The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-15
WHAT TOBACCO HAS DONE
FOR A CAROLINA COUNTY
Prosperity Where Once Hard Times Was Chronic Con
dition-An Example for South Georgia Counties.

Conway, Horny County. South Caro-
illustrating the value of diversified
farming, and tobacco growing especial
ly, is presented by this town, county
and section. From a time beyond
which the memory of man runneth
not, Horny county was designated
THE Independent Republic" because
of its isolation. Its county seat was
forty miles from anywhere"-a days
journey from the nearest important
settlement. Its people were poor but
honest"-a hateful but much used ex-
pression-and it's farms were small and
of little consequence. The love of God
and justice prevailed, but these things
alone do not build cities nor make
prosperity. ~
Horny county fifteen or twenty yeasr
ago drew it's sustenance almost entire
ly from the production of turpentine
and ton-timber. Later cotton became
the main dependence of the people. And
poverty reigned throughout the land
during all that time. A dollar, either
hard or soft, was rare sight Mort
cages and liens plastered the land
scape. Men made their crops in debt,
and were in debt after the harvest.
Commerce was sluggish, pursuing an
cient channels, enterprise was merely
an academic term and manufacturing
industries were unknown and undream-
ed OF. Horny was back-woods coun-
ty and Conway the stagnant village at
which court was held twice a year,
and mortgage foreclosure sales once a
month. No risk is taken when 1t is
said there was no more unprogressive
community on the map. Yesterday,
To-Day ana forever appeared identical
to Conway.
But eventually there came an awak-
ening, which has been followed by
revolution; and the genesis of the new
order is TO be found in the two words
railroads and tobacco. Half a dozen
years or so ago the cultivation of to-
bacco was begun In a small way IN
the upper part of the county, about
Mullins. on the Atlantic Coast Line.
the weed prospered and waxed great,
in quality as we'll as in size Atten-
ton was drawn to it, People began to
talk about it and to experiment with
1t. There was fear that the soil
was too light for the plant, but ex-
periments were all successful, and soon
the tobacco patches began to be ex-
tended in area and tobacco barns be-
gan to dot the farms. Turpentine had
been worked OUT and cotton was I'M
profitable. Tobacco, therefore, came
as a boon. The people were found
In a receptive mood notwithstanding
their intense conservatism. They were
willing to give the new crop a trial.
hoping for the best.
The fruition of their hopes has been
beyond their expectations Horrys soil
mas been found peculiarly adapted to
the production of tobacco of a high
grade, and in bountiful quantities. In
six years the county has tripled it's
population, while in half that time the
population of Conway has been dou-
hled and is still growing. From a
sleepy old village, with pigs as plenti-
ful on the streets as people, Conway
has become a busy. modern. incorpor-
ated town, redolent of fresh paint and
prosperity. Two railroad lines and q
steamboat line are kept busy. Bricks
and plate glass are taking the places
of pine boards and by panes in the
business houses. The pigs and cows
have been chased off the streets and
a general air of cleanliness. hustline
and health prevails. Everybody is
busy; the class of unemployed is so
small as to be not in evidence. and in
the pockets Of all the people there are
jingling dollars. And tobacco has been
the chief agency of the TRANSFORMED
ton! Great is tobacco, and all the peo-
pie swear by it!
The marketing of the seasons tobac-
co harvest is now going forward. here
are two large warehouses in
the town. where daily sales
are held. The business, however, has