The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-06-12
An Interesting Letter from Col.
Wharton,

has refused to accept the rcsignations
OF our Senators and there is nothing Of
special interest to disturb the equili-
brlum of the minds Of your readers, a
few dots from our trip might in some
way receive at leasta hurried glance.
On the morning of the Goth of May
we left Columbia in company with the
Governor and Ills staif and the State
Militia on q special. All along over
| the route up the river were signs of The
heavy rains; there on every side, large
fields of bottom lands sown i'm oats and
planted in corn totally destroyed. The
soil is washed to the clay and it will
take years Of industrious energy to
reclaim them. At Spartanburg we
were off for Asheville, passing through
the land of the sky. On reaching Bit
more, the ideal town of millionaire
Vanderbilt, the waters of the French
Broad and SwannanOa in their mad
rush down the mountains had widened
out and laid waste n half million dol
lars worth of fine property, besides to-
tally destroying all the crops along the
bottom land. The oat crop was the
greatest sufferer, and a large per cent
OF the bottom land there being sown
in oats. Over the mountains to the
State of Tennessee, the trace Of the
wild waters was plain on every side.
Oat crops were destroyed and poor
| stands of cotton.
We reached Chattanooga and after a
good nights rest at the Staunton,
next morning we met our friends
Lint Fleming, Bob Cunningham and
Others, and began to view Lookout
Mountain and other battlelields
AS my trip was Western one, had
only carried light clothing, and felt
| | nh To I'm ,n
hour for the reception was at hand, we
hurried back to the Staunton to par
ticipate Fortunately, had two suits
OF clothes with me, so | donncd them
both at once, and with the top one,
long, black serge, well buttoned,
made me feel quite comfortable, be-
sides giving presentable appearance
Soon being presented to the ladies and
gentlemen present, we again met DR..
Hammct league and his charming
daughter.
The Governor of Georgia has on his
staff, with the rank of Colonel, hand
some young lady, the first live woman
colonel ever saw. The bachelor Col
onels on Gov. McSweeney's staff were
trying to bring her to South Carolina
when left the party. We were soon
on our way to Atlanta, and along the
route were no oat crops and poor
| STANDS OIL cotton.
Reaching Atlanta, the Gate CITY of
the South, a few hours were afforded
us in which to look around the hustling
city
We were soon Ell route for Alabama
Again we found no oats and poor
stands of cotton all the way. We
reached Alabama travelling via Mont
gOmery, Mobile, down the coast to
New Orleans, very uninviting field
presenting itself, log covered with
cooters and lazy alligator summing
himself on log, with now and then n
fishing boat relieving the monotony.
We saw little towns with houses built
over the water and plank walks con-
without land greeting the eye of the
traveller. The people live by fishing,
eating oysters, fish and fruits. The
climate is hot, and very little fire and
scant clothing satisfy them
at New Orleans we crossed the Mis-
sissippi River, the great "Father of
Waters" and then came to the great
sugar plantations Of louisiana
thousands OF acres in cane. We saw
eighty mules plowing in one field, and
nothing less than two-horse plow is
used, often with four horses to the
plow. The sugar refineries are dotted
along the route like ginhouscs are in
the South. The laud Is very dry and
large part of the crop is made by ir.
rigation. The river at New Orleans is
higher than the city and is kept within
its banks by a levce system. Should
!, these give way the city and country
J would be inundated. We now cross a
dry stretch Of country for fifty miles
nothing planted, fine lands, rs level as
floor, but it rarely ever rains and q
| no
average. The land is covered with the
mosquito bush, resembling our willow
and which stays green the year round
bearing beans in great quantities
Stock OF all kind fatten on these beans
ana when they can secure water, 1t i
a great cattle country.
We now cross Medina River, and
find some civilization in sight. TIL,
river has some attraction for the
clouds, and it sometimes rains. A
station is reached, and we find cotton
planting going on in nearby field
In answer to n question they said they
had been waiting for rain to plant
but no rain yet. 1t has been eight
months since they had n rain. One
rain year will make them some cot.
ton.
We are nearing the Texas line. AT.
ter short stop at Lake Charles, the
OIL lie!ds of l.. "A. Down, on Sabine
River The sun is sinking behind the
western hills, and presents q CRANE
sight with the great forests of cypress
pine, willow, and tall magnolas in ful
bloom. with large white flowers like sc
many stars on dark-green back
ground.
We cross the Sabine River into tho
great State of Texas-great in area
great IN agricultural interests, grea,
in oils and minerals. We reach Beau.
mont, town thronged with people OF
every tongue. The recent discover,
of the largest oil well In the world has
caused great excitement, SURPRISING
the excitement of Cripple Creek or the
KlOndike. Wells running from sixty
to eighty thousand barrels per day
selling at one-half cent per gallon.
Spectators, labOrers, millionaires and
people of every cline are investing
their money, living in tents, rs there is
no houserOOm for shelter, so great is
the crowd. Land advances i'm a day
from three dollars per acre to from
three hundred to ten thousand dollars
per acre, anxious; investors watching.
Pipes are laid to Port Arthur and Sa-
bine Pass, oil forces through them, fill
ing barrels and tanks; around by the
CULTS, Atlantic Ocean, and st. Law.
renee River, reaching the chain of
great lakes and entering the CONNER
cial stream of the world, competing
| with coal at less than half the cost