The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-05-11
Mrs. VIM. r. Greene,
Secretary Of Civic Club.
New County Project Abandoned.

During the past ten years the people OF
this community have cherished the nope
that a new county would be formed In this
immediate section, and that Mccormick
would he the county seat.
With q view to this a survey was mace
by Mr.. L. p. Elan in 1902, when 1856 square
miles in Abbeville county, 1876 In Edgeheld,
and 62 in Greenwood we're cut of to form
the proposed new county. When all elec-
ton was asked for, the opponents OF the
new county raised the point that Green
wood being an old county could not be re-
duced to less area than 500 square miles.
Attorney General Gunter sustained this
point, and as the survey would leave only
about A6O square miles in Greenwood coun'
ty the election was not ordered. -
Another survey was made In 1904 by Mr..
YeIdell, assisted by Mr.. q. J. Britt and Mr..
j. N. Ailston, the lines of the first survey
being changed 50 that only about ~ square
miles were taken from Greenwood county,
the balance Of the 400 square miles re-
quired for the new county being taken
from Abbeville and Edgefield counties.
The election was ordered this time, the
Governor being satisfied that all require
ments as to area, population and property
had been complied with; and on January
S. 1905. every precinct in the proposed new
county, except Mt. Carmel, voted in favor
of the proposition by moro than a two
thirds majority. 1t seemed then that the
new county would surely be formed by the
legislature then in session, but It MAS not,
and because some people Of AbbeVtle and
Edgefield counties convinced the feglSla-
tive committee that those counties had
been reduced below the constitutional limit
Of 500 square miles.
-Four Years had to elapse before another
election could be held, and that time hav-
ing expired the third effort was started
last year, and money was subscribed for
another survey. Mr.. DeCamp, of Ander-
son, was employed to make q survey OF
Edgetield county, which was completed
about first Of this month, and made the
fact apparent that Edgetield county has
less area than it was supposed to have, to
the extent of thirty square miles, more o.
less.
With this information at hand the new
county executive committee met Monday
night for q conference with the surveyor
and their Legal adviser, Gen. Bonham.
Every phase of the question relative to
area was discussed, and the conclusion was
reluctantly accepted that 400 square miles
from the three counties without leaving
one or more Of them with less area than
the law prescribes, assuming that Green
wood is an old county, a fact not yet es-
tablished by any judicial decision, though
generally accepted by lawyers.
The failure of the movement for the new
county will be regretted by a large major
ity Of the people Of this town and sur
rounding country and some nearby towns.
It is not unlikely that Parksyille and
Modoc will become part of the North Au-
gusta county, and that Plum Branch and
Mccormick will be annexed to Greenwood.
The inconvenience Of the present situation
is realized by all who have business at the
county seat at any time, and some change
seems necessary.-McCormic Messenger.