The Washington herald., 1909-08-01
COAOO Mills Bring Progress
to Union, s. c.
POPULATION GROWS RAPIDLY
Leads I'm Municipal Improvement
and City Owns Its Public Utilities.
Chamber of Commerce Works Ac-
lively for BettermentS.

and self-sausned, aWakeS and all at
once Joins in the forward movement
OF commercial progress and municipal
improvement. But this Is what Union
did c few years ago and went 70 the
front. Now, Union is regarded as one
Of the best Of the younger class Of cities
In the South. It is not a boom town.
either. but its growth has been solid
and permanent.
In population the increase has kept
pace with the development OF commercial
and manufacturing interests The town
had a mere handful Of people In 1870,
but the next census gave as 0+OO. an
Increase OF 235 per cent. Since that time
the population has reached 5000, with an
additional 1900 just outside the city
limits and practically belonging TO the
city. Thus, Il may safely be said that
the Increase IN the population of Union
since 1900 has been over 100 per cent
This in itself tells the story Of growth.
Property Values Increase.
The assessed valuation Of real and per-
sonal property in Union has steadily In
creased for a number Of years. In 1881
the total was about S500000 but It has
gradually risen until to-day the assessed
valuation OF the property within the cor
porate limits reaches S2.OO0,00O, an increase
Of 800 per cent since 1897. And II must be
remembered that this amount represents
less than half Of the true value Of such
property This rate OF increase has been
almost duplicated In percentage through
out the county. The tax levies are small
when we consider the tax returns as COM
pared with the true value OF the prop
erty.
For It's size, Union is well advanced IN
the way Of public utilities and improve
ments. We boast Of an excellent system
OF water works, a modern electric light
Ing plant, a complete sewerage system,
the best macadam streets and cement
paved sidewalks. All public utilities are
owned by the city. The streets are
swept and sprinkled daily.
City Is Sanitary.
The health Of the city is excellent. due
in a great degree TO the high altitude
and ideal location-almost at the foot of
the Blue Ridge mountains. The city is
well drained. has an abundant supply OF
pure water. and the sanitary conditions
are excellent. The mean annual tenn
perature IS 62 degrees, with a good gem
eral rainfall.
There are three strong banks here, 10
say nothing OF other prosperous banking
institutions in the county. The banking
strength and facilities of the city have
shown a wonderful Improvement in the
past few years, two new banks IN the
city and three others IN the county hav-
Ing been established since 1900.
The railroad facilities Of Union are
good. II is served by two roads. the
Southern and the Union and Glen Springs,
the latter connecting with the Seaboard
Air Line system at Pride. sixteen miles
distant Union is on a through line 10
Cincinnati and the West and is less than
twenty-four hours from New York and
New Orleans, and less than 30 miles from
Charleston. $. c.. Is destined to be the
greatest port on the South Atlantic
coast.
Manufacturing Well Started.
Manufacturing cotton is supreme in
Union. To-day this county has nearly
as many cotton mills. more than three
times as many spindles and looms, and
consumes twice as much cotton as the
whole State Of South Carolina did in 1850.
Now Union County. though only one OF
the forty-two counties OF the State, has
one-seventeenth Of the mills Of the State.
one-twelfth OF the spindles. one-thlr-
teenth Of the looms. consumes one-thir-
teenth Of the cotton used In the State.
and turns out annually one-twelfth OF
the finished cotton product of the State.
Union is the center Of the great cotton
manufacturing section Of South Carolina,
which ranks first among the States or
the South and second In the United
States In this industry. Within fifty miles
OF this city are one-half Of the mills.
nearly two-thirds OF the spindes. and
more than one-half OF the looms Of the
entire state. In the city of Union and
the section OF the country tributary to
II. the cotton mills represent over $780,
600 capital 10000 spindes, 7,645 looms,
consume 60000 bales Of cotton annually.
employ 5000 operatives, support a popu-
lation Of over 10000. have an annual pay
roll OF nearly S1.0o0.OOO. and turn out year
ly finished products valued at 5000 COO
These mills consume nearly four times
as much cotton as the county produces.
Here in the city is located the Excelsior
Knitting Mills. the largest and most COM
plete knitting mill in the South, making
over 10000 pairs Of hosiery daily. To
these should be added a Sl,OO0OOO power
plant furnishing electric power to the
cotton mills
Improves Public Buildings.
In the city are located a number OF
public buildings. including the court
house and jail. a handsome building for
the fire department, a $4,000 Carnegie
Free Library. opera house. five graded
school buildings and numerous halls,
reading rooms. &c. Congress has already
APPROPRIATED $4,000 for a government
building here, and IL viii be erected in
the near future. 1t is expected that in
a short while Union will have a new
court house and a newer and more con-
venlent city hall, while bonds have al
ready been voted and sold for the erec-
tion of a $4,000 high school building
In Union are the Clifford Female Sem
mary and an excellent graded school
system. in which are twenty-five teach
ers, and an enrolment OF nearly 2,00O
pupils. Union is spending about four
times as much money on public schools
as II was in 1890
Here are fourteen churches-eight for
whites, and six for acknowledgements
ing the Methodist. Episcopal, Presby-
terian, and Baptist denominations. Some
Of these buildings are costly and hand
some.
The volunteer fire department Of Union
is the city's pride. 1t is an excellent
organization Of patriotic young men.
They are always ready 10 respond to the
call OF duty, and for several years have
done a great work In the protection Of
the property OF the residents here. The
fire company holds first place In the
State hose wagon contest. AS a result
OF the city's fire department, the insur-
ance rates are reasonable. and will likely
soon be still further lowered
Chamber OF Commerce.