The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-12-04
LANDMARKS.
Charleston and DeDdy's Bridge in
the Same List.

crease in knowledge their respect for the
landmarks and other sacred things Is more
pronounced. The sentiment that would
cherish a love and fondness for historic
facts and legendary stories, which give US q
glimpe Of the shadowy past, and connect
US with the worlds earliest history, Is almost
universal with mankind.
II may be for this reason that no impious
hand has ever been laid upon the mud
through which we have waded, or by which
we have stood on the banks OF Long Cane
contem plating the danger of rsking life or
vehicle on the lreacherous mud and water
above uncertain bottoms.
The sacred mud at Depdy's bridge remains
undisturbed, and, like the sacred waters OF
the polluted wells In the Monammed an
holy city, no man would dare lay hands
on 1t. No man has ventured to intermeddte
with the thoroughfare over which pilgrims In
all ages have waded. At most we can
wade through 1t Without otherwise disturb.
ing its foundations; or. In case OF high water
we can stand on either soil bank and con.
slider with tranquility, the dangers which be-
set our forefathers, and which Is now a snare
In the book which Noah wrote. but which
was lost In the flood, one chapter Ia said 10
noted Journey on the great waters which,
about that time, covered the face OF the
earth.
II will be remembered that Noah was the
greatest navigator OF the seas. One story
was, according to legend, something like this /:
After the excessive rains had begun TO fall.
news spread abroad throughout all this part
of the globe, that Noah's ship would touch al
Charleston.
People and animals hereabout, as we'll as in
the remotest bounds OF the State, wi tn one
accord rushed for the city by the sea, hoping
TO avert the calamity that awaited them.
But the food came apace. the ship was de-
layed, the ticket once was closed, the ticket
scalper> ere drowned, and the great aggrega
tlon Of men and animals disappeared beneath
Moses saw the promised land from the op-
posite banks OF the Jordon. but bis hope OF
reaching 1t was never realized. Ihe I'M
object OF his ambition. A worse nte awaited
the men and the animals that sought refuge
in the great ship at Charleston. They neither
saw nor reached the ship to which they locke
hearted the waves swallowed them, and no
living creature OF that great company sur
vived. Even the fish were drowned.
Their bones were buried in the soil. AFTER
lying there all these years irreverent people
about. Charleston, for the sake of money, have
lately invaded their graves, dug up their
bones and made guano OF them. ~ -,
This, in short, we believe, IL the story OF
the fate of the animals that reached Charles
ton. Tue story Of the other animals VINO
started for that city, as far a. we are INFORM
ed, was lost in the Book OF Noah, but the his-
tory OF no great occurrence, can ever be entire'
Is lost. If no authentic account can be mad
legend story and song perpetuate Know,
edge OF such events. Men and animals OF all
hoping to cross. They assembled especially
on the little bill on the Western side OF the
stream in Close proximity TO the bridge;
not far from where McFarlap hia his lnS OF
% Whiskey in the hollow OF q big tree. When
the water began to run around the llttle
tie mound or mountain, the. high wave.
rolled between them and The, fhe gfea. es. l niii
great, but they stood their ground until
mighty mountain Of water came down and
swept them out OF sight forever
The likeness between Cbarlesion ana l pens
dy's bridge may therefore be said 10 date back
10 the days of the food: The people or Aooe'
Vile, however, unlike the people OF Charleston,
have not deseorated the graves OF Inc men
which were drowned at Dendy's bridge. We
have not sought to make fertillzers OF thelr
boces Their bones have not bave not been
used for commercial purposes. The
chariots and other vehicles have not been
dug up even for exhibition at Charleston, and
the horsemen and the animals that were
drowned at Dendy's bridge sleep on undis-
turbed, no matter how deep the mud may
II is recorded in an old book that at one
time plaques OF various klnds were sent
to worry and annoy the Kings OF Egypt.
We have no record OF his having sent any
thing OF the Kind to either Charleston or
Dendy's bridge. Their own LACK OF enterprise
and their dependence on Government aia,
was enough 10 punish these two naturally
greatly favored communities. Chariesion
Rad the sea- and there was no use Of building
railroads. Cotton and commerce was obliged
10 60 TO Charleston. and hence anV eLpendl'
lure In railroad building was waste. Result.
The old city is nearly dead Of the dry rot.
The business Of the city Is next TO nothing,
and the aut thorities are reduced to the necei-
.ity OF asking favors OF country newspapers
in advertising their od snow: siniias I'M op,s or
OF Dendy's bridge. 1t was the only crossing
over Long Cane, and the people had to risk
their lives in an effort TO reach tne ARK. ne,
,l,ot
away, The best farming land thereaoout has
hut little cash value. One may travel 1or
miles in almost In any direction from Dendy's
bridge without finding haoltatlOn lot
white man, and the homes for negroes are
scarce. Farmers In that neck OF the woods.
40 to speak, are obliged to bring thelr cot-
ton to Abbeville. even II Che price 10 one
other markets, and they need no plague 10
distress them. The lsraelites got away from
Egypt, but the Long Caneites cannot get away
nom Abbeville. That fact IL one guarantee
| of A bbeville's safety. m
0f course Aobevile like Charleston, will
ex ist as long az few customers are left.
The County Supervisor has supplied the peo-
| nile along Rocky River with all the bridges
| mat they need, and SO the people up that way
escape TO Lowndesyille, or to Anderson Win
| their cotton.
barrier blockades the highway, and so the
COTTON on that side goes to the classic city.
| Along the track OF the Abbevile Branch OF
| the Southern hallway tne people bhlu out
with their cotton to Hodges or to Greenwood,
and while these are good markets 1t isn't al
ways that the prices are lower at AboaVills
than elsewberse. For instance: Or. y. w.
| Reller sold his cotton In Green wood for less
Than was being paid at Abbeyllle for the same
| grade OF cotton on the same day.
Rut the few farmers on Long Cane are ours.
We've got 'em. They can't get away.
or course, # we had . decent road across
| Long Cane, at or near Dendy's bridge, the Alb
beyiIle cotton market might receive much
| more cotton than is DOW sold In town. but on
| the other hand, II q m cans OF escape was pro-
yided they might all get away. Aobeyllie
would then pay as much for cotton az the ad-
Joining towns now pay, or else no cotton
would come here.
The question now is, should AbbeVille seek
10 enlarge It's business and commerce, OF
should II run the risk Of losing all? should
| the unsal aleable lands on Long Cane continue
| TO be OF no market value. and remain hunt,
| ing and ishing ground, for idle negroes ana
strolling white men who are trying 10 XIII
valuable time and bobtail rabbits? or should
| we open up the lands to settlement, Whereoy
| their market value would be greatly lncreas.
ed? ,,.,, ,,.d.
a good highway we see no reason why
| the lands would not be settled, when they
might command q much higher price. WY
should land between AbbeVille ana Du