miles from Savannah, and 1081⁄2 miles from Augusta. It is connected by steamboat lines with both the Carolina and the Georgia metropolis. It has the advantage of steamboat and railway connection with all parts of the country by means of intersecting trunk lines at Yemassee and Fairfax. Vessels are loaded to a depth of 18 feet at the Beaufort wharf, and one mile down the river they are loaded to 21 feet.

The health conditions are perfect owing to the location of the city, salt water being all around it and preventing malaria.

The business of the port of Beaufort is given in the chapter on Transportation. The city is electric lighted, roadways leading out of the town are of shell, the banking facilities are excellent, and telephonic service to all points is excellent.

Small manufacturing industries are numerous, among them being a veneer plant, truck crate and barrel factories, etc. There are ample facilities for the transaction of all kinds of commercial business, and these are increased by the steamer connections with Charleston and Savannah.

At this time many persons from other portions of the United States are moving to Beaufort and the surrounding country, and another half decade will doubtless witness a wonderful industrial and commercial development.

The soils of the surrounding country are wonderfully productive for almost anything that grows, particularly truck crops and cotton, and respond readily even without the use of commercial fertilizer, though an inexhaustive supply is at the farm gate as it were.

13-Anderson.-For real vigor of growth with every prospect of continuance under any conditions the city of Anderson, the county seat of Anderson county, in the heart of the Piedmont, is scarcely surpassed by any town of like size in the country, certainly not in South Carolina. There is that determined spirit of progressiveness displayed by the people which means substantial growth, against any obstructions. It has not been more than a few years ago that Anderson's growth began.

During the past summer the Walsh Directory Company issued a directory of the city of Anderson, which gave a population of 14,006. The same company, two years ago, issued a directory which gave a population of only 11,711. The Federal census of 1900 gave Anderson a population of 5,576. It is seen that the growth in population has been most remarkable. There has been a steady influx of people into the city of the most desirable kind to make good citizens.

The taxable property of Anderson County showed an increase of $765,981 in 1907, as compared with 1906, or an increase of about six and one-half per cent. The figures were: 1906, $12,035,746; in 1907, $12,801,727.

Figures as to taxable property in this State are always misleading to outsiders, for the reason that property is returned for taxation at anywhere from 20 to 60 per cent. of its true value. It should be remembered, then, in reviewing these figures, that the returns on the tax books should be just about one-third of the true value of property.

With this fact well in mind, it will be seen that the increase of nearly one million dollars in this county in a year makes a good showing. More than $275,000 of the increase or about 35 per cent. was in the city of Anderson alone. The growth and prosperity of the city has brought about higher prices for real estate, and this is being felt on the tax books. But it is to be borne in mind that the increase this year is for personal property, new buildings, etc., real estate being returned for taxation only once in four years. An increase of nearly 7 per cent. in taxable property, and a decrease of one-half of a mill in the tax levy, all in one year, makes a splendid showing, one of which any city might be proud. Anderson expended practically half a million dollars in 1907 for new buildings. A good hospital and a fine public library are included in this statement. Probably the most important factor of Anderson's progress during the year 1907 was the harnessing of the various streams for water power. When the year 1906 closed, there was developed not more than 5,000 horsepower in this community, but during the past year 2,600 additional horsepower was developed and plans have been perfected for the development of 126,000 horsepower.

Several years ago the Portman Shoals dam on the Seneca River was completed by the Anderson Water Company and since its completion has been furnishing about 5,000 horsepower. The Gregg Shoals dam, on the Savannah River, was completed about four months ago, and is now furnishing 2,000 horsepower. The power from these two plants is distributed to the cities of Anderson, Greenwood. Abbeville and Calhoun Falls. A consolidation of several water power companies in this neighbrhood is now anticipated and the promoters have announced most emphatically that when it is completed, that a concern with a capitalization of $10,000,000 common stock and a $20,000,000 bond

issue will be established. All of this money is for the development of the following falls, with their respective amounts of horsepower: Cherokee, 10,000; Calhoun, 30,000; Twin City, 40,000; Anthony, 20,000, and Hatton's, 10,000, making a total of 126,000 horse power. This new concern will absorb the Gregg Shoals plant. The Portman Shoals plant is a separate and distinct concern, but its output should be added to show the total amount of horsepower which will be 133,600. This will give Anderson more than an abundance of cheap power of the most desirable kind for manufacturing purposes, and will make this city one, if not the foremost, manufacturing cities of the South.

The biggest thing for Anderson during the year 1907 was the completion of the Anderson Traction Company's interurban lines. At present this company is operating about 18 miles of track and before the end of the coming year construction of the interurban line between Belton and Greenville, a distance of 27 miles, will be well under way. The electric lines in Anderson are only about three years old. Handsome dividends have been declared each year since the lines were constructed and excellent service has been rendered at all times. The company's lines at present are: Brogon Mill, 1.83 mils; Gluck Mills and Greenville Street, 4.4; Riverside and Toxaway Mills, 1.54, and Belton line, 10 miles, aggregating a trackage of 18 miles.

Cars ply between Anderson and Belton every 45 minutes and connections are made with every train on the Columbia and Greenville division of the Southern Railway at Belton for the North and South. Belton is a city of possibly 3,500 souls.

The managers of the Anderson Traction Company have announced that they have secured the rights of way for the construction of the line between Belton and Greenville. This line will pass through the enterprising towns of Williamston, Pelzer and Piedmont.

The power used in operating the city and interurban lines is secured from the various water powers on nearby rivers. It is contracted for with the Anderson Water, Light and Power Company.

Anderson County has more banks than any county in the State of South Carolina, save one. Two new banks were started in 1906 and one new one in 1907, and two have increased their capital stocks.

Nothing advertises a city more than its street improvements, and during the past nine months miles and miles of sidewalk paving have been put down, curbing has been installed and the streets graded and drained. On West Whitner, one of the principal thoroughfares of the city, vitrified brick have been laid from its intersection at the Plaza to the depot of the Charleston and Western Carolina Railroad, a distance of five or more blocks. While on a recent visit to Anderson, President W. W. Finley of the Southern Railway, which owns and controls the Blue Ridge Railroad, announced that the Blue Ridge road will be extended over the mountains into Tennessee, in order to give an outlet from the coal fields to some seaport.

During the fall of 1907 some citizens of Anderson, with some Georgia people, inaugurated a movement to construct a steam or an electric railroad between Anderson and Athens, Ga., a distance of 60 miles. The proposed routes are now being surveyed and will be ready for construction during the early part of the new year. This road will pass through a most fertile and prosperous country and will open up a country that has never enjoyed the facilities of a railroad.

About the best indication that can be had of the business of a city is the postoffice receipts. The receipts of the Anderson postoffice showed an increase of 10 per cent. for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, as compared with the fiscal year ending June 30, 1906. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1906, were $20,230.98. The receipts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1907, were $22,912.55, showing an increase of $2,681.57, or a fraction more than 10 per cent. This is a healthy increase, and shows unmistakably the increased business done in the city in all lines during the year. The last Congress made an appropriation of $50,000 for the purpose of erecting a postoffice building in Anderson. A suitable lot has been purchased at a cost of $6,500.

14-Florence. This live and progressive city, with its population of patriotic business workers, is located in the very heart of the rich Pee Dee section of the State, and is the principal railroad center in that section, indeed being distinctly a railroad city, the Atlantic Coast Line system's shops being located there. Main and branch lines of the system converge at Florence. The Coast Line operates lines out of Florence as follows: To Charleston, 102 miles; to Wilmington, 112 miles; to Columbia, 85 miles; to Wadesboro, N. C., 84 miles, with connections to Raleigh and Charlotte, N. C.; to Fayetteville, N. C., 65 miles, and via Darlington to Bennettsville and Hamlet, N. Č., and via Bennettsville to

a connection with the Seaboard Air Line at Kollock. Florence also is less than 15 miles distant from the Great Pee Dee River, and but little further from Lynche's River, both by rail connection.

In 1890 the population of Florence was 3,395, and from that time the place grew rapidly, the population increasing steadily until in 1900 it was 4,647. and the city had 957 dwelling houses. If only the decennial rate of increase for the decade from 1890 to 1900 had kept up during the past seven years Florence's present population would be 5,552. But the rapid growth of the city since 1900 has driven the total population figures very much higher.

Florence was made the county seat when the county of Florence was established in 1888. Consequently taxes are not heavy and municipal improvements have been given every attention.

Florence is a central tobacco market, has spacious and well-built tobacco warehouses and does a very large volume of business in this respect. On account of its superior railroad advantages it is naturally the concentration point for the buyers and shippers.

The city has a splendid graded school system.

The railroad shops employ more than 400 men, most of whom are heads of families. The place has several good hotels, good newspapers (one a live daily), numerous diversified industrial plants, and considerable attention is given to dairying and cattle breeding.

15-Union.-The following summary of "Facts About Union" was issued in 1905 by the Chamber of Commerce of that progressive and growing Piedmont town. Union is situated on the Southern Railway, 65 miles north of Columbia, on through line between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Jacksonville, Fla., and has a delightfully healthful climate, and an abundance of purest filtered water. The population in 1890 was 1,609; in 1904, 12,000, including suburbs;a new railway connects Union with Seaboard Air Line at Prides; taxable property (assessed valuation) in 1890, $518,680, in 1904, $1,846,842; city owns waterworks with filter plant, electric light and sewerage system; has 36,000 square feet of cement pavements; an interurban electric railway; five cotton mills, with a paid in capital stock of $2,850,000, having 218,376 spindles, 5,550 looms, and using 56,750 bales of cotton a year; a knitting mill, which manufactures 20,000 pairs of hosiery a day, and makes everything necessary to market its product; annual pay roll of cotton and knitting mills amounts to more than $653,000; an oil mill, two big cotton ginneries, an iron foundry, an ice factory, with a capacity of 80,000 pounds per day, a furniture factory and two large woodworking establishments; a fine, well conducted hotel, costing $30,000; two newspapers; a printing establishment with a large patronage; local and long distance Bell Telephone system; three banks; a female seminary, five graded schools with twenty-five teachers and an enrollment this year of 1,883 pupils; fourteen churches; number of freight cars handled January, 1890, 140; in January, 1903, 397; railway ticket sale, 1890, $9,643; in 1903, $31,000; a $15,000 Carnegie Public Library; a reading room for the knitting mill operatives; large up-to-date steam laundry; complete roadworking outfit for macadamizing streets; a $500,000 electrical power plant; a $10,000 cheese factory.

Other Towns.-Exactly similar facts could be given as to all of the growing towns of the State, but with no intention to discriminate such brief details as above given must be confined to typical towns in the various sections. Such thoroughly live towns as Bennettsville, with its magnificent surrounding farming country; Marion, with its commercial business and lumber interests; Conway, with its trucking industry and great lumber business; Gaffney, that wide-awake, progressive and hustling manufacturing and mining community of the Piedmont; Darlington, with its tobacco factories; Laurens, with its cotton and furniture manufacturing interests; Abbeville, with its varied industries; Aiken, with its matchless attractions as a health resort locality; Winnsboro, and the still smaller towns, all deserve the writing of their records. Perhaps another volume may in the near future deal more in detail with each of them.

The State by Counties

It is impossible to deal with the State by counties to any degree of completeness under such grouping, and consequently only such information as can be completely given is attempted. Geological, soil, climatic and other conditions are treated in foregoing chapters in such a manner that with the aid of the map any one is in a position to ascertain definitely any and all of the peculiar advantages attaching to any given county. Herewith is a statement showing the date of formation of each county, and the origin of the name and the county seat, which should be studied in connection with the data given in connection with the table of the population by counties given with the chapter on population.

Below are given for each county the area and the acreage of each of the principal crops for the census year 1900 (the only figures available), and the number of cotton_manufacturing establishments, capital and value of products for 1907, for each county, in each instance the first figures given after the designation of the crop represent the acreage, the second the product in the standard of enumeration used in this volume, bale, pound, bushel, as the case may be, and the third the value, or, in case there is no statement of production, the value follows indicated by the dollar mark; in the case of live stock the first figures represent number, the second value; Lee County is omitted, as it did not exist until 1902:

Abbeville.-Population: 1900, 33,400; 1890, 46,850. Area, 682 square miles. Agricultural products: Corn, 40,212 acres, 346,540 bushels; cotton, 94,001 acres, 30,213 bales; wheat, 7,712 acres, 46,690 bushels; oats, 8,258 acres, 70,460 bushels; hay, 1,817 acres, 2,146 tons; rye, 7 acres, 60 bushels; barley, 48 acres, 610 bushels; rice, I acre, 496 bushels; tobacco, I acre, 200 pounds; potatoes, 46 acres, 2,210 bushels; vegetables, 766 acres, $36,739 value; cowpeas, 1,040 acres, 8,340 bushels; sweet potatoes, 668 acres, 41,572 bushels; orchard products, $13,350 value. Live stock and products: Domestic animals, including swine and goats, value, $529,037; swine, 9,799; poultry, value $46,272; milk, 1,901,655 gallons; butter, 407,715 pounds; eggs, 234,410 dozen. Textiles: Number of establishments, 1; capital, $642,700; value products, $650,000.

Aiken.-Population: 1900, 39,032; 1890, 31,822. Area, 1,096 square miles. Agricultural products: Corn, 75,966 acres, 703,080 bushels; cotton, 63,127 acres. 29,676 bales; wheat, 2,484 acres, 15,470 bushels; oats, 5,733 acres, 86,690 bushels; hay, 2,552 acres, 2,413 tons; rye, 504 acres, 2,190 bushels; rice, 234 acres, 94,926 bushels; tobacco, 3 acres, 500 pounds; potatoes, 195 acres, 12,526 bushels; vegetables, 2,112 acres, $74,343 value; cowpeas, 10,141 acres, 70,923 bushels; sweet potatoes, 1,137 acres, 81,637 bushels; orchard products, $8,319 value. Live stock and products: Domestic animals, including swine and goats, value $551,425; swine, 18,760; poultry, value $43,533; milk, 1,064,652 gallons; butter, 187,294 pounds; eggs, 258,270 dozen. Textiles: Number of establishments, 5; capital, $2,800,000; value products, $2,530,000.

Anderson.-Population: 1900, 55,728; 1890, 43,696. Area, 756 square miles. Agricultural products: Corn, 58,507 acres, 596,140 bushels; cotton, 123,992 acres, 43.366 bales; wheat, 17,164 acres, 118,010 bushels; oats, 8,862 acres, 76,990 bushels; hay, 2,354 acres, 2,982 tons; rye, 87 acres, 590 bushels; barley, 47 acres, 670 bushels; rice, 3 acres, 1,380 bushels; tobacco, 6 acres; 2,260 pounds; potatoes, 94 acres, 4,211 bushels; vegetables, 1,379 acres, $56,476 value; cowpeas, 581 acres, 4,704 bushels; sweet potatoes, 796 acres, 56,557 bushels; orchard products, $8,036 value. Live stock and products: Domestic animals, including swine and goats, value, $836,935; swine, 12,360; poultry, value $80,081; milk, 3,528,548 gallons; butter, 745,782 pounds; eggs, 401,750 dozen. Textiles: Number of establishments, 18; capital, $6,165,250; value products, $10,617,773.

Bamberg-Population: 1900, 17.296. Area, 363 square miles. Agricultural products: Corn, 38,043 acres, 383,080 bushels; cotton, 38,162 acres, 17,912 bales; wheat, 504 acres, 4,590 bushels; oats, 2,954 acres, 42,180 bushels; hay, 53 acres, 64 tons; rye, 82 acres, 480 bushels; rice, 1,099 acres, 307,950 bushels; tobacco, 85 acres, 32,340 pounds; potatoes, 180 acres, 12,466 bushels; vegetables, 1,216 acres, $52,074 value; cowpeas, 6,438 acres, 5,098 bushels sweet potatoes, 306 acres, 32,863 bushels; orchard products, $1,038 value. Live stock and products: Domestic