Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-06-04
WALBALLA, 8. Co.;
WEDNESDAY, JUNE A, 1909.
FOUR YEARS AGO TO-DAY.

Four years ago to-day, June 4th, 1903,
at 7.30 O'Clock p. M, the bell in the old
engine house in Main street pealed forth
an urgent call to the citizens of Walhalla
to fight the fiercest fire in the history of
the town. Little did any citizen think,
as he responded to this call, that at mid
night, and in the early dawn of the fol-
lowing day, the men who transact the
business of the. town, the mass of citizens
as whole, the sturdy "brother in
black"-all-would still be up and bat
tling with the flames! Little did any
one think, when tho first notes from the
metal throat of the fire-bell tloated out
that on the morrow he would be greeted
by the smouldering ruins of twenty three
business houses, representing q loss to
the citizens of upwards of forty-five
thousand dollarsl Amid the desolation
and depression that naturally followed
in the wake of so destructive conflagra-
tion, few indeed could be found who
would have dared to hazard the predic-
tion that within few short months these
same citizens, visited by an unexpected
scourge and depressed by financial loss,
would be working together with unity
before unknown to "rebuild the waste
Places" and that in less than year this
fire-swept section would present much
more substantial and prosperous appear
ance than was ever known before. To-
day, however, the property embraced in
the two blocks swept by flames four
years ago is worth treble what it was
prior to the fire.
While the losses to individuals, Occa-
stoned by this destructive fire, were great,
the indirect benefits reaped by them
through the improvements made neces-
sary by misfortune have made compensa-
ton for much, if not ALL of the losses
sustaincd; and the material benefit to
the town as a whole has been far greater
even than that accrung to the individual.
Aside from the improved and modern
business houses that have sprung up to
take the places of the old frame build
ings; aside from the increased volume
OF business that has come as a natural
sequence to the introduction of modern
methods and better facilities for hand
ling the trade of the town and surround
ing country; aside from all these and
other important considerations, Walhalla
has gained much from the spirit of unity
and cooperation that was born of the
common disaster. Never before was
there such spirit of goodwill and help
f,,1n n,nn;rnofol NV,
never before wcrc the fruits of this fun
damental principle of success gathered
either for tho benefit of the individual or
the town. In the rapid strides that have
been made 10y Walhalla in material i'm
provement this principle can be traced
to the beginning, and it should be the
endeavOr of every citizen who has the
good of tho town at heart to lend his
influence to promoting and keeping alive
the spirit of unity, of enterprise and
advancement. Let us in no wise take
step backward. With the lessons of the
past still fresh in our minds, let each of
us resolve that we will not stand idly by
and wait for others to take hold of any
enterprise that will work for the up.
building of the town. Let each do his
part to advance every interest of the
town and enlist the cooperation of all.
'In unity there is strength" and remem-
boring this lot us work as one man for
the good of the town. Whatever is done
to advance her interests benefits ind-
rectly every one of her citizens. There
is yet an abundance of room for improve
ment in many things. Let us try to util-
ize every opportunity to advance the
interests of our town and community.