Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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fc« I WE GUARANTEE The Reliability of Every Adver- V tiser Who Uses the Col umns of This Paper. The Ledger. OUR SUBSCRIBERS Can Secure Bargains by Patron izing Those Who Adver tise in The Ledger. A Newspaper in all that the Word Implies and Devoted to the Best Interests of the People of Cherokee County. ESTABLISHED FEB. 16, 18‘M. GAFFNEY CITY, S. C.. THURSDAY, MARCH .3, 1898. $1.00 A YEAR THE COWPENSBATTTE FIELD THE “KERNAL” ON THE SITE OF OUR NATIONAL PARK. The People of the Battle Ground Give Him a Royal Reception— Neighborhood Notes from Etta Jane. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) Etta Jake, Feb. 28.—Last Wednes day being Ash Wednesday, ^ and a beautiful day besides, we may look for an abundant wheat crop, if the Dutch sign holds good. So mote it be. There will be preaching at Salem next Sabbath, 5th instant, by Rev. W. R. Owings. pastor. Still our farmers keep sowing oats. King cotton is gradually being crowd ed out. Our young and much esteemed friend, Frank .McOluney is witli Col. W. D. Camp, in the Auditor’s office. If those in position to do so. will al ways select their helps from our sober business young men office-holding or any other public works will become more popular with the masses. Of all things deliver me from a “dudish” administration, in either society, state or nation. Mr. Joe Estes, is still confined to his bed and suffers greatly at times. He has the severest kind of acute rheumatism. Opiates are constantly in demand to allay his sufferings. I spent one night last week with my brother magistrate, J. W. Alex ander. Resides being a fearless ad ministrator of the law, he has a high appreciation of the honors which be long to a farmers life and occupation. He is an ex-Confederato soldier and rode with Stuart, the greatest cavalier of modern times. He was with that great military chieftain when he fell mortally wounded at Yellow Tavern, Va.. May 11th, 1801 From current reports there will be a wedding in this section this week. The C. E. Society met at T. J. Es tes’last night. Sum Foster, T. J. Estes and J.L. Strain were elected delegates to attend the Convention at Clinton in April. Last week 1 had the pleasure of visiting the Cowpens battle-ground section for the purpose of looking after the park matter. Upon reach ing Gaffney 1 ascertained that Mrs. Prof. Sams was lying in a very low state of health, and that it would be impossible for the Professor to ac company me and take the measure ment of the ground. However, 1 went on to meet my appointment with the citizens of that section, and locate the grounds, which we accom plished in a satisfactory manner, trusting to have the surveying and plotting done later. I arrived at the home of rny friend Mr. Berck Scruggs, about the middle of the afternoon on Wednesday, where 1 was most kindly received, got a fine dinner and my pony fed. Mr. Scruggs lives just on the inside of the battle-ground plat. The old part of his house was built just a few years after the close of the Revolu tionary war. In front of his house musket balls, gun flints and other paraphernalia, necessary for an army outfit, have been found in abundance from time to time. This land has been in cultivation for a long time. There is not at present (so far as I could see) any sign of any tree, stump or root, that could have been part of the original forest. Mr. Scruggs himself has picked up many different relics. He sent several balls to the Atlanta exposition two years ago. The famous “wolf pit” is within one hundred yards of Mr. Scruggs’ house. It is near the road side, and I am told that signs of the old chestnut stump could be seen until just a few years ago. In company with Messrs. Black and R. A. Scruggs I went to see Mr. J. H. Ezell, who lives just at the Aher end of the battle-field—the distance between the two points being about a mile, or perhaps a mile and a quar ter. Mr. Ezell has nearly reached his four-score years. His mind is clear, and has his other faculties In a re markable state of preservation. The Howard’s Gap road between Messrs. Scruggs and Ezell’s do^s not run exactly east and west, but nearer those than any other cardinal points of the compass. It cuts the battle ground In two longitudinally. On the north side of the plateau forming the battle-ground we find three springs, the head waters of Suck Creek, the outlets of which usually form bogs, thus making a flank movement by cavalry or artillery difficult, if not impossible. On the south-side we find the headings of Little Buck Creek, Maple Swamp and Island Creeks, answering the same purpose. Thus the military student will readily see the stutegy of the American commander In choos- ^ ing this ground upon which to fight an enemy of superior forces and re sources. The lines pointed out us fromj where the those including the battle-field pro per, arei thus briefly outlined. At nearly right angles a line crosses the Howard’s Gap road at J. H. Ezell's s>ore going south until it comes op posite the head of Little Buck Creek. At a point on the south-side of the road opposite spring No. 1. forming the head of Suck Creek is the other corner. These lines run nearly par allel with the Howard’s Gap road, and with each other until they pus* below, and a little to the east of Black Scruggs’ house. The area enclosed will cover 75 to 100 acres, a part of which is now in a high state of culti vation. and beautiful farming land at that. Your correspondent was shown most of the noted places as pointed out to those now Being by the actors in that struggle. To the right of the road on a knoll between where John Cudd and Blaca Scruggs lives, it is said that the dead were buried, several trees show the scars from which bullet were cut. A few years ago a cannon ball was cut from a tree not far monument now stands. Mrs. Nancy Williams, who is now 70 years old, lived where J. H. Ezell now lives when she was years old. She is a grand daughter of Nathan Byers who fought in that battle. He died 58 years ago at the age of 97 years. Mrs. Williams distinctly re members what he told and showed her about the battle, and her ac counts fully verify its history in oth er respects. He showed her where the dead were buried. She saw the “wolf pit,” near where Black Scruggs now lives. It was waist deep to her, when she first remembered it. Some of the British dead were buried in it and the theory is that when the bod ies rotted that the earth sunk in and until the land was put into culti vation the intuitive was plainly to be seen. She has picked up bullets about Black Scruggs’ house and in many parts of the field. Heard her grandfather tell of the Wushington- Tariton incident which took place near Cowpens spring—a large bold fountain of free-stone water gushing from beneath a little red hill oh the top of which, it is said, was the camp ing ground and head-quartew of Gen. Morgan just before and at Vlie time of battle. On the left-kund side of the road coming toward Gaffney, and be fore you get to the spring immense quantities of broken crockery-ware were still to be found. This, again, goes to prove the fact that Morgan did destroy the camp equippage of Tarleton that he couldn’t move con veniently. Mrs. Williams is a strong minded woman for one of her age, and us she got her account from an actor in the drama, I took pains to note what she said, and intend at a future time, and with the consent of the editor, to give The Lkdgkk readers a full ac count of it. To my venerable friends, I. H. Ezell and R. A. Scruggs, I am greatly indebted for valuable information which I will giife in a fuller account of the Cowpens' battle ground. I will just 8u,y here that there is a striking similarity between Cowpens and Seven Pines, the “lay” quality and color of, the land—the little knolls which ijire more readily noticed by the degrees of the earth than their elevation above the general surface— the so-calle^ depressions which often terminate yi quagmires without any apparently natural reason why tbay should dc) so. Tall slender pines towered fair above a struggling under growth of/almost every other specie of wood belonging to the Sylvan fam ily. Thj6 soil, when tickled by the farmers/ plow share, opens its gener ous ami receptive bosom, and in turn yields/him an ample reward for his labor/ Along the little streams a sufficient supply of cane can be four/d to make winter pastures prof- itabjlo possessions to their owners. I (spent Wednesday night with ray friemd, R. P. Scruggs, and family. “Rtob” is a whole soul fellow, as the pecxple of Cherokee county already kn^w. He has in his possession a tbrfee-pound cannon ball picked np in i^ear of his barn a few years ago. II met quite a number of the citi zens of Ezell on my trip and found fherfci an unostentatious, hard work ing) people—just such as a county mubt have to develop its resources and protect its interests. Mr. J. H. Ez^ll, who is 78 years old, is a kind of 'Patriarch among them. The health of that section is abundantly slioivn by the longevity of Its people. Dodtors are not often needed and the maA'istrates principal work is marry ing .people. Between Cherokee creek and Cow- penk Springs is an iron region where thomsands, and I might say millions, of Cions of ore of the finest quality has ‘>been raised. This ferruginous district Is separated from Thicuety mountain by Cherokee creek. This is about the highest elevation in Cherokee county. Cherokee creek at thiip place forms a good size branch whose', water is as clear as crystal and, wilth a properly arranged conduit could ^>e poured in the tallest smoke stuck itt the Gaff.iey cotton mill. Miss Olivo McKown Is teaching school at Lawn. She has a large school, and is a good teacher. If “Whale” will examine a subse quent tissue of Thk Leoukk ho will find an explanation of the very thing I understand he is looking for, and how the “mix-up” lie speaks of srot into print. I hope, however, he will not exercise his deglutitory powers on our unsophisticated anatomy and consign us with our historical coup de main to the confines of his copu- cious abdominal cavity. The talk of war makes us feel a little like the soldier did at First Manassas when he said: “If this foolishness isn’t stopped somebody will get hurt.” A frend who with more honesty of purpose than knowledge of human nature in speaking of the Lake City massacre said: “Now is the time to go to war with Spain.” Our people are so thirsty for blood.” My dear sir! don’t let that fool you. Mid night assassins are not the men to fight their country’s battles. The men who protect the nation’s honor are not those who drench its soil with the blood of its citizens on slight provocation. We have seen the truth of this abundantly verified during the late war. Had the ill fated postmaster at Lake City b^en armed with a sixteen or even a six shooter, and used it, he would no doubt have been alive now. Brave men are always tender hearted. Cow ards alone aro cruel. The following note from a gjntle- mati living in another county, but whose patriotism is not controlled by his pocket, explains itself and elicits our thanks. We omit the name for the present: Dear Sir:—I am glad to see that you continue your effons to get the park at Cowpens. It is a good move, and we are much in favor of it. If you need any help to carry out your plans let me know and I will send you the amount necessary. Yours truly, Mrs. Giles Hill visited Mrs. “J. L. S.” today. Mr. Hill came near get ting hurt at Gaffney last Saturday by the upsetting of his buggy by a scared mule. He escaped harm how ever. Our people are keeping the road hot from here to Gaffney hauling cotton and guano. Wheat and oats are looking well. James Mason is drawing the wall out his well with a view of digging it deeper. Several other wells are need ing the same kind of attention. Farmers are busy breaking their land sowing oats, building fences, etc. A farmer has ten acre of land in a square field, with a tree at each corner. He desires to increase it to twenty acres without enclosing any of the trees inside the plot. How can it be done? j. l. s. Ezell Etchings. (Corrospondenco of The Ledger.) Ezell, Feb. 21.—It has been very windy since my last writing, equal to the month of March. We have had a nice rain, which will make the ground easy to plow. There was a wedding here at an unusual hour last Wednesday morn ing. Henry Goode, son of W. P. Goode, and Miss Alice Scruggs, daughter of Epton Scruggs, were married at two o’clock in the morn ing, M. B. Scruggs officiating. There was a large crowd assembled at M. B. Scruggs’ Sunday morning to witness the marriage of Eaker Martin and Miss Ofee Taylor, M. B. Scruggs officiating. David Sprinkles and wife visited R. A. Scruggs’ family recently. J. A. Scruggs went to Cowpens Saturday on business. The farmers of Cherokee county should make more manure and buy less guano this year and should make less debts and more corn. Then, too, we should raise our own meat, then our smokehouses would be at homo instead of in the west us they now are. J. P. Moore caught a large mink re cently. He deserves credit for it and a nice chicken pie. I think the neighbors will reraumerate him with a large pie. Husslek. A GOOD CHEROKEE WORKER. DR. JOHN G. BLACK, OF BLACKS BURG. A Short Sketch of This Enterprising and Hardworking Citizen Who Has Been Honored Several Times. Among the hard working, deep thinking, sincere and patriotic men of Cherokee who have contributed their time, brains and energy to the promo tion of the general welfare of this country since the war, there are prob ably none who have accomplished more in that direction than Dr. John G. Black. Dr. Black is a son of the late Wm. C. Black, one of the most prominent of the many eminent statesmen that York county has fur nished to South Carolina. The war coming on just as he was preparing to enter college, he entered instead the Confederate service, and con tinued in active duty up to the time of the surrender without having lost a day from the front. Commencing the study of medicine immediately after the war, he received his diploma from the Charleston Medical college, in ISOS, and at once achieved flattering success and high btanding in this pro fession, which, however, he has since abandoned in order to devote his energies to business better suited to the wide range of his enterprising spirit. In 1880 Dr. Black was sent to Columbia to represent \'ork county in the house of representatives, and and after serving one term in this branch of the legislature, declined re This is the Stuff. [I*. B. Lovo in Yorkvillo Yeoman.1 Mr. R. A, Jones, of Gaffney, spent last Friday in Hickory Grove on bus iness. He spoke in high terms of the bright and beautiful location of our star town, and her valuable sur roundings, and said all that was needed to make the town grow and prosper was for the business men to get a hustle on them. He further said that the business men of Gaffney once thought and acted as the busi ness men of Hickory Grove now do, but found out their mistake and got a hustle on them. Bee ad column in Gaffney Lepoek and find the cause of it. Gaffney is now a young Chi cago in the way of push, hustle, busi ness and enterprise. Mr. Jones owns some real estate in Hickory Grove, the drugstore lot property. Bucklen's Arnica Salve. The Beat B/dve in the world for Guta. Braises, Sores, Ulcer, Balt Rheum, Fevers*, s*, Tetter, Chapped Hands, Chilblains, Corns, and all Skin Eruption, and pottlvely cures Files or no pay required. It is gura- anteed to give perfect satisfaction or money refunded. Price 25 cents per box. For tale by The DuPre Drug Co. Cherokee County Legislation. A Bill to Amend Section 10 of an Act Entitled “An Act to Establish Cherokee County,” Providing for the Transfer of Suits and Records to Said County. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina: Section 1. That Section 10 of an Act entitled “An Act to establish Cherokee County” be, and the same is hereby amended by inserting after the words “reside in” on line two of said action, “or the subject of action lies in and insert on the eleventh line after word “transferred” the fol lowing words, “by the Clerks of Courts of Spartanburg, Union and York Counties,” and striking out all of said section after word “Cherokee” on line twelve and insert the words “upon them,” so that said section when so amended shall read as fol lows : Section 10. That all suits pending in Spartanburg, Union and York Counties in which the defendants re side in, or the subject of action lies in, those portions of said counties now incorporated in the County of Cherokee, and all indictments now pending in the aforesaid counties where the offenses were committed in the portions of said counties now established as Cherokee County, shall be transferred to the calenders of the courts of the County of Cherokee; and all records, commissions and other papers belonging to any of said suits cr indictments, together with all the legal incidents thereto apper taining, shall be transferred by the Clerks of Courts of Spartanburg. Union and York Counties on demand made by the Clerk of the Court of the said County of Cherokee upon them. election; but in 1884 he was elected to the State senate, whore ho con tinued until 1888, rendering the county and State conspicuous service and proving himself to be one of the most able and influential members of the legislature. Since the ex piration of this term, as indeed for the past twenty years, he has been devoting his time and labors to the development of the natural resources of Western York, and largely to his efforts may be assigned the credit of inducing the Charleston, Cincinnati and Chicago railroad to locate its line througii this county. Immediately upon the inception of this project in the latter part of 1884, fully apprecia ting the wonderful advantages to bo derived to this section through the consummation of such an enterprise, lie at once entered upon the work with a zeal and earnestness that has been the means of making its successful completion possible. Commencing in Cleveland and Rutherford counties, N. C., he rendered the project the must signal service in smoothing away prejudices, adjusting differences of opinion and in removing various obstacles that stood in its way. This accomplished,he became instrumental in changing the previously determined location of the line so as to bring it through Cherokee and across the county. No sooner was this object attained, than immediately setting about culling attention to the natural resources of his section, he has already been the means of accomplishing sufficient development to abundantly prove the wisdom of the foresight which led him to devote his energies to this great enterprise. Dr. Black is a hard worker and a deep thinker, with the courage of his convictions, always practicing the “bo sure you are right, then go ahead” motto, and never hesitating to leave the developments of time to prove the wisdom and sincerity of a ben eficent purpose calculated to be de feated by a present explanation. Although retired from politics, he is essentially a public man of unusual depth and breadth, and enjoys the fullest confidence of ids own section, which him learned by experience to respect his soundness of judgment and honesty of purpose. FLAW AVERSE TO WAR. Larry and the Legislature, ll’iwlmont Hcadliirlit.l It is better than going to a circus to take a seat where you can get a bird’s eye view of tho members of the House, and watches their faces and listen to their deliberations. Fully .hree-fourths of our representatives are honest, unsophisticated country men, who would not recognize a point of order if they met it in the road, and the best way for Speaker Gary to safely steer them through the intri cacies of parliamentary law would be i/O yell "Gee!” and “Haw!” when he when he wanted to get one of the rural members out of a tangle. But every mother’s son of them comes to Columbia with the honest opinion firmly planted in his bosom that the State for years past has been going to the demnition bow wows, and he is the Most s to lead it out of the wilder ness of wreck and ruin. But after introducing bills to incorporate the growing town of Sapsucker, to define in which pocket a man must carry his watch, and to other legislation calculated to turn the world up side down, and inside out, and that am bitious member has been sat down on and flattened out like a pan cake, he lapses into a state of innocuous desuetude and realizes the fact that “this world is all a fleeting show for man’s delusion given.” There are men who believe that their mission in the legislature',^ ito draw four dollars per day and mileage and have a good time; and they nobly discharge tins duty. Others believe that the quint essence of statem^nship is to keep their seat constantly warmed and never miss a roll call. They are very proud of this record, and when they offer for re-election boastfully point to the journal to show how closely they attend to their duty. But I have never known one of those seat warmers to accomplish anything be side drawing his per diem. The fellows who make our laws and get their bills through are generally found circulating among the boys, imbibing “Fuss X,” and mixing pleasure with business. How to be Beautiful. To bo beautiful, you must have pure blood and good health. To do so, purify the blood and build up the health with the best Tonic and Blood Purifier of the age. Botanic Blood Balm (“B. B. B.”) It is the old standard and reliable remedy. It never fails to cure all manner of Blood aud Skin diseases, where emi nent physicians and all other known remedies have failed. Bend stamps for book of particulars, to the Blood Balm Co.. Atlanta, Ga. Price ifl OO per large bottle. POSITIVE proof. A lady friend of mine has for sev eral years been troubled with bumps and pimples on her face and neck, for which she used various cosmetics in order to remove them and beautify and improve her complexion; but these local uppications were only temporary, and left her skin in worse condition. I recommended an internal prepa ration—known as Botanic Blood Balm, (B. B. IL), which I have been using and selling about two years; she used three bottles and all pim ples have disappeared; her skin is soft and smooth and iier general health much Improved. She expresses herself much gratified, and can rec ommend it to nil who are thus affec ted. Mas. 8. M. Wilson, Iron Moun tain, Texas. For sqle by Druggists. HE IS ALREADY THINNED OUT TO ONE IN A HILL. He Tells Why Banjo Lu and Himself Have Dissolved Copartnership, And Gets on to a Preacher. (Correspondence of The Ledger.) You, no doubt, have hearn some pritty rough jokes in the days that are gone by an’ past, one of whitch was brought forcible back into my mind ’tother day whilst I was in town—that one about the new pat ent cookin’ stove. This one I saw wern’t no cookin’ stove like any I ever seen, if hit was a cook stove, an’ hit—hit didn’t have no place fer the smoke to go in perticler as I knows of, but what struck me so blasted hard was, that the man hit belonged to used it to carry out the ashes in. Acliully he had the thing out side the house an’ upside downards heatin’ of it like hit was a base drum, to git the ashes out. Nobody would a thought of sitch a thing but a Yankee I raley don’t bleeve. But a man may live in this ole world a thousand an’ one years (ef he don’t haf to go to the war an’ git killed) an' he’ll larn somethin’ most every day—that is, ef he’s got a head fer lamin’. I was a readin’ of some papers ’tother day wherein hit told about a professional diver a goin’ down to see how that blasted war ship got blowed up. (I want to say right here, “by way of parenthesis/' as Tom Ledwell is wont to say, that he ain’t got the sense an’ forethought of a scared-to-death rabbit). He went down an’ examined it an’ come back up an’ said, “Yes, boys, hit’s shore ’nuff bin blowed up from the outside at the bottom,” wherein, you see, ef he had had the sense of my—my fore fathers he would of come back up an' laid the blame to the carelessness of the crew an' said hit was caused by some kind of pushency from the in side, then Uncle Sam couldn't have had anybody to blame but his self, but as it is, he may call on me to help fight somethin,' an’ I never was no hand to fight, nohow. Uncle Jimmy says we raley ort to have another war, says the people are too thick, says they needs thinnin' out, but you understand, he’s so dog gone old" he ain't much account wherever he goes an’ knows he won’t haf to fight nohowr. An' as fer as tho thinnin' out is concerned. I’m already thinned out to one in a hill an’ far between since me an’ ole Banjer Lu. have dissolved copartnership. Before, when I would ' “swear off” from him I would give him a farewell grip an' say. “Go! God bless you,” an’ this time when I give him the farewell grip I said “Go! God—” er, I said “Go! durn you!” I’ll tell you wherein all this come about. You know last Saturday night, how furious dark an’ drizzly hit was, well, Banjer Lu got at me to go 'way down below the mountain with him, an’ nothin’ would do but I must go. So we started'about dusky dark, on footback, and by some means or nother, me a follerin’ of him, we got tetotially lost. He tramped an' I tromped, an' he tromped an’ I tramped, in ole fields an’ briar patches an’ through woods an’ bushes, an' by gatlin», hit seemed to me like we had gone fully 18 miles when I hearn the bell tap 2. I says, says I. “Lu. I’m u gittiu’ most Uel- lacious tired of this here trampin' bisness an’ a gittin’ nowheres in pertickler. Ef you are trainin’ of mo fer a trampin' contest less wait till daylight an’ raeby I can ketch the lick a little better.” Two o’clock Sunday mornin' we struck the road, then I was at homo, an’ on tho evenin’ of tho same day I tole him to "git thee behind me.” Hit’s no use in tellin’ of me nothin’, a keepin’ of bad company is tho worst thing a man can do fer his own happiness an’ will cause his family at home to see untold of mis ery an’ oneasiness an’ want fer things which they have not. Ef that ain’t the dyin’ truth a preacher ort to blush when he goes to take his text out n the Bible. But hit seems as ef though some preachers think that ole Flaw couldn’t tetch the natural truth or decent United States language with a ten foot pole. I’ve hearn of one preacher what won’t let his gals read a paper what’s got vlaw Picker In it. Now let me tell you, ole chap, I’ve never, to my recollection, put any thing in print In the way of ondecenfe language that I haven’t hearn Sun Jones use in the pulpit, an’ he can preach you to death in three jesks of a shtep’s tail. I’m sorry fer that g— I’m sorry for anybody that hain’t got no daddy. Of course hit won’t make 'er ner break 'er ef ehe don’t never git to read Flaw’s pieces, an’ to tell you my honest an’ candid opinion, 1 raley don’t reckon ehe wants to read ’em very bad. Flaw Picker.