The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-26
THEY'VE MADE It A
REGION Of DELIGHT
Aurora and the Fertile Sec
ton Round About.
ITS DRAINAGE SYSTEM
Rich Farming Lands Reclaimed From the Swamp
lid S to Smile Under Enormous Crops
An industrious intelligent and
Progressive People.
(Staff Correspondence.l


Aurora N. c., Aug 25-Aurora, down
here is the southeastern part of Beaufort
county, is situated in one of the most fer
tile, attractive and hustling sections of
the State. Here are vast sweeps of rich
swamp lands that have been thoroughly
drained shy cutting canals about ten feet
are also many bitches through the farms
leading into these canals l never saw
more complete and effective system OF
drainage. There is much diversity in the
soil, here a rich black mold underlaid
about ten to eighteen inch deep with clay
subsoil, there gray upper soil also under
laid with clay This is beyond doubt as fine
a truck section for all kinds of truck as |
ever saw. The principal crops for market
are Irish potatoes, corn and cotton; but
l do not believe there is any section of the
State that can grow potatoes, cabbage,
peas, beans. canteloupes lettuce. aspara
gus, beans, berries, etc, earlier or in
greater abundance Tor market.
| am writing of Richland township and
/ the name is very appropriate. The farms
will run from about 200 down to about 20
acres These swamp lands are at least
from Is to 20 feet above tide water.
1t will cost from $40 to $12 per acre to
clear and ditch them. A fair average of
yield of Irish potatoes per acre is from
60 to 70 barrels. A good deal of it will
produce from IS to 100 barrels From 10
to Is barrels of corn is considered an aver
md ha la tn a ha la n bll
of five hundred pounds of lint
cotton yet much of this land will yield
two bales per acre The farmers know
what they have and work the soil for
what it Is worth They plant in early
spring potatoes, using commercial fertiliz-
ers These are sold from the last week in
May to about the second week in June
and on the same land with the use of more
fertilizer corn IS planted. l rode for sew
cral miles out in different directions from
Aurora and saw fields of from % to so
and more acres of corn not two months
old from eight to ten feet high, averaging
two full ears to the stalk. This is getting
two crops from the same lands with the
use of fertilizer, but they got three
crops from some of these lands by plant
ing German millet after the first crop OF
potatoes are dug. The millet is now be-
ing cut by moving machines so as to pre-
pare the land for the fall crop of potatoes
These lands do not need commercial goods
to produce cotton. Lime procured by
burning oyster shells is used very freely
and is about the only fertilizer used for
cotton, and the doctors of Aurora say that
they are certain that the free use of lime
off 81 l.. ~
prime cause of the healthfulness of this
section. One doctor told me that besides a
few infants and two old diseased persons,
there has not been any deaths in Aurora
within the last two years, and he consider
ed this as healthy a section as there is in
the State l see here just many strong,
healthy looking men in any section of
the State, and as healthy and pretty wo
men as are found in any section. and as
to culture, refinement, and education.
they are equal to any.
The town of Aurora covers about SIS
acres. 1T was first assigned to Levy
Thwaitt, the first clerk of court of Bath
county. In 1716 it was granted to Chris
topher Gales by the Lords Proprietors.
He transferred it to Morris Moore who
vas in command of the South Carolina
roops sent to this section to aid the col
Jnsts in the Tuscarora war. The land
afterwards passed into the hands of free
negroes. It was finally bought under
mortgage by Isaac Respass, who sold it
10 Rev W. Fl. Cuninggim, who laid off
the town in 1860 In 1910 this land was
offered for sale at 10 cents per acre, which |
was refused. A few years after it sold for
% cents per acre. Today the uncleared
lands outside the corporate limits are
worth $50 per acre. and I am informed that |
on the west side of South Creek there are
no lands for sale On the east side the |
Rodman tract of 5000 acres is being |
opened up and sold in farms of not less
than fifteen acres. Last year some was |
sold for so per acre, but now it is held at |
$22. and for the quality of the land with |
such n growth of fine swamp timber is |
cheap at that. In 1896 an uncleared tract
of this land of 160 acres sold for 81 600 |
Some time last December or early in Jan
uary of this year it sold for $4,000 The |
rent of this farm will amount to $50 per
acre this year. A few days ago this same
farm sold for $4,000. These lands are fine
for grass and clover; therefore cattle rails
ing would be profitable. These people
are not corn buyers, but corn sellers, and
it is fine firm corn that will bear ship
ping and keep in any climate. During the
last potato season something like sixty
thousand barrels of Irish potatoes were
shipped from Aurora and it was done in
about two or three weeks
Aurora has a population of about 500 as
clever, law-abiding citizens as are to be
found anywhere. There are no saloons
here and not likely to be- These are
sober. moral people. They will vote soon
for an additional tax of thirty cents on
the 500 for a graded school A netitinn