The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-08-10
PROsREssIVE sumTER.


Condensed Statement Of Business Statis-
ssies, Such as Population, Real Estate
and Personal Property Values, Manu-
featuring ana Industrial Enterprises,
Educational Institutions, Commerce,
Agriculture, Railroads. Public Works,
Banks, Taxes and Other Facts About
Sumter City and Sumter County S. g.,
Collected and CLASSIFIED for The: Daily
item BY Emmett 1. Readon, Secretary
aud Health 0fficer.
The city OF Sumter and county are
situated about the center of the state.
The city is situated IN sandy pine
belt region. and is noted for the salu-
brity of It's climate. It has aaWays
maintained q high reputation as one OF
she most healthy sessions OF the
south. The City is handsomely laid
ont with wide streets and well shaded
aTenuees handsome public b1lidlngs
and private residences, the latter hav-s
ing we'll kept gardens, gave evidence OF
conSors ard elegance. Located on
'eighS railroad lines. provided with
Vood sanissary regulations anu thorough
systen Of water works and electric
iighting, Sumter enjoys exceptional
facilities as a Summer and winter
residence. The distance from Colum-,
nia is ~ miles, from Charleston 9S
miles, from Wilmington I49 niles
The city is forging to the 'front.' stedily
ard rapidIy. inGustrially and CONNER
cialIy. This is q prosperous section
and the signs of good times are Clearly
aridens Nearly all of the business
buildings are new, have Just been or;
are being remodlsd and the city IS
noted for its beautiful homes. and
nsny besusiful cottages wishsau mod
arn sanitry fixtures and conyenlsncs,
aye being built for rent q at res,
sonable prices.
Snmtea's real estate is steadily 1n-:
.c-easing il value and as this IS likely
Is become q winter resort, the increase
su Eaiue is very noticeable.
Several years ago citizen bought
80 acres near the depot. he sold IL
acres to the Southern Railway for $40, :
Geo. .Oo gos g, coo. co, for paIs OF it
400 81 SQUARE, and the value OF what
hs mad left, exceeded she original cost
sof the 20 acres
TIE city government OF Sumter is IN
fne condition financially, having
tax valuation Of S795,oe0.W and a
bond dabs OF only tS57, ,000. .00. These
ara a1syear IS and6S. The city tax is
il mills for all pourpossss the business
license rates are exceedingly low.
While i4 mills taxes are levied, yet
property is only returned Tor Saxaglon
ak abont one half It's value. ..
Fer Illustration note below shat 6S
bui ldirgs alone erected at "a cost OF
sSS75, 120.O .Oa still She increase in tax
returns IN 1903, was only Sls5, 5,00o. .0o,
Including real estate values heushold
Goods and store fixtures and oShersper
gonal property. !,
all property was returned at OF
IT'S value, it would be necessary to:leyy
only + mills taxes, which would look
better 10 outsiders not familiar With
unsthoas Of returning property aor taxa
fion So after all taxes are very low
IN Shutter, considering the up-to-d date
ynunicipai government and the conven-
fences enjoyed by its citizens
No one viii sell property Tor 50 per
seeut more than St IS returned TOR
taxes. some would refuse great deal
rnore The Sumter Water Go. asked
$40 e0l 90 one year ago TOR
It's plant, which cos5 abont $40, 00O.O0.
ten years ago, bus this company only
pays taxes TO the county on. SlS, o.tD
worth of property ana either corpor,,
ations are siHli liarly undermined, and
private properly 100.
The people are justly proud OF their
schools. st. Joseph IS Academy for
yanno ladies' established In 1883, has q
areat reputation. It is a high grade
inssisution. There are three graded,
tEo common and ene high school under
fhe supervision of "a superintendent,
VINO conducts them according to mod
2ern ideas and methods. The two hand
some neW brick school buildings cost
s35. 0o0. 90 and are heated and Ventilat-
60 by system as near perfect as is
known TO science.
Sumter is noted for the purity OF its
water supply. capacity being 200, GOO
gallons per day, distributed from q
gtandpipe which holds 400, 900 gallons.
Tie health OF the city is carefully
looked after, the death rate is exceed
Inzly low, particularly among the
write people, and the city is noted for
She small number OF cases of Infectious
and contagions diseases. The city is
Ago well drained, mostly with under
zround terra Gotta pipes. There are
two hospitals for the care Of the SICK,
managed by surgeons of ability and
reputation, trained nnrses are IN at
tendance. These hospitals draw a
large patronage from other couRties IN
this State, wnsre there are no hospl-
tals for the care OF the sick. They are
Dr. j. a. Moods Inirmary and DR.. $.
20. Bakers Is6rmary. a training
school for nurses is established at both
hospitals. :,
Sumter county is an exceptionally
fine ae ricultural section. The Climate
IS ideal and crops can be raised the
wear round. The soil is peculiarly
adapted to the production OF cotton,
corr, hay, oats, wheat, melons, barley,
rye, tobacco, potatoes and all varieties
of sruits aud vegetables. This IS