The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-09-16
SHOW LARGE GAINS
POSTAL STATISTICS SHOW PRO-
GRESS IN MANY TOWNS.
South Carolina Compares Well With
All Sections of the United States
in Thrift.

in Thrift.
Figures that are now being pre-
pared in the office of the auditor OF
the postoffice department in WASH
ington reveal an interesting story
of the commercial growth and de-
velopment of the various towns IN
South Carolina during the last
twelve months. These figures, bas-
ed upon reports from the postmasteTs
in different parts of the State, are
due to reach lthe lau Q.tcr's office
soon after the close Of each fiscal
year on June 80, but as may be eX-
pected there are many delays in such
matters, consequently this year it
will be several weeks before COM
plete returns are available.
Enough information, however, has
been received to indicate in the
clearest possible manner that Wnen
full returns are made South Caro-
lllCL Will Sooosi g. S.iS "iiit1 ~
any State in the Union, with the cx-
ception of Texas, Oklahoma and
some parts Of the far West, where
towns of 5000 or 10000 inhabitants
sometimes spring up over night.
The latter, however, are not count
ed by the postoffice department as
good evidence of the real growth
Of the country, for the reason that
they are just as liable to disappear
suddenly with the discovery of gold
or some other precious metal some
where else as they are to be put
in full blast between suns.
Inquiry of the postoffice depart
ment officials shows that during the
last year the towns and cities in
South Carolina that have probably
made the most noted progress are,
in the upper part OF the State;
Spartanburg, Greenville, Anderson
and Greenwood. Of these four it
is probable that Spartanburg is in
the lead, and that when the returns
are in it will be seen that she has
made slight advancement over the
three other places. In the Pied
mont section there are several small
er mill towns, like Gaffney, Pied
mont and Pelzer, that have also
made excellent returns and have
made substantial headway. Laurens
and Union have about held their
former positions.
Further down the State Newberry
has made small gain, as is the
case with Columbia, though in the
latter case the increase will not be
so marked as in the smaller towns.
Postal receipts in Orangeburg' and
Sumter have probably been consider
ably increased during the last twelve
months, and Florence has also made
substantial headway. In the Pee
Dee section, Darlington and Marion
have made good records, and the
race between the other towns in that
of the State for the lead in increased
postal business is a close one.
An interesting feature in connec-
ton with these figures is that the
smaller towns in the State have
probably made larger increas-
es with respect to their relative pop
ulation than the larger places, in
dicatng that many persons are COM
ing to the former from the country,
because of the new cotton mills be-
ing constantly erected.
These figures, however, do not
take into account the large increases
at the various mill towns in the
State, where there are only one or
two factories, because figures for
these offices are not obtainable II
they could be secured they would
make a most interesting story of the
commercial growth and prosperity of
the small towns.