The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-05-25
FHB CITY OF ANDERSON !!
Prize Essay by Hales Iris Prulit.

Just little over q century ago
Anderson was vast wilderness, and
was inhabited by the Red Men, who
aourished, prospered, and was happy.
But, alas for the poor Indian. For
this beautif' i land which he called his
own was &C on taken from him by his
brother, the white man, and destined
| to become something far greater than
the happy hunting ground of the poor
Red Man.
Panther, bear, deer, fsh and In
dians have all alike disappeared be.
| tion."
The story Of Anderaon's progress
| reads like @ fairy tale. In che year
1928 the town OF Anderson was fcand-
cd, but it was not created municipal
corporation by the Act OF Legislature
until December, 1888. There was
big dispute among the Commissioners
| as TO whers the city should be located.
Some ef shem wanted it to be two
miles above It's present location, and
the others two miles below, and iiDal-
IL 70 settle this matter it was decided
that il should be situated halfway be-
tween these places, aud thus il was
that its present location was secured.
The city was then laid of by Jsmeo
Thomson, s. j. Hammond. j. E. Nor
ris, Alex. Moorehead and L. L. Good.
The land, which was only 130 acres,
wss purchased from Manning Pool, u.
Rice, T.. Chamblee and William
MCGEE at 81 622 en- acre.
Old Pendleton District WAS repro.
sented in the Senate, at the time of
the division by Judge Whitner, then
q young lawyer. Because Of his great
interest he took in the measure, and
his superintendence Of the details, he
is looked upon more than anyone else
as the founder Of Anderson. Soon
after the founding Of the sown he
came TO Anderson to live, and spent
the rest of his life here. He was the
first IntendaIt Of the town, and was
later Solicitor
Captain John P. Benson, a leading
merchant, was among the prominent
settlers Of the town OF Anderson, and
he had hotel at the corner, which
was later occupied by Orr & Sloan.
just across the street was the resi-
dence Of Dir. Christie Orr, the grand
father Of DR.. 8. nj. Orr, Of this city.
Mr.. Daniel Brown kept G hotel, aud
carried on general merchandising
business where the Hotel Chiquola
is now situated.
just across Main street from Browns
Hotel, Mr.. Stephen McCully resided,
and carried on large merchandising
business. With the exception OF only
q few store buildings the Public
Square was at this time almost sur
rounded by dwelling houses. But as
time passed on and the population in
creased these houses were torn down,
| and .storerooms and other buildings
were erected in their place.
Among these later residents who
came to Anderson were Judge Reed,
z. s. Vandiver, General James w.
Harrison, lawyers and representative
men; A. 0. Norris, Court OF Equity
for twenty years; VIM. Archer, the
Sheriff; Archibald Todd, tho printer;
Elijah Webb, Clerk Of Court for many
years; his brother, DR.. Edmund Webb,
| postmaster for many years; DR.. Alax.
Ev;1s, and Or. q. z. Cater, the lead
| ing physiciens Of che town.
By the strong efforts made, bysthees
| people Anderson grew vesg repidly,
aud won 3or heraaff a place pf hor
own in the front rank Of the States
Young cisies. They bulls mills and
factories, erected business houses,
published neWspapers, !. organised
clubs, and did many other things
which helped. to make her what ehe
10 todny-0Re OF the most substantial
towns in the State. Mr. b. r. Cray
ton is man Of that day who still sur
wives, and he is, perhaps, as much in
lterested in Anderson's progress soday,
as any man in the city. .i.:is et4sss s. 4;
Anderson is perhaps one Sof che
prettiest towns in the State OF Sonsh
Carolina. Large, magnificent busi.,
ness houses, splendid Church build
ings. and lovely homes scattered here
and there, complete picture that for
beauty is hard TO excel. Its climate
is equal 20 any in the world. It is
mild and pleasant, both ;n summer
and winter. Anderson lie, indeed,
tbIest with many natural advantages.
There, is always an abundance Of the
lbest and purest water, Except wren O
building is burning down.
We are told that about three quar-
Tiers of q century ago, q buggy was
i seldom seen on the streets OF Ander-
son, and people travelled by stage and
horseback. Is i5 sy d. .s5.s
ALL whet q contrast, what a change,
IbetWeen Anderson then and today.
Should Il q man then have fallen to
sleep, like the Rip Van Wrinkle we
read OF, and could now gakas sr, ..ss55
/ look around, the change would Be so
trrAak 81 that ALI Senii1 dG ha y ccnf ~ s;0nS