The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-06-06

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Mr.. Rear,lon said, that sit had been
sore little ti:ne since the Tnerch:nts,
manufacturers and othes business men
OF Sumter had met ogether to dis
cuss matters pertaining to the business
welfare Of this city, particularly trade
conditions. The Sumter Chamber Of
Commerce was ever on the alert to
extend the business of Sumter into,
new and valuable trade territories, and
to advertise the city, in such way
shat the mercantile and manufactur-
ing establishments here would not only
hold on to their present business, but
might also get new business every day.
Until May 2Sth, when new train had
been put on by the ever accommodate
ing friend Of its patrons-the Atlant-
ic Coast Line Railroad Company
from Elrod, n. c., to Columbia, via
Pee Dee, Florence and Sumter, the
good people of that very prosperous
section Of our State embracing the
counties Of Marion. Horny, and parts
OF Florence, along the lines Of the W.
&C. & A. Railroad and the Wilson Snort
Cut Lines, on which are located the
towns Of Pee Dee, Marion, Mullins,
Nicholas, Todd, Sellers, Latta, Dillon,
Little Rock, Bethea, Hamer and some
other prosperous towns, besides
a large rural territory tributary to
those towns, were deferred by very in
convenient railroad connections at
Florence, in the morning and evening,
from coming to Sumter and Columbia,
as the schedules then in existence ne
cessitated a lay-over Of one or two
nights in Florence. But now "a train
starts from Elrod, n. c., on the Wilson
Short. Cut, at a reasonable hour every
morning, which connects at Florence
with the main line trains from Will
mington, bringing people direct to
Sumter, reaching here at II O'Clock a.
IN. and leaving in the evening at sos
o'clock, giving the people from the
l-rge territory before mentioned an
opportunity to come to Sumter, and al
lowing them to return to their homes
at all points above mentioned the
same day, without any inconvenient
stop over. The question now is, do
the business men of Sumter want the
trade of the people of the Pee Dee
section? And if they do, is it not
worth special effort on the part Of our
business men to obtain that trade.
By properly advertising in tkat sec
ton, our merchants can undoubtedly
get the trade here. It was suggested
that a merchant trade excursion be
run from points in the Pee Dee Sec
ton TO Sumter, giving the people OF
that seton an opportunity to come to
Sumter cheap, see our wholesale and
retail and manufacturing establish
ments, the large stocks and variety OF
goods carried, and that perhaps q
number Of merchants Will want to put
on special bargain day sales for the
day of the excursion. Some form Of
entertainment for the visitors might
be provided to show our appreciation
OF their visit to Sumter.
Other Commercial organizations OF
other cities are after this trade. But,
owing to- the push and enterprise OF
our business men, Sumter is the largest
and most; prosperous town, and the
commercial and manufacturing met
.ropolis Of Eastern South Carolina,
with the largest number Of passenger
trains daily arriving in the MORNING
and departing in the evening, and
Sumter was naturally entitled by geo
graphical and other considerations to
her full share Of the trade Of Eastern
Carolina, Il not indeed, to the bulk OF
the trade within our trade zone. But
Sumter must advertise and otherwise
hustle for trade like other towns
Remarks were then made by Messrs.
Neall O'Donnell, w. N. Graham, Ferd
Levi, ]. R. Ligon. NJ. H. Beck, J. w.
McKeiver and others endorsing what
the secretary had said. After
lengthy discussion as to the details OF
running such an excursion it was de-
cided that another meeting Of the
business men be held next Tuesday
evening at SIS o'clock at the same
place, and each gentleman pres 1T
was earnestly requested to try and get
out large attendance at the next
meeting. and to talk up the proposed
excursion. The newspapers were re-