Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1900-08-24
Interesting Report OF Committee on Purchase
Of Lands
(Translatcd from Germany

and lay out our lands in Pickens, have
discharged their duty and report as fol-
lows:
We found the selor, Col. Gresham, not
in the best frame of mind as to the sale,
representing that he did not understand
the contract, but as we showed him that
our terms were fair, he yielded, and we
thercupon viewed the whole land, 80 as
to determine upon place for the laying
out CT u town Such n place wo found in
u prominent lovcl section about a mile
from West linton Station. The road to
tho mountains passes directly through
and another road to Anderson crosses at
the central point. Plenty of good water
abounds and especially arc we convinced
that tho location selected will be one at
which tho people Of tho surrounding
country will do much business.
We havc appropriated about 200 acres
for tho town, same divided out into 81
squares, each of 4 acres, and acres to bo
set aside as an open square. Tho main
street is to DO 120 feet wide, and through
the middle of tho Same a limo of trees
may bo planted, and on each side drive
way Tho cross streets arc to DO 90 feet
wide, excepting tho main cross street,
which is to DO 100 feet wide The outer
streets arc 200 feet wide, which will
afford in time to como, when
the population demands it,, splcn
did sites for residences on each 81 dc.
| Outside of tho town SO aero farms have
been laid out, having frontage of q
acres; of these thoro are rs altogether.
That is eight on each sdo. Tho remain-
ing guaranteed land of West Union is
divided into farms from l20 to 200 acres,
divided up 50 as to afford suitable places
for residences and to be supplied with
water. We have left instruction that the
average farm should DO about 100 acres
and in no case that Que should contain
moro than 200 or less than l20 acres. tho
number of acres and tho price to be shown
on the chart.
The lands at tho High Falls will be
surveyed as ~ whole, hut will not be laid
out. 1t is the opinion of your committee
that onr strength should be ccntercd in
the settlement Of the lands near West
| Union. The large saw mill at Pickcns
Court House should remain in operation
ut tho expense of the Society under the
oversight of responsible agent. We
find beautiful building timber which
could bc sawed into lumber for general
use. While the lands at tho Falls in
general is not us good us the West Union
tract, it is still, nevertheless, reasonably
good, and a diligcnt colony will make
better even than wc have found il in some
other points. In few years, if our sct-
Element of the West Union tract becomes
successful, tho Falls tract will be worth
more to us than we have paid for both
tracts. survey of both tracts and the
survey and laying. out Of the town is at
an expense of 500.
The committee throughout is Of opin-
ion that they have made splendid pur-
chase, and expect that any one who shall
enter into the purchase of these lands
and settle here, within few years will
establish II home which will DO unsur-
, passed by any in America. Your com
| tn hn h,tr i'm, ,it,.r
is difficult. We real 70 that any ono in
tue city, cndcavoring To establish a bust
ness, must do SO under many burdens,
cares, worry and annoyance; and then
what has he gained? In the end it is
scarcely possible for him to extract him
end of his days he will bc plagued with
il, and happy will he feel if ho has laid
by only small surplus.
UP IN PickcnS it, is quito different.
! There naturally one will have plenty Of
work and care for the first years, aud
whosocvcr intends to settle there and has
not made up his mind to this had best
stay away. But when he shall see his
beautiful blooming fields and enjoy the
/ fruits of his industry, approciating that
/ he Is not dependent upon any one, and is
concerned only with the will of his iicav-
enly Father, he will then bless those " no
have been Instrumental in starting him
/ here to be enabled to return 10 Germany.
But what may they expect there? The
long winter, the nnfricndly weather cur
| tails many n days work There he is
required to pay heavy rent or to pay high
! prices for land. The lands require much
! fcrtilizng and hard work, in return for
which he can scarcely expect rcmunera-
tive return. On the other hand, here the
taxes are scarcely worthy of mention, land
is cheap, tho climate is favorable, they
can harvest twice a year with little fer.
| ltiliIinE, there is little or no winter and
with fc" exceptions favorable weather.
who then, will not acknowledge the adj
vantage of rural life in this country?
| 1t is argued that there will be no mar
beyond question, we will have markets
near by as soon as we are in position to
have 4 surplus. On the .ith Of July, 1851
the railroad will be in operation as far as
Anderson, and from there it is only :}2
miles TO our lands. Pcndleton is much
concerned and has about attained tho
! assurance to have Il railroad at an early
day, and from Pcndlcton it is only II
| miles to West Union. Ii will be unncc-
cSSary to ship products in the raw state,
as we have mills and water power i'm
abundance, and can prepare flour for
market.
We meet with all kinds of objections
among others this, that those who have
| become accustomed to city life will no
| be in position to cultivate the soil. We
| una that the people i'm PickcnS County
have meat for their meals three times Il
day and warm wheat and corn bread;
ihat they arc well clad and have horses
| to ride; that the tenants Of the lands
which we have purchased give e-fourth
and oftcner one. half what they make for
| rent 10 the former owners, and that thoy
do this by work which consists of scratch.
ing the soil with plow tho width of
| your hand, then throwing i'm the seed and
instead of harrow, use the top of Il tree
to cover tho seed, and nothing more is
done until the harvest We find this is
the custom there, and is about all that is
done in the cultivation Of the soil And
cannot one of our Germans, even one who
has lived in the city and is become accus.
toned to city ways do as much? Who
will doubt il? i,arn-yard fertilizer is
scarcely known there, and no care is had
for the preparation of COW food. Cows,
sheep and hogs are permitted to run from
| day to day in the woods and find sufficient
| food
Ihat the soil is productive, is seen in
the excellent timber Of various kinds.
| we have there hills and valleys and
Throughout no swamp, and scarcely
spot is to be found which cannot be made
tiilablc, and so thoroughly satisfied are
the most thrifty Of the people of that sec
tion aS to the permanent benefit which
German diligence will establish in that
section, that our Society in general has
met most friendly interest, and it's work
| is greeted as means of converting the
upper section Of South Carolina into n