The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-02-10
The City Ct Pines.
To the Editor of The Djspatch:

10 the EQ1lOr OF lno DjSpdlCH.
Ihave written for your readers so
often, first as regular, then as special
correspondent, that l feel as if were
addressing each one personally. In
most of my former pieces l tried to
handle, as best I could, campaign
meetings, political situations and the
like. Now since the political winds
have blown over. leaving us whatso-
ever they would and passing on to re-
gions we care not to know Of, lind
more pleasant task in trying to give
you little picture of the quaint, his
toric, and interesting old town of
Camden.
I am not posing as all historian. but
only desire to give you bit of infor-
NATION. OF course, all OF you know
that there is a Camden, South Caro-
lima, and most OF you know that the
town is just thirty-two miles north
east of Colun1bia. on the Seaboard and
Southern railways. But, I fancy,
most of you know little OF the town
beyond this: I didn't until [ came
here in September of last year.
Camden is generally known as a
winter-resort only; and that's vhe
most of it too. But it's good winter
resort-and that's saying good deal;
for, you know, there are several such
places not far away. Camden ranks
equally with Aiken, Augusta and
Summerville in this respect. We
have here three commodious hotels
for the accommodation Of tourists
only. The average rate is seven dol
lars day, and up. The "Kirkwood,'
situated on Camden Heights, is per-
haps the most popular of the three:
1t has frontage of over $50 feet, and
accommodates something like 200
guests. 1t is equipped with all the
modern hotel fixtures. In this one
building there are more electric lights
than are in the town of Sumter which
is the fifth town in size in the state.
The "gayer set" of tourists stops at
the "Kirkwood." The major part Of
them, Pm told, are millionaires from
Pittsburg.
The Court Inn," the most beauti-
full one in town, attracts the quieter
sort of northerners. The "Inn" will
hold 225 guests. It's frontage is about
200 feet. From all parts of the build
ing one can look out upon beautiful
gardens; and just beyond these, upon
groves of magnificent trees-princi-
pally pines.
like something of home life. This
place is very quiet, and is perhaps the
least pasronized; but it usually car
riesits full capacity. All of these no.
tells are owned and controlled by
northern men, and the owners of the
first two mentioned, run summer re-
sorts in the north. Besides the tour
lists who stop at the hotels, quite
number own homes here. Then there
is still another class who prefer to
board with private families. In this
case the rate is all the way from
twenty to a hundred dollars month.
The visitors usually begin arriving
about Thanksgiving, but they keep
coming till the latter part of January.
As sool, as they get here, the town
takes on much more gayety. Some
of them are constantly out walking
or driving, and making all sorts of
display.
As matter of self-interest the pee-
pie of Camden encourage these tour
lists, for, while they are here, they
turn loose snug little sum OF gold
and here, as everywhere else, money
keeps the mare going. But this is
enough about the yankees.
I call this the City of Pines simply
because there are 80 many here
right in town. Three of the five pub
lie parks are filled with them; besides
many are on the street, and, in fact,
everywhere they could be left stand
ing. And they, alone, really make
the town beautiful.
Camden has population of approx
imately 5000. But the real business
section is comparatively small. The
manufacturing interests are not very
extensive. Two good sized cotton
mills, an oil mill and small lumber
yard make up the bulk of this indus
try.
At some later date, I will perhaps
write you something bearing on the
history Of the town.
Cd. SHEALY.
Camden, S. c., Feb. 9, 1909.