The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-07-06

Activity Throughout the South.
Manufacturers Record.
Indicative OF the spirit Of develop
ment throughout the South are two
letters from South Carolina, reaching
the Manufacturers Record at about
the same hour. One Is from Sumter, s.
c.. and in this Mr.. A. v. Smell, Secy.
of the Chamber Of Commerce. writes:
Sumter Is going ahead by leaps
and bounds. and l believe that any
impartial investigator would bear
me out when i say that no city of the
old South for its size Is doing more
than Sumter right now. 1t Is having
building boom. Two new hotels are
under way. one costing 100000 and
one $4,000; two office and bank
buildings. one to be seven stories, are
under construction. as are two new
churches, one to cost $4,000, and a
$4,000 gas plant Is being ins, allied.
The s. w. r. r. Co., reported to be a
branch Of the Seaboard, Is being
graded into Sumter from McBee.
where 1t connects with the Seaboard.
and from which point north but
few miles will connect with Monroe
thence via Charlotte to Bostic and
the Clinchfeld. From Sumter it is
certain to go south to Charleston.
Glance at nap. and the impor-
tance OF this extension is easily seen.
In Sumter on every hand smaller
buildings and dwellings are going up.
Seventeen stores are in course of con-
struction. The Southern Express Co.
Is to have a new home. Recently a
new wholesale dry-goods house has
been established with local capital.
This has been followed In the last few
days by 'he witherspoon Bros. Shoe
Manufacturing Co.. with $4,000 cap
ital."
The other letter from another town
, In South Carolina or rather. W,
-i'ull eay r.N ,or tr. comes fr.u
@'"d old Charleston. tei's ot The rae
p'd suburban development that is
taking place around that city. Mr..
James Allan OF the Allan. Jewelry Co..
wholesale jewellers. writes
There Is great development just
now taking place In Charleston in
suburban property. and there will be
a demand for mechanics Of all sorts
and building contractors. One hum
dred and twenty-five lots have recent
ly been sold in the Hampton Park
Terrace, just opened up, and as soon
as the sewage and water pipes have
been completed houses will he built
l have been elected president Of two
other development companies which
own some large tracts Of land in the
same section Of Charleston, the Park
View Co. and the Riverside Park
Co.. and also a large tract of land
outside of the city known as the
Manor Company All of this property
will be opened up for development.
Charleston is very much congest-
ed Rents are very high. and there
has been large increase in land val
ues within the last few months"
The spirit of home building ac-
tivity and the opening up Of subur-
ban property around Charleston, the
General building activity of all kinds
In Sumter, are but types of that wide
development of every kind which is
seen In every part of the South. One
OF the most striking phases OF south
ern advancement is that activity is
not confined to a few towns or cities,
but Is about universal i'm the broad
region that stretches from the Po-
tomac to the Rio Grande. In this
Widespread activity. covering every
phase of business. of building opera
tions. of road construction, of, inn
proved farming operations. is the
sure and certain evidence Of q broad
.er and greater prosperity than tre
south has ever known.