TOWNS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 695 



lancous, $100,000. The Bellemonte cotton factory, recently erected, is in 

 successful operation. There are three weekly newspapers, and the town 

 is growing rapidly. 



DARLINGTON COUNTY 



has sixteen towns and trading settlements, with one hundred and seventy- 

 six stores, distributed as follows : Darlington Court House, fifty-three 

 stores,; Florence, forty-six stores ; Timmonsville, twenty-two stores; So- 

 ciety Hill, fifteen stores ; Dovesville, thirteen stores ; Lydia, four stores ; 

 Ebenezer, Hartsville, Palmetto, Parrotts, and Stokes, two stores each; 

 Cypress, Leavenworth and Oats, one store each. Of this number, ten 

 sell liquors, eight, dry goods, five, hardware, thirty-eight, miscellaneous, 

 and one hundred and fifteen, general merchandise. Two are kept by 

 colored persons. The estimated wealth of the storekeepers is |938,000. 



Darlington Court House, embowered in a majestic grove of evergreen 

 oaks, and washed on two sides by the clear waters of Swift creek, is the 

 county seat. It ships about 7,000 bales of cotton annually. It contains 

 two carriage and wagon factories and a furniture manufactory. The 

 school privileges are good, and there are churches of the leading de- 

 nominations. The Darlington National Bank has a paid up capital of 

 $50,000 ; surplus, $5,193. The fair grounds of the Agricultural Society 

 are well laid ofit, and have a commodious house. There are two weekly 

 newspapers. 



Florence, on the Columbia and Wilmington railroad, and at the ter- 

 minus of the Northeastern and the Cheraw and Darlington railroads, had 

 a population, in 1866, of 600 ; in 1880, of 1,940 ; now estimated at 2,500. 

 There are fourteen miles of streets, constructed at a cost of $75.00 per 

 mile. There are two hotels, a two-story town hall, costing $5,000, seven 

 churches, built at a cost of $19,000, and four schools. Dwellings rent 

 from $7.00 to $17.00 a month, and stores from $15.00 to $40.00 a month. 

 Excellent bricks are burned in the vicinity, and lumber is abundant and 

 cheap. The town taxes are one-half of one per cent, on property, and 

 there is a town debt of $3,000, at seven per cent, interest, for the purchase 

 of a steam fire engine. About 4,000 bales of cotton are shipped annually. 

 The Florence Times is published weekly. There is a carriage factory, 

 four steam and two water gins and grist mills, three steam saw mills, 

 and the railroad shops located here employ about one hundred and fifty 

 hands. 



Society Hill is an early settlement made by the planters of this section. 

 It is on the Cheraw and Darlington railroad, and has weekly communi- 

 cation with Georgetown by steamboat on the Great Pee Dee river, which 

 is one mile distant from the town. 



