Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-11-13
YORK COUNTY.


YORK COUNTY.
AS a rule, people are not disposed to
appreciate things they have and are
accustomed to, as highly as they are
things they think they would like to
have. This, probably, is one reason
why the people living in the territory
known as York county, give but little
thought to the hign average Of citizen
ship here prevailing, or the numerous
natural advantages by which we are
surrounded.
THE ENQUIRER would not have any
one to think tnat 1t has only just dis
covered the fact that York Is a great
county. 1t has been sincerely believing
that way for nearly half century,
and becoming more and more convinc-
ed of the correctness of its belief with
each year. We have been constrained
to make the foregoing observations,
however, on account Of certain remarks
that have been made in the presence
Of the reporter recently, each seeming
to further emphasize facts so generally
realized, but maybe indefinitely appre-
ciated.
Speaking on Monday afternoon Of
last week Of the auction sales that had
taken place during the day, T. F. Nc
Dow, Esq, said to the reporter: "Twen-
ty-eight dollars an acre for farm lands!
Just thinks Of it. That gives an Idea
of the estimate in which our home peo-
pie hold York county dirt, and it seems
to me that it would be difficult to con-
ceive Of q better advertisement for
York county" Mr.. McDow had espec-
ial reference to the sale Of a tract OF
land at Bowling Green.
Having recently had occasion to ride
over q considerable area in the north
ern part Of the county, Mr.. ]. S. Glad
ney remarked in conversation: Il claim
to have seen great deal Of the SOUTH
ern farming country, including many
large establishments in South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and
elsewhere. have seen many finer
country homes than are to be found ID
York county; but never have I seen
anywhere so much general prosperity,
so many independent, well-to-do farm
establishments as are to be seen along
the roads in York county. Why, on my
trip, I saw any quantity Of cotton piled
UP around gin houses and country resi-
dences, hogs were surprisingly COM
mon, and 1t seemed as If everybody mas
cattle. Yes, sir, it Is a great country"
Prof. Jennings K. Owens, of Rock
Hill, was in Yorkville last Saturday as
sisting at the first session Of the CEN
tral division Of the county normal
school. During the afternoon he made
q social call at THE ENQUIRER office
and in the course Of the conversation
he remarked: Don't you think the
teachers who were out today were
rather above the average In point Of
intelligence and efflciency?" The re-
porter could not see why such should
be the case, and Prof. Owens contin-
ued: "Well, my work has carried me
about not a little and brought me In
contact with great many teachers,
and have no hesitation in saying that
If my observations are worth anything,
the average in intelligence, efficiency
and personal appearance, Is higher IN
this county than in any others Of which
I have any knowledge"
F. P. Mccain, Esq, who has been
about the county quite good deal
since locating in Yorkville, said the
other day: II have lived In every Sec
ton of the state almost, on account of
the itineracy Of my father who, you
know, Is a Methodist preacher, and the
thing that has struck me most during
my residence in York, is the apparent
superiority Of the county population in
the points Of general intelligence, ma
terial wealth and notions of comfort. I
have never seen anything like 1t except
in a portion of Colleton county and IN
Anderson county; but I am persuaded
that the general average in York coun-
ty Is much higher than in either of the
other counties mentioned"
In a casual conversation with Mr..
r. L. Davinney, a farmer who lives
about four miles southwest Of York
vile, last Saturday, the reporter asked:
Did you make corn enough to do
you?" MOT quite" was the reply;
but I'll fatten my hogs on sweet pota-
toes and bridge my mules over to the
next crop on wheat after my corn
gives out. That is, Of course, unless
corn gets cheaper" Feeding mules on
wheat Is not very common practice in
the south.
A conversation with Mr.. H. I. Nc
circuit, Saturday, drifted into dis
cussion of the distressing agricultural
conditions existing in Clarendon, Dar-
lington. Kershaw, parts Of Lancaster
and other portions of the state. 1--WE
have an advantage in this county,"
said Mr.. McCaw, that makes anything
like total crop failure almost impossi-
Bile. l refer especially to our variety
Of soils. There are the blackjack, the
sandy, the red and the mulatto lands.
and no matter what kind Of seasons we
have within reasonable limits, we are
bound to make fairly good crops in
some sections"
1.-THE salvation of this country has
been on account Of our cotton mills"
said Mr.. T. r. Cox, last Saturday. I'VE
have no timber resources, and being
without coal are unable to utilize our
iron, and the cotton mills have solved
the problem for us. We have a great
agricultural country, 1t Is true; but we
were in bad way until the cotton |
mills began to come"
It Is proper to say that although the !
composes what appears to |
the reporter to be an interesting SYM
postum on the subject discussed, the |
whole thing Is to be taken so far as |
the different speakers are concerned as |
a chance coincidence. 1t was not until |
all the material developed that the idea |
Of writing the article occurred to the
reporter, and although different gen.
t!emen named are quoted without au-
thority. the reporter does not think
that any Of them will seriously object
10 the use that has been made Of their
remarks.