Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-09-26
AN OCONEEAN IN ALABAMA.
}. N. Rutherford Writes of CrOns and
Military Camp.

o" 6ot'iHS Il Single issue or your
paper, which | appreciate very much.
However, the sad news of so MANY
deaths of old friends makes me think
my time will come to join them in
the near future.
There has been a great change on
farms here since | came to this sec
ton. This Is State 6f big farms,
and once big cotton plantations
populated by negroes. The boil wee
VII has run the negroes away to the
North, so our large farms are almost
deserted, and the cultivation Of cot
ton has been about abandoned. Corn,
peas, velvet beans, peanuts, sugar
cane and sweet potatoes are our
crops now; and we are giving more
attention to raising stock. Cows
and hogs are on all farms, and they
pay we'll.
The city Of Montgomery Is on a
big boom now. Camp Sheridan is
located four miles out, and $4,000
Ohio soldiers and 10000 horses and
mules are to be taken care Of. Seve-
raj million dollars will be spent here
by the United States government,
and the city is spending huge sums
to make things attractive. But l am
afraid the city will, as Dr. Benjamin
Franklin said. "pay too dear for the
whistle" The city bought the crop
off of 1,000-acre farm. which is
now the camp. The crop was de-
stroyed. The city laid a 12-inch wa
ter main four miles to the camp, and
the quartermaster has laid Is miles
OF small water pipes. throughout the
camp. There are 4,50O carpenters
and laborers at work at wages rang
ing from s1.50 to IS per day. Two
horse teams are paid for at Sc per
day
There is one company Of Ohio ne
gro soldiers in camp. Some Of the
leading white and colored men Of the
city went to the camp and made
speeches to the colored soldiers, tell
ing them that social conditions down
South were different from in Ohio;
that If they behaved themselves all
would be WE'LL no Texas riots want
ed here.
Our first shipment of white draft
ed men left this morning for Atlanta.
1t is very hard on the Alabama far
mers, losing nearly all the negro
farm hands, and now the white boys,
who are needed OH the FARMS. But
Uncle Sam says, "Move on, boys!"
so they must obey. You remember
what Sherman said about war, so I
will not repeat it. He knew what he
was talking about, and all old SOL
ciors know only too we'll.
The farmers are picking their cot
ton and selling at 25 cents and seed
at $50 ton. Corn Is selling at 50
bushel; hogs at l3 cents a pound
on foot; cattle at 6h cents on foot;
sweet potatoes. So bushel. How
ever, they will soon be selling at SO
cents bushel. An Ohio company is
contracting for peanuts at $50 per
bushel. The best grade of -four is
going at $14 per barrel; leaf lard at
261A cents; butter and eggs about
80 cents; beef steak at rs cents.
So you see it costs something to live
In Alabama. The merchants In the
city are doing big business and
are very liberal in donating money
to make the city attractive to visit
ors. Money seems to be very plenti-
full. 1t is said the camp will spend
one million dollars a month here.
July Of last year was feod
month and destroyed the crops of
the State. During July Of this year
it rained nearly every day, so crops
failed to get plowed for the final
working. Crops of corn and cotton
are only considered half crops pea
nuts, velvet beans. sugar cane and
sweet potatoes are fairly good.
A belt Of prairie land crosses this
county and Is said to be the best land
in the State. | recently travelled over
80 miles Of this prairie 1t is beau
tiful country, covered with prairie
roses in full bloom, and there are
large pastures full of cattle. I saw
no white people on the prairies. Ne
groes rent the land and formerly
planted thousands Of acres in cot
ton, but the boil weevils stopped that
business. Respectfully,
J. N. Rutherford.
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