The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-08-17
THE sasTEE PEOPLE TRAPPED.

caI Cas- matte.
THE sASTEE PEOPLE TRAPPED.
Our attention has been called
10 & condition which We predict,
ed long ago would be, and ao-
vised against when it first De-
gan to appear that foreign cor
porations had their eyes turned
towards the swamp lands IN TINS
country. We cautioned the own
ers of these lands TO oc careful
how they disposed Of their lands,
and said then that they should
reserve the pasture and hunting
privileges, ou. from what We
can learn many Of them did not
heed our advice. being tempted
by the allurins gold OF these
foreigners, and now they are
chewing the bitter cud OF diSap-
pointment.
The people, both white and
colored in this county, are very
much worried because OF the
position taken recently by the
Santee River Cypress Lumber
Company in regard to the pastur-
ing of stock in Santee Swamp.
Some years ago this company
began actively to acquire oy
purchase the Santee lands, and
Shey employed j. II. Lesesne,
ESQ, Of the Manning bar, to eN-
anime into the titles. Mr.. Les
esne was born and reared on the
Santee and was perhaps in bet
ter position to do this work than
a man not acquitted with the
people. his knowledge Of that
part of the county, and his
thorough familiarity with the
families in that section made him
OF value to the capitalists who
own this great corporation. Mr.
Lesesne's work was Of course
legitimate, he was oaly employ
ed TO pass upon the titles, he
had nothing to do with the sales
or the bargaining for these
lands, and when engaged in this
work for the Santee cypress
Lumber Company he little
thought Of the consequences to
follow the requirement OF these
lands by this company. Mr..
Lesesne did not dream the COM
pany would become arbitrary
and troublesome to the people
who have stock running in the
swamp, a privilege they have
enjoyed from time immemorlai.
for the reason. that when the
agents were seeking the pur-
chase OF these lands, they repre-
seneed to the owners they only
wanted the timber and would not
have any objection to their pas
turing; hunting and fishing: as
long as the timber was not mo-
Tested the people could hunt, hsh
and pasture ali they wished.
But 4 change has come over
this mighty corporation. since It
has gotten possession Of the lands
in most instances at q very low
price, they are now turning
the thumb-screws Of oppression
by requiring fee for every head
of stock psstured on It's posses
ions: Is cents a head for hogs,
and so cents per head a month
for cattle. The price IS very high,
but if it was a moderate charge
the company has acted in bad
faith towards those people, N
that it procured the lands cheap
by holding out false hopes, and,
it is because Of such conduct the
feeling against corporations is
not very kind: the people are dis
posed to treat corporations 1air,
but the corporations need not
complain when verdicts are ren,
dered against them after they act
towards the people in the manner
the Cypress Lumber Company is
doing.
There are some private parties
who own lands in Santee Swamp.
and it is practically out Of the
aaestion for them 20 fence
those lands off from those belong,
ing TO the company, is it because
these private parties Will not sell
that the company has resorted tc
this meaEs Of coercian to force
them to part with their posses
sions: Then too, there are Sev,
eral tracts Of land in dispute. how
is the ownership TO be determln.
ed: There is no wonder. the peo,
pie along the Santee are eNercl>.
ed, they are being deprived OF
one Of their main sources OF Ilv'
lihood by 4 power SO great that
:. can keep the ordinary citizen II
trouble or force him 70 divorce
himself Of what he has. The com
pany has its regularly employed
attorneys. and men 70 scour the
swamps 10 see that their rules &c
bleed the people are carried out,
The ordinary citizen dependant
on his COW to furnish EOur:Sh,
menc for his family mrSt either
bow down and obey the tvrant.
or give up ali he can make &C
So,ro la,-,:a,. 70 i,ann ont OF iaii.