The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-09-07

/ disappeared as we'll as the old freight
wooden shanties on Main street, and
in their places stood modern handsome
shoe stores and depots. All over
town, as 1 walked, l saw hundreds of
new residences, and mile after mile
of macadam and clay and sand streets,
hard smooth roads extending miles
out into the country, in all directions.
New railroads, many more trains daily
and a general air of prosperity had
come since I slept. There was
Southern Railway freight depot and
passenger depot, there were half
dozen large wholesale, brokerage and
wholesale warehouses, more ice facto-
ries, stores, boarding houses. The
police force were being called by tele
phone and handsomely uniformed, re-
sponded to call on bicycles. Other
officers were mounted on bicycles, and
| Chief Bradford was good advertise
| ment for the town mounted on his
superb charger. Merchants delivered
goods on bicycles and took your orders
over the phone. All this was Of course
new to me. saw a crowd of nearly
ten thousand people near the old
Episcopal Church. Going there l
found dozens of brave fire laddies in
the presence of thousands of ladies
and girls engaged in exciting horse,
hose wagon contests. Looking up i!
saw thousands of yards of bunting and
thousands of flags decorating the
stores, hotels, residences and public
buildings. There was plenty of good,
wholesome fun and recreation. The
new Game Cock City was in gala
attire. Thousands of visitors were
here. a big fall trade was evident.
A man fell and broke his arm, he was
not taken into the "doctor shop" as
of old for treatment. But he was
hustled off to one of the hospitals
| where his broken bone was examined
by an ray light. Pretty, winsome,
uniformed trained lady nurses admin
istered to and soothed him until be
was glad he had broken his arm. He
was tempted to break his other arm.
One more unfortunate got too much
blue steel dipensary liquor on board,
the police hustled him not before the
intendent as of old, but before his
honor The City Recorder. There were
more banks, more merchants, more
clerks, more mechanics, more skilled
laborers, more contractors, Architect
D. G. Zeigler now prepares plans and
superintends buildings. The city
has more than doubled itself in pop
ulation, commerce, manufacturing,
lumber mills, door, sash and blind
factories, schools; st. Josephs' Acade-
my had safely weathered the storm OF
competition with Graded public
schools, and still stood honorable old
| land mark of education as Of old. A
SIS, 900 High School building stood
where the old Murphy house used to
| stand. There were more livery, sale
and feed stables, with thousands of
dollars of stock and wagons, buggies,
| improved farm machinery for sale.
The trades display, resplendent with
business floats, evidences of increased
prospeity, showed up finely. There
were various amusements. Happy
hearted young people, male and female,
frolliced around merrily, throwing
confetti. The Opera house was
crowded night after night. The Sec
ond Regiment band dicoursed fine
music. Everybody was happy and
why shouldn't they be in beautiful,
new prosperous city. with so much to
show with pride to thousands OF v1sl-
tors.
But missed many Odd familiar faces.
Where was the brilliant orator, +. w.
Noise? Where was Dick Monaghan? [
missed his hearty, cheerful laugh.
Where was Harry Ryttneberg, with
his friendly smile and hearty hand
shake? Where was W. r. Delgar, after
whom Delgar No. 8 Reel Squad was
named? as Monaghan No. was nam
ed fer Dick Monaghan. Where
was Marion Sanders, Sheppard Nash,
B. G. Pierson, DR.. John S. Hughson,
Herman Schwerin. Col. Jim Graham,
Fritz Bultman, Herman Bultman, G.
M. Hurst, Col. R. NJ. Wallace, Tim
Tuomey, Capt. 7. 3. Johnston, Judge
r. B. Fraser, Capt. Anthony White
and many others? Men who were ever
ready to help Sumter-men who had
helped to build up the old town.
Dead, all gone to their last final rest
ing place. Dead, Sut net forgotten.
But my sad reverie was suddenly bro
ken. The noise of a marching band
and the tramp Of many thousand feet
and the hum of a thousand voices re-
called me to the present. Everyone
bent on seeing the fun. The ball
room attracted many. The theatre
many, the greasy pole, the tent attrac'
tion many, the greasy pig race, these
and many other amusements engaged
their time. But found if | wanted to
keep up with the procession [ must
rdb my sleepy eyes and stretch my
stiffened limbs. I was out Of date.
Many people looked at me with
amusement, I was of the old school.
But as time wore on | became accus-
toned to the new conditions was
glad that the carnival was in progress.
It opened my eyes. It showed me,
even as it showed the strangers what
hustling, clean, lively, prosperous
city Sumter is. I felt young and
proud. "Doc'' Levy was as young as
he was 90 years ago, and as much OF a
carnival man as ever. He was as full
of mischief as ever, too. Our country
friends we're here, and happy, too.
The Daily Item boys were rushing pa