The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-05-31
live, HUSTLING TOWN
MIR. s. e. BONEY WRITES ABOUT
BOWMAN ANDTTs FOUNDER. :

MIR. S. E. BONEY WRITES ABOUT
BOWMAN AND IT'S FOUNDER.
Also of the Admirable Road Between
That Town and the City Of Or.
angetown.
Mr.. S. E. Boney, of the News and
Courier staff, who attended the
Woodmen picnic at Bowman on
Thursday, writes the following about
that town, its founder and the road
between Bowman and Orangeburg:
Bowman is growing little town
in the southern section Of Orange
burg County, twelve miles from
Branchville and fourteen miles from
the County seat. Fifteen years ago,
there was where the town is now
situated little more than thickly
wooded tract of land, with a spot
here and there under cultivation. To-
day there is a thriving village with
an air of business; there are ten
brick store buildings and number
of concrets. Two new brick stores
are now in course of construction,
and they say that this is just start.
The churches are thriving under the
leadership of good men, and the NOR
ais of the people are said to be OK
emplary.
Possibly the boast of Bowman peo-
Pile is their school, of which they are
justly proud. One fact alone suffices
to show the spirit which characteriz-
es the way they are dealing with the
problem of education. 1t is the ag-
ricultural feature, sanctioned by the
Legislature last year, has been taken
ton. They are teaching agriculture
erosity and public spiritedness of the
in the school, and next year they will
teach it with the aid of demonstra-
| ton work. The fact that the United
States Government will have spec
ialtist at Bowman to teach agricul-
ture, and that an unlimited amount
of land has been placed at the dis
posal of the school, through the gen.
erosity and public spiritness of the
Hon. Samuel Dibble, upon which the
demonstration work Is to be carried
on, is worthy of more than passing
note. This feature Of the school
work will be Of untold benefit to the
people of that entire section, and the
example will bear fruit throughout
the State. The school employs four
teachers now, next year there will be
six, including the Government ex-
pert.
Bowman is the terminus of the
Branchville and Bowman Railroad,
a property owned by Capt. Dibble,
and ably operated through lease, by
the Messrs. Shuler. In speaking of
Capt. Dibble, while it is a. we'll
known fact, therefore, needs no repe-
ton here, still when the name Bow
man is mentioned the name Dibble
is at once called to mind. They speak
of it as Capt. Dibbles town; not that
he owns the gas plant and "gouges'
the people on rates, or that he is the
big deacon in the church and must
have his way, regardless. Capt
Dibble really founded the town; he
started things going, and has kept
them going. He is public-spirited
man and has aided in every worthy
endeavor of his neighbors, promoted
new schemes and fostered new en-
terprises. His business is in Bow
man, although he resides at Orange
burg. Of course, every one knows
that he is a Charleston man. All
Charleston knows Capt. Dibble, and
Capt. Dibble knows everybody in
Charleston. He migrated into the
interior some fifty years ago, but the
Charleston stamp hasn't worn off.
Capt. Dibble is just now very much
interested in the Edisto River pro-
ject; that is, making the Edisto nav
igable and connecting it with the
Ashley, thereby making an outlet,
by water, from Orangeburg to Char
lesion and opening up fine section
of country. He talked very inter-
estingly of the scheme, of its pos
sibilities and its practicability. He
hopes that the survey ordered by
Congress, will open up the way for
national aid in the matter, and that
ere long, steamboats, will be plying
between Orangeburg and Charleston.
In the course of his conversation
about the river and the old survey
made years ago, he mentioned sever
al names familiar in Charleston and
remembered for their deeds of pub
lie service Some of them were
James B. Campbell. Theodore Gour-
din and Louis D. DeSaussure. It is
recalled that this surrey was made
in 1862 by NJ. L. Baldwin.
ICol. Hyatt, in his talk, urged the
matter of good roads. While the
people over the State are talking so
much about good roads it would he
a good object lesson for them to take