The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1909-11-03
CIRCULATION 1926.
On the Rounds.

Our annual trip with the County
Treasurer was begun on last Wednes-
dav at the prosperous little town Of
Irmo, in the Dutch Fork. Making
these trips are always pleasure and
inspiration to Us. TO mingle with the
people of Lexington county-the peo-
pie we love and those who have been
our lifelong friends is one of the
highest privileges we enjoy.
The people of the Dutch Fork,
sturdy. staid and true, always meet
ing their obligations with commend
able promptness, met us with open
hearts and outstretched arms, and at
every point gave u: most cordl-l
welcome.
At Irmo the turnout was hardly up
to the average, but the collections,
however, we're fairly good, number
of the heaviest taxpayers responding
to the treasurer's call. The merchants
were in very happy mood, all of
them having had a ecord-breaklng
trade so far this season.
Our next point was Eallentlne's
where the usual number of taxpayers
met us. The citizens Of this section
are iubilant over the fact that this is
| the last year in which they will have
| to paw the heavy and burdensome rail
road tax, and with fair crops this
year, they have right to feel good.
MIR. Henry Ballentine has built a
comfortable home and store building
| since we were last here, and seems to
| be ENJOYING good trade. At Ballen-
| tine the editor received his share Of
cartwheels.
At White Rock the sturdy so 1s of
| toir' met us as usual, in spite of the
| fact, that the rain fell in torrents all
day Thursday. While the town has
not made any great Improvement, it
haa held its own, and the merchants
have had a good fall business.
At y o'clock we boarded the up
train for Hilton, where we arrived in
time to partake Of an excellent DIN.
ner at the home Of Mrs. +. 3. Hitler,
where we always delight to STOP. A
number of taxpayers met US here, all
anxious to meet their obligations to
the trea u 'er and newspaper man.
Johnnie G cen Hitler was in the best
of humor and met US with broad
smile. He is enjoying a good busl-
ness, and has bought over three nun
dreu bales Of cotton this season.
On the o'clock train we left tor
the prosperous and growing town of
Chaplin, the m eca Of the Dutch Fork.
This ia one or the largest points fer
tax collections in the county, and the
payers turned out in greater numbers
than ever. C,apin is growing every
day, many new residences and busl-
| ness houses having gone up since we
were last here. The merchants are
enjoving the best trade III their his
toiy. and tie collections have been
good as rule.
a6 Peak, our last point in the Fork
we met jolly, good natured crowd
of taxpayers, all of them ANXIOUS 10
pay their dues. The treasurer and his
assistant, County Auditor Dent, were
equal to the occasion and handed out
receipts rapid y. The town is holding
its own, The school at Peak IS
hourishing under the supervision OF
Miss Carrie Buford, of Kinard's, New
berry county. She is teacher of ex-
perience and woman of many traits
of loyable character, and has already
endeared herself to the people OF the
town. We left on the afternoon train
for home via Columbia.
The collections Throughout the Fork
were better than usual. We have
never found the people in a more
prosperous condition. AS rule the
crops are fair. and with the high
price of cotton, money is quite plentl-
tul.
Our next trip will be through the
sand hills, beginning at CASTOR, on