Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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INTERESTING INCIDENT CONNECTED WITH FLOOD OF 1852 AND FURMAN UNIVERSITY "The Immersion of Furman University," In Actual Fact, And Part Played By (Vir. Philemon Huff, Father of Mr. A. Huff of Laurens. (B) S. F.. Boncy.) 'I !u is a l>it of history connected! v. !i Furniun university the great Baptist institution of South Carolina, and the terrible August Hood <>r I8?2, that Is probably not generally known. Wt.llo everybody or at least those ! < Ol versaut in t?UCll matters, knows 1 lh.\t Fur in an university is distinctly n Baptist Institution, they may possibly not 1m> actptniuted with tin- foot that ; :? ? very building, the largest and or ... i al structure on the campus is truly Baptist, having been thoroughly Immersed; not merely sprinkled by the tnaity kindly showers that have fall en in the half century of its exist ? ? e. hut realy and truly immersed in the waters of old Iteedy river. t\ few of our oldest inhabitants re call the .meat downpour in IS52; the rains began on August 2Sth, ami con tinued almost incessantly until the 1'Oth. The Whole Piedmont section of !ho stad' was Hooded and there was jL'ioal loss of properly, both public and private. Almost all the mills and ?lues along the streams wt ie swept way; the old Columbia and tSreen . lie railroad, then struggling in its Inf.tnCy, sustained heavy losses, and was al this time that William Spencer Brown, chief engineer of the >. :l lost his life in an endeavor to pvs the Congnreo near Colmubin aft ? ? a tour of inspection over the road. ? ?? havoc Wl'OUghl by tills Hood is :? ailed by some of Laurens county's ddest citizen, among whom is Mr. \V. ?. Sullivan, who lives at Tumbling SI "als on Reedy river. Mr. Sullivan I'.; -. however, that the Hood of last year exceeded that of 1852; there is an old water-mark at his mil! on tlx* Reedy, Which indicates that the waters ire at least ten feet higher last year than during the freshet of 1852. ?'?ut about the immersion of Tinman university, it is recalled that during ;his year of I8?2, the main building of :he university was in the course of construction. The contract to fam ish all the heavy timbers for the build iug was U?i to Mr. Willain .1. West, who owned uud operated .1 saw mil! on l!i>- Ileedy liver. about thirteen miles southeast of rireenville ami three miles west of Simpson vi lie. All the large ami heavy timbers had been cut prior to August of 1 s.",ami were ly ing in the yards of the mill. When the rain began swelling the stream far out over its banks, these timbers, one by one. were carried away. Dur ing the three days of the Hood and for several days afterwards they were in the waters of the iveedy some being stopped by obstructions and others being carried miles below the mill. Hut the timbers were itot lost; every one. save one. was recovered ami brought back to the mill: they are today part of the frame-work in the main building on Furinan campus. Baptist in fact. Hut what of the miss ing timber? It was never found though diligent search was made for it. Was it bad omen? Is there a missing factor in the construction of the great institution, would the lost part have been the "Keystone of the larch"? The Ofty-odd years of proud history of the university disprove the supersll lou. Possibly there tire some in Green ville today who recall this Hood. There may be many who will recoglll/.e the names appearing in the following ac count, taken from the Southern Hat riot, date of September 2nd, I8?2: "There was never before, since the settlement of the county, such a freshet as we had last week in Green ville district. The water courses wore much higher than they were ever known to be before. All the bridges, and a great number of mills, have been swept away. The corn oil the low grounds is distroyed. or most seriously injured, in several places the embank ments of our railroad have been de stroyed and several of the culverts carried off. ar entirely demolished. The cotton factory and paper mill of .Mr. McBee, and the paper mill of I Greenville Manufacturing company, have been greatly damaged. We have not heard from the other factories in our district. All communication from the surrounding country lias been out off. by the loss of bridges, and the difliculty of fording the creeks and rivers, "The Reedy Falls, In the village of Greenville, wire quite an objecj of attraction on Saturday. They were Niagara In miniature, and our citizens and the visitors, men. women and children, turned out, cnmasse, to wit ness the grand spectacle pressonted by the raging and foaming waters dash ing over the falls and down the preci pice. "Hvery day the most distressing ac . counts are brought to us of the injury done by the Into llood of rains. Les ter und Ktlgore's wool factory, saw mill, blacksmith shop, are all carried off, their office turned up side down, and in the cotton factory overthlug covered with mud. Their lo s is esti mated at $2,000. ?'The factorv of \V. Hates & Co., is very seriously Injured. The factory of John Weaver. Fsq., injured consid erably. The Greenville Manufacturing Company have sustained several thou sand dollars damages. The mills throughout the country have been j swept away." The West mill, where 'he timbers above m< ntiouod were, w hile consldcr hbly damaged, wast not desiroyed. n was operated for several years after the Hood by Mr. West. When the flood occur. (I. Mr. Phllt mon Huff father of Mr. Augustus Muff of Lau. rens. vvas an unelO Of Mr. West, living in the neighborhood; he helped Mr, j West html the timbers back to the mill. The prop' rty is now owned by .Mr. Paschal l>. I luff, eldest brother of Mr. A. Huff. II.- still resides at the \ old place and takes much pleasure in telling the story of "Km man's linim rs sion" handed down to his by his fa tliei. - < Good Attractions 1 The management Opera house Now j berry have bocured the following high class attractions for December. Wednesday. Dec. S "Knight for A Day." Friday, Dec in. "Holly Of The Circus". Thursday. Dec. 16, "House of A Thousand Candles." Wednesday, Dec. 22. "Lena Rivers." All seats for out of town people carefully reserved. For further par ticulars write Barnard! & Baxter, Mgrs. LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION. i>r. .lohn Kennedy of Bennettsvllle visited his kinsiuau. Mr. L. C. Cooch during the past week. Sheriff John l>. Owing.-* und family spout Thanksgiving with friends til l?\)un':in Inn. Miss Bessie Harnet; of the city schools spent the Thanksgiving hell dtty at Chttpin with rohtth i s. Sir. and Mrs. C, Bragg visited in Sparlunburg ln.>li Th?r. day. .Mrs. Wi A. Campbell has returned from a pleasant vi>it to relatives and frieitds near (.'Union. .Mrs. M, !.. Smith and little daught er arc visiting in Spartauburg. Messrs li. B. nnd ('. B. Uoper of the Hickory Tavern section were tm^ iness visitors lb the city this week. Mr. L. M. lliggius of Cray Court. It. P. D. ::. was in the city Tuesday . Mr. hhlgene Crisp of Clinton was in tiie city yesterday. Mr. Crisp leaves m a few days for ehest? r where he liar accepted a position with tie Si richer jewelry concern. Messrs Carlos Mesley and William Bruce Copehtud have returned to Wot ford college after spending Thanks givng in the City. Mrs. it. |?\ .loties has returned from it visit to relatives in Clinton. Miss Bolll ? llohtud has returned from a v i.- it to Klukalree. Sirs. John K.Cstrlls'e Is visiting her mother, Mrs. Mary Roland. Mrs. 10tha 1.. Cavis has returned to Spnrtanhurg after a visit to Mrs. II. W. Anderson. Miss Lint Jones spent lasl week in Spartanhurg with her sister. Mrs. 0. W. Leonard. Miss llosa li.in has returned from a visit to ('okesbury. Mrs. W. It. Uichey.. Jr. has returned from a visit to Columbia. .Miss Helen (Joggaus of Newberry spent the week-end with friends in the city. Carnival May Cuuie Here. A representative of the Osterling Amusement company applied to Hie city council last night lor a license to show la-re during Christmas week. The council, however, declined io is sue the license, but informed the ad vance agent that if he could secure the signatures of two-thirds of tin business men of the city to a petition asking for the carnival, it would be given license. Will it come? Patient? Are Doing Well. The latest news from the Columbia hospital is to the effect that botli Mrs. Sue Mllam and Mr. William lrhy of Laurens county are doing well and are on the rapid road to recovery. Mr Irby's Improvement Is very slow and it will bo a long time before he will it.- able to leave his bed. Mrs. Milniu's condition Is encouraging. lte>. .1. Kniest Thai ker. Will M<nc Into 'I'odd Ittiildlug. Mr. II. Nichols, the photographer, win on January 1st. move into the Toil,I building on Kast Main street, occupying rooms on the second door. Mr. Nichols luts secured a three years lease on these (piartets It is under stood that in the near future Mr, Nich ols will also open a branch establish ment in Clinton. J SOCIAL AND PERSONAL. ****** Miss Mario Cray, was Ihe ehurmh hostess in a number of friends, < last Prhlny evening The prlncln ^ feature of the evening was a oonve - Slltinuul contest, in which. Miss lieU Sullivan, won the prize, a vory prj ty box of |>a|ier, Much ainusoinol was derived front the cnmlhintos f< tli,' "Hoots wi litiitt Shoes." soeloC Miss llniina Cooper. being l>y far tit most amusing In I r efforts to 111A8H till stcriotts male m Ml hi hose gamci Misses /.. I. in- ami Virginia Cray moJ) gracefully served hiaucho mange un oitltos. ^ Viuong th. ? ? v. Misse m Iviith Past orb; viargeiirlto Siinpsoi ^ft \la geurlto I'olbort. llehecca Blnl, Al^ luwee Watson, Kathleen Sulllvanf Shirley lli\. Aleene Pranks, EVu Ti Ibblo, Julia ClilUircss, lOuiiua Coope Helen Sullivan, Nolle Payne. Math Hhilpot, Mar> I'osey, Pthol Cromerj ami Messrs .lohn Terry I'oole, .lame Todd, Douglas Pcuthcrslone, t!rovi> Kiehey. Moor.' ami Hastings Dial. Ju.J Has an.I Ose Site.-eaves. Tom Hake John Holt. Charles l,vlotnlng Leon l>odi son. Sain Hull. .I.ones Mel.in. Harr; (iasiplo, .lob Little. Hi. haul HunlapA Hi iklne Todd .1 l Sullivan, WillUtg \ Ison, Karle Owlngs, James MllniuL Karle t ain.-. Dich Puller ttntl T Heimelt. I Miss Susy dray spent Tlianksglvin ij w it h friends in (i rei nv llle, 000 r Tin- Thanksgiving dance on Th?rs-k day evening ol In 1 week was the moot I pleasant social feature of the holt-V day week, 'lu te being an unusually | largo number of young people present besides a number of welcome visitors. I During the evening delightful refresh-" lUCntS Were served \| |J o dock tile i german was darned, led by Mr. s. II Todd. Among, the visitors present j were: Misses Kuhicc McCrary of Clin ton, \1.1e Klnlock of Harnwell, Kilgo of Woodritll. ami Messrs Dllltll'd, Sul livan aid Owens of Clinton and W. II, Darlington of Alleiidale, 000 Misses Leibi Harre of tlrecrs, Kdl > Harre of Wlelfor and Minnie Sparrow of Haslonia, spent Krldny and Saturday in the city the guests of Hev and Mrs. W P. Harre M |> s M ary SlIlilllN 'liltl nl>*. On helm I i of my daughter, Mar" Smith, ami tor my entire family, I vv hii lo thank tlx- people of I.aureus county for tie- valuable aid lho> llUVO given us in securing one of the prizes in The Advertiser's "(Iron! Popularity Contest." We appreciate everything that was done to help her win. am' through the columns of the paper we wish to express our appreciation, .1. M. Smith Watei loo. s. ('. it is hitter to make a tew mint altes than to do nothing, at all. m m r m Mi This is the time to do your Christmas shopping- and Simmons is the place to do it. We have everything- you could ask for in the way of Dry Goods, Notions, Millinery, Shoes, and Ladies Ready-to-wear Coat Suits, 8* f<| A beautiful line of ladies Handkerchiefs and Neckwear, just the thing- for Christmas Gifts. We have only a few Coat Suits left and to close them out before the holidays, we are making special prices. Come and get yours while this great bargain sale is going on. A word to the wise is sufficient. All $35.00 Suits, reduced to All 30.00 Suits, reduced to All 25.00 Suits, reduced to All 22,50 Suits, reduced to All 20.00 Suits, reduced to $22.50 20.00 20.00 18.00 17.00 All 18.50 Suits, reduced to All 15.00 Suits, reduced to All 13.50 Suits, reduced to All 10.00 Suits, reduced to . All Ladies' Cloaks going at yl price. 15.00 12.00 11.00 8.i50 Pa Accept this Opportunity All Ladies Cloaks Going at Half Price Get your Christmas Cards here 20 for 5 cents % RS if m 5s! w