The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-02-03
JOSEPH AS A LAND GRABBER.
Mr.. W. 7. MagiII as a Corn Raiser and
keeper Of a Warehouse.

Long years ago Joseph, son Of Jacob and
Rachel, was sold by bis brothers to q caravan
of Arabian merchants, who took him toEgypt
where he rose to the highest position In Inc
house OF Potapher, king and ruler OF Egypt.
Joseph became Interpreter OF dreams for the
king, and when he was informed that the
kings dream foretold OF a famine that would
follow the then existing season OF prosperity,
he appointed Joseph chief collector Of corn,
with which his people might tide over the
time of the famine. He built great store.
houses, 1--WE call them cribs in these days,0
and filled them full of the n%ourishing and the
life Representing grain. At the appointed time
the famine set in. TIE alluvial soil OF the
Nile no longer produced Its usual crops, when
death aud destruction threatened the lnhaDl-
tants. Joseph, when his barns bad been NIL
ed, sat cross legged on the fence and deied
the drouth to do its worst.
In O little while the people were. hungry,
and they brought their OK carts, and hand
bags that they might draw rations OF the gol-
den grain. When hunger began TO pinch the
people Joseph ceased 10 give away the corn,
out organized himself into q land agency In
The Interest OF his great master, Pharioh. Be-
fore the famine was over he had bought
for Pharoah all the land OF Egypt.
And 60 1t was that Joseph and his King be-
came q corporation. of land grabbers, In COM
psrison with which the plans OF Sen
ators to scoop the railroad lands OF oregon
dwindle into insignihcance. Joseph didn't
deal in little two hundred acre sections Tor
himself and his children as do Senators In
Oregon. He just took the whole thing for
| miles and miles around. He took the aliuvi-
al lands OF the Nile, and grabbed the barren
rocks. He appropriated titles TO the sandy
| deserts, and took to himself the Improbable
| mills that overlooked the wealth OF the del
! Ia, All was Pharoh's, and Joseph set the
| world an example in the extent of land agen-
| Giles hat has never been equalled in modern
times.
While nobody in these days would attempt
| so great an acquisition as that OF Whlcn Jos
eph made, yet The Etories Of corn growing IN
Inspire In the hearts Of good men every
| where the disposition 10 CONTEST the honor
of being the greatest corn raiser on earth.
MIR. W. r. Magill, Of this city, possesses a
sandy Hill between the Double Branches and
the little stream that battles the foot OF the
Blue Hills. Believing that If the sands
of Egypt could contribute to Joseph's great
ness and TO Pharoah's riches, he might utilize
nis sand bed, and make corn enough, II not To
BUY ali the adjoining land, surely enough 70
feed his own mules, his own cattle, and bis
own cultivator pillow. Ats Time
"When to earth another birth
or bud and flowers was given,
And every breeze that Kissed Inc trees,
Bore incense up 10 heaven
he plowed his sand, opened burrows In 1t, and
therein placed the seed. The needed article
which enriches> the land and makes the
owner prosperous was in close proximity.
In due time the corn raised e.,
"Ten thousand sabers in the sun"
A little later on When autumn was come,
and when the leaves OF the trees were tinged
with golden and brown tinted colors, the
expected grain was there and the heart OF Mr..
Maglll,l like the heart OF Joseph was filled with
10y. His dream had been realized and the
iie-nourishing food was safely lodged in the
barn.
Mr.. Magilrs %neighbors need have no fear
of him. Unlike Pharioh, he has no designs
any body 8 FARM. But later on he will tell the
readers ofthe Press AND Banner how he made
thirty or forty bushels Of corn on a sand bed.
1t is not for us to tell the reader how Mr.
Magill worked this seeming miracle. We do
not know how he cunjured II. We know as
fttle about Magill's plan Of farming as we
know OF Williamson's plan Of raising corn.
But the corn has been seen and It Is known TO
have existed. We doubt nothing OF Mr.. Ma
gil's achievements since he. 30 successfully
manages the Farmers Warehouse. He han
dies many thousand bales every year, and he
seemingly knows where to find every mans
bales, and he can and does find 1t, when 1t is
wanted.