Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1921-08-18
INTERESTING LETTER FROM MR..
H. L. P0WE

have Just made very interesting and
instructive tour through the country
as far as Washington, D. C. and it
occurred to me that perhaps some Of
our citizens who contemplate such a
trip in the future might be interested
in the Impressions made on US.
Leaving with MY sisters and a
friend whose home is in Philadelphia
we started on August 4th, on our
journey. The first thing that impress
sed us was the marked improvement
in the roads as we passed out of
South Carolina. Perhaps I should not
comment so unfavorably ohethe roads
in our State as hope other places
can boast of better roads than we
have around, here, but it is with a
feeling of regret that we are so far
behind in this respect as compared
with our sister State.
Passing through Hamlet we came
to the beautiful peach orchards, the
finest one we passed was the one
owned by our townsman Mr.. T. c.
Evans. The fact of these prosperous
looking orchards raises the question
why we around Cheraw cannot be
equally successful in raising peaches
and other crops than cotton especial
ly as the boil weevil is with US to
stay. There are hundreds of peach
orchards flourishing on land much
like our poorest land and nettineetaoi
like our poorest land and netting the
owners handsome returns. q
Passing from the peach orchards we
come to the berry district, there are
hundreds of acres planted to berries
which 1 was told brought top market
prices and which put their owners on
easy street. Berries are not so diff
ficult to raise and they come when
the farmer needs money most, with
some of us they would have to be
perennial, however, there is no rea-
son why we in this section should not
give this trial, II, has paid where it
has been tried and we have soil next
to none.
The further into North Carolina We
went the more impressed we became
with the progressiyenes Of the Old
North State. The roads for the most
part are splendid, the farms look well
kept, houses fresh. and. attractive and
there is general air of thrift and
the intelligent application OF business
Ilke methods in running the farms.
might remark here that my convic-
-Sion is that the Automobiles which are
responsible for the good roads and
1.-THE circulation of The Progressive
Farmer with it's live staff has done
a great work in that State and its
example is we'll worn emulating.
Leaving North Carolina we were
ferried over the Roanoke River by a
very genial ferryman who convinced
lis thoroughly that his ferry was the
safest and shortest route to Richmond
his competitors advertisement to the
contrary, and then after a mile or
two of fair roads We commenced to
get to roads that gave US he speed
,sters fever, even he ladies caught the
fever and when we would go at 81,
IS and 40 miles and hold 1t for miles
at q tine, we would feel wave Of re-
sentiment when we would come to q
small hamlet with large signs "Spee
Limit 8 Miles" and it was with sigh
of relief when we shook their dust OFF
pur tires.
At Richmond we stopped several
DAYS taking in the points of interest.
Monun. entail Avenue with its famous
statues Of our own Southern Heroes,
Battle Ably, the splendid Confederate
Veterans Home, the beautiful parks,
and the savage traffic Cops. The lat
fer were a thorn in the flesh and con-
tinuaily would be bobbing up at un-
expected times and places with menac-
ing looks and sinister threats when
we would innocsntly overlook their
stop sign and find ourselves blocking
thes traffic and surrounded by We
hicles and pedestrians all Of whom
seemed bent on getting there.
Leaving Richmond Monday morning
we struck the trail for Washington
a distance reputed TO be lbs miles,
but there was one thing that impSess-
ed me was the unreliability OF mile
posts and the information You get
from people as to distances. / became
so skeptical that / would not even be-
lieve nv spedomeer for ] knew 1t dlu
not register miles quick enough and
ON our return Journey it seemed to
have caught the spirit OF the place
and would not record the same mileage
over the same route Travelled.
I'VE stopped at Fredericksburg for
dinner after passing through spott-
sysyaufa and other points OF historic