The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-10-30
EXAMPLE, AND OPPORTUNITY.
The News and Courier Comments on
Matter of Interest to Sumter
Citizens.

The following editorial from the
News and Courier is undoubtedly of
interest to Sumter people:
For many years the County Court
House Of Sumter County occupied a
space in the very heart of the business
district of the city Of Sumter. 1t was
not an ornament to the town. On the
contrary, 1t was an eyesore. Moreov-
er. 1t had long ceased to be ADEQUATE
for the purposes for which it was
erected, and no one could be found
who would dissent from the oft.made
statement that a change was needed,
that something ought to be DONE"
1T remained. however, for one man
to find. suggest and put in working
shape a solution Of the problem satis-
factory at once to all disinterested
parties. Mr.. Richard B. Belser. a
wide-awake young real estate man,
saw that the lot occupied by the
unsightly Old Court House was of a
commercial value far too great to
warrant its continued use az a Court
House site in the absence Of any
good reason to the contrary. He went
to the proper authorities with a prop
osition to purchase the property
from the county for $s0,000 cash-the
lot containing exactly one acre and
the price being $500 a front foot.
Mr.. Belser's offer was accepted.
The first and necessary result was
the erection Of the superb new Court
House which was dedicated Monday
given up to be in all respects the
handsomest In South Carolina. But
this is not all. A number Of credita-
BILE stores are already occupying that
part Of the old Court House square
which was formerly vacant, and sthe
old structure itself will shortly be
converted into a splendid bank build
ing. More still. The figures paid by
Mr.. Belser for this one lot, astound-
in city which at that time contain
ed only about 5000 inhabitants and
which is dependent chiefly upon the
agricultural resources Of its county
for support, lent tone and confidence
to real estate dealings In Sumter
which have been one Of the most SUBJ
stantial benefit to many Of the citi.
zens Of that city. and which are still
in evidence.
Here We have a concrete example
Of what one man can do-of the
forces. at least, that one man can set
in motion. Judge George w. Gage,
now holding court in this city. and
one Of the keenest and most pracu-
cal observers in South Carolina, says
that the credit for the wonderful en-
hancement Of real estate values in
upper South Carolina is due more
largely to the active, energetic work
Of the hustling real estate men in that
part Of the State than to any other
one cause. Most Of us live more or
|
recognize the changes going on about
us. The right sort Of real estate
man is. as Judge Gage remarks, an
agitator. He sets people to thinking,
brings home to them the opportuni-
ties which lie all about them, but
which they have failed TO recognize.
Nowhere in South Carolina is there
more inviting field for real estate
operations than here in the city of
Charleston. Scores Of families are
being kept away from this city be.
cause desirable residences are not to
be had. Whole blocks Of residence
property here are bringing in only a
fifth Of what their location warrants.
It is high time, surely, that something
were done.
The opportunity is here, but the
man to take satisfactory advantage
of it must be man Of large ideas
and must have iron in his blood"
The greatest catastrophe the world
has ever known is in progress at this
present moment and the world recks
little or nothing Of it, says Pearson's
Weekly. This is the plague epidemic
In India, which has now been raging
for more than IL years, and which, 50
far from showing any tendency to die
QUE keeps steadily increasing in in
tensty Thus during the six weeks
ending May IL last, 1882 persons
perished from it, Or at the rate of over
$4,000 deaths week. Nothing ap-
rroaching the appalling horror rep
resented by tt. figures has ever
been recorded n.'.... ne nearest 60
1T was in 1895, ,h-r during the last
week in March. he pidemic was re-
sponsible for 57.702 hs.