.
While we were strolling down street
Saturday afternoon, we met Mr.. j. L.
Pope, one of our popular buyers. Mr..
Pope said that he had just finished a
Aeavy week work, in fact, the largest
of the season. He estimated that at
least quarter Of a million pounds had
been sold here during the week-mak-
ing, in all, little over a million
pounds sold here since the opening,
July 18th. We put the question to
Mr.. Pope as to what would be a safe
estimate Of the amount Of money spent
in common labor per week, exclusive Of
regular salaried officials? We were
surprised to hear his estimate $500!
When one considers the class Of labor
receiving this handsome sum are those
generally speaking, who turn it loose
as fast as it comes into their possession,
it is no wonder that business is so brisk,
and, as noted in last weeks Enterprise,
that Mullins will soon have three more
new stores. 1t is bright field, and
invites live and hustling business men.
This shows how the cultivation Of
tobacco has spread over in Marion
county, and the fact that it has spread
so rapidly shows that it must pay the
farmers to plant it as money crop.
What it has done for Mullins it will do
for Orangeburg and all other towns in
this county.