The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-04-20
Fifty Years of Great Achievement.

South was on the eve of great war.
Wrought up to a state of tension by
the prospect of a conflict with the
North, which however is ended, it
was recognized, would involve the ex-
penditure of millions of treasure and
the sacrifice of thousands of lives,
business was at a standstill. The
pail of commercial stagnation had
spread it's panoply over both sides
of the Potomac and men without en-
ployment roamed the streets, hungry
and anxious. For four years the
hands on the clock of industry stop
ped moving. When they resumed
half a million brave fellows had been
laid away beneath the sod and ten
billion dollars had been consumed
in powder and armament.
No so years in the worlds history
have seen greater changes anywhere
than have been wrought since then
in the South, which rising from the
smouldering embers of Industrial
prostration has taken her place
among the most progressive, and
most enterprising sections of the ma
ton. Unaided by the rest of the
country it has solved the tremendous
problems thrust upon it at the close
of the war with an intelligence, initl-
ative and courage in keeping with its
best traditions. Beset with discour-
agements on every side, handicapped
by lack of capital, and encompassed
by difficulties that called for the ex-
ercise of extraordinary firmness, tact,
industry and judgment, it has opto-
mistically kept it's face to the rising
sun and succeeded where pessimism
suggested failure. It has stimulated
agriculture and given new impetus
to manufacture. It has encouraged
the extension of railroads through
undeveloped communities, promoted
irrigation for the arid waters and
fostered drainage for the lowlands.
It has infused new life into the cot
ton industry, now worth $900,000,-
900 a year to it and vies with the
West in it's ambition to wrest from
England, through the help of the
Oxford processes, which do here in
two days that which requires 80
weeks to accomplish abroad, that
country's centuries old control of the
worlds linen market.
Comparatively new conner in the
textile field, it's mills already chal-
lenge those of New England and g.
100000 of the 24,000,000 spindles
in the United States hum their song
of industry within it's borders. Its
factories boast of S3S,717 horse
power, employ a capital Of $1,2S7,-
921,0S4 and annually produce goods
of value of s1,50O,000,000. Barely
explored yet, with only their surface
deposits touched, it's coal mines, rich
er and more extended than those of
Pennsylvania, yield SS,596,902 tons
year and apace with it's develop
ment in other directions it's railroads
provide transportation over &c.
1876 miles of it's territory, with an
aggregate wealth of $7,331,929,-
sos and yearly accretions of many
millions, it is stronger and CONNER
cially more formidable than at any
time in it's whole history. Looking
back through the half century of it's
unceasing constructive effort, the
South pausing to review it's accom-
pishments in the various fields of
human service to which it has applied
its energies, can feel proud of it's
superb record. For it the so years
that have rolled by have been of dis
tinguished achievement and steady
progression. They have been years
worth the while.