The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-08-13
First Bale of Cotton in Augusta,

It came by express over the Southern
railway last night, from 81. G. Folk, OF
Bamberg.
1t is consigned to Pope s. Fleming who
have received the first bale for the last
three years.
This harbinger of good times is &
golden harvest for the southern farmers
was garnered at Bamberg, S. c., and
therefore halls from real Augusta
territory.
The arrival of the first bale is always
an event of great importance in Cotton
Row and the city. at large. When il
arrives the factors, clerks, weighers
samplers, shippers, niggers, dray horses
and everybody and everything connected
with the purchase and sale of the tieecy
throw off the lethargy of the summer
and forget that tired feeling which has
possessed them for four or five months
The banker who has been putting out the
coin of the realm for months in order
that the crop might be made, gets down
his ledger and begins to con over the
principal and interest he is about to get
back after SO long separation. The
merchant walks through his store when
he hears of the advance guard Of springy
gait of frosty weather and prosperous
times. The news boy calls his paper
much louder in the morning and as the
poet would say, 1.-The whole world seems
gay"
The first bale of this years new crop to
reach this city was grown by d. e. Folk
of Bamberg, s. c., a prominent merchant
and farmer. This bale enjoys the dis
tinction of having been grown in strictly
Augusta territory. Heretofore the first
bale has usually come from one of the
lower counties of the State and was
rushed to Augusta because the nearby
markets had already received their initial
bag This year however, the first bale
for this market was not only grown In
this territory, but it is in reality one OF
the very first bales to come to light III
either South Carolina or Georgia.
As usual the bale will be auctioned Oh
at the exchange to-day at noon. Just who
will be the auctioneer has not been de-
cided. Senator j. Rice Smith, who IS a
very handy man on such occasions and
who has auctioned off the first bale several
times, is not in the city. Some good talker
however, will be secured, one who can
coax the right kind Of price from the
cotton men, for it is tradition, history and
several other things that cannot be broken
that the first bale must bring a good big
price.
While the first bale means business and
is always the source of great JOY, the cot
ton men were happy before it arrived
The reports of the last few weeks have
been such as to infuse enthusiasm among
the handlers of the crop. Yesterday q
| reporter for The Chronicle talked with
Mr.. J. L. O'Dowd and found him very
much encouraged about the prospects. III
said his firm had received the very bes
sort of reports from all parts of this sec
ton. These advices indicate that th'
crop will be from ten days to two week:
late, but it will be full. Especially are thu
reports from this neighborhood in Soutl
Carolina encouraging. He thinks thai
| if the present weather holds out for few
weeks longer the crop around the August
territory will be equally as large as thos'
of former years and a bumper crop" ma.
be the result for this vicinity.-August
Chronicle, Thursday, August 13.