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AIKEN ABOUSED.WHAT IS TOjBE DOSE FOB THE IMPROVEMENTS OUR TOWN.Speech©* of Hon. W«. Perlnncaii Finley,Rer. E. C. Edgerton, Dr. Amory Cof-Jin, G. W. Croft, Esq., and Others.In response to a call to that effect, a ranss meeting of tb* citizens of Aiken was held in the Lyeenm Hall, lost Wednesday night, to consider and determine npon the adoption of measures to ensure the attraction of visitors hither during the coming season. At eight o’clock, a large andience, including many Indies, having assembled, on motion of Dr. E. J. C. Wood, the meeting was organized by the selectlou of the following officers :President, Hon. W. P. Finley; Vice-Presidents, B. P. Cbatfield, Esq., Dr. W. S. Stevenson and J. II. Beckman, Esq.; Secretaries, James Aldrich, Esq., and Nelson A. Cewlee, Esq.After calling the meeting to erder and organising for business, Mr. Finley made, in substance, the following observations:As I understand the object of this meeting, we are now araembled- to consult together and devise way# and means for promoting the interests and prosperity of our town. It must be confessed that since the war,' Aiken* has been, in comparison with other places in the South, a favored spot.— This is indioated by the immense rise in the value of real estate—the numerous edifices which have been erected, some of them of an elegAnt style of architecture—by the bright aspect in generalt which our village wears and the impulse which has been given to all the industrial classes of the com. inanity. These results are certainly attributable very ranch to the introduction and circulation of Northern capital among us, serving as the vital current to infuse new life and vigor into our body corporate.— The primary and principal cause of this slate of things—I supoose to be, the climate of Aiken, which exerts so salutary and sanative an influence on diseases incident to Northern latitudes. So far as tins natural advantage is concerned, we are. of course, iudebted exclusively te a Benefioent Providence, and it becomes us to be profoundly grateful for the blessing. But it is obvious that there are other causes more under i control, which may contribute largely to crease the attractiveness of our town, and permit me to say that if from our neglect of these means of improvement, we suffer our selves to lose the preaiige we hare aoquired it will be our own fault. I do not propose to enumerate these causes, which may help onward In the career of prosperity. These to be the subject for discussion by the speakers appointed for this occasion. But permit me to suggest as essential to the prosperity of the town, the strict preservation of good order, through the agency of our municipal government and trial justices, the organisation of as efficient police for the abatement of nuisances; the suppression of riots; the detection and arrest of offenders against the laws, and the prompt and certain punishment of all crimes, so that every one shall be allowed “to sit under bis own vine and fig tree with nof e to molest or make him afraid.” I hold this to be absolutely essential to our wellbeing, and that without this, all oar efforts In promoting the interests of Aiken will be useless and nugatory. But subordinate to this, there are other circumstances of minor influence which would certainly operate to augment the attractiveness of our town, such as making it in various ways a more comfortable and valuable asylum for invalids, and a more pleasant resort, for such as come here more for recreation than for health.Such, fellow citizens, is a very brief out. line of work before us, and in conclusion I would say, at this w'ork is to be laid out the place we call our home, we are under the strongest motives to see that it shall be done effectively. Whatever benefits eonfer upon our home, must also bo for individual comfort and happiness. There may be evils among us—evils difficult to be endured, and for whieh we can see no immediate remedy. This.,is very discouraging, but onghl we not to be roused to action by the thought that we may by our endeav-ora, mitigate the evils we are unable to re-Just ut physician feels it to be his duty to alleviate the symptoms of a disease, which he knows he cannot cure, so ought i te endeavor, at far as we are able, bothdevelop tb* advantage* and diminish the imperfections of our present situation.— Row tender are the associations whieh cluster upon the borne where Providence has oast our lot, and the family hearthstone around which the domestic affections are encircled. The devoted attachment of the Swiss, for bis home in the Alps, is historical and proverbial. It may be in itself a very poor home, environed with rugged scenery, possessed of a rocky and barren soil, and expo Bed to storms and tempests, but still to the occupant according to the sentiment of the song, so familiar to us all— however humble it maybe, there is no place like home. The effect of the celebrated Ranm de Vachee of the Swiss herdsman haa also often been mentioned, so powerful is the influence of this national song, and merely it is said, from the associations connected with it, that when heard in a foreign country it causes him to pine away and almost die of a broken heart, and I like to advert to those beautiful lines of the poet, which so touchingly illustrate the tenacious affeotion of the Swiss peasant for his Mountain Home:“Dear is that shod, to which his soul conforms,And dear that hill, which lifts him to the storms,And as a child, when scaring sounds mo* lest,Clings close and closer to the mother’s breast,So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind’s But bind him to his native mountains—In the spirit of this sentiment—the love of our Home—let us now proceed lu the regular buaiuess of the evening.At the conc’usion of-bis remarks, which were greeted with great, applause, Col. Finley introduced Rev. E. C. Edgerton who began by saying: That, as he understood, this meeting had been called for the purpose of consulting and devising means whereby the climatic advantages of Aiken might be more generally known. He did not propose to speak of those advantages, partly because others better qualified thau he might do so, and partly because he supposed it. was a point on which all present were agreed. For himself, the experience and observation of four years* residence enabled him to speak emphatically of the advantages to be expected by persona laboring under pulmonary disease, from a residence more or less protracted.Taking this for granted, the point of discussion was, how to make these advantages known. He considered it the duty, as well as the interest, of every resident of Aiken to use all proper and legitimate means of making known the curative qualities of the climate. For as a man who has it in his power to prefent crime, if he fail to exercise that power, becomes morally and, in some cases, legally responsible for the crime —partirm ermwtts—so if he knowj how the sufferings of his fellow man can be alleviated or relieved, and neglects to aid him by advice, direction, or counsel, he beoomes morally responsible to some extent for that distress. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doelh it not, to him it is sin.”In this case the path of duty is also the path of interest. The healthfuluess of the climate is Aiken’s capital—itsjstock in trade. The prosperity of the placerdepends upon it. Take that away, and business stagnates, hotels arc empty, 8lore8 *re deserted, rcal-estate depreciates, population diminishes.— This movement then is one in which all classes of the community are interested ( ought to be), and we are blind to our ov temporal advantage, as well as our duty, if we are indifferent.How are the advantages of Aiken to bi made known ? The speaker thought tfilt; great point was to attract the favorable attention of the medical fraternity at the North. This could be done only through the members of that fraternity in our midst. He recommended, therefore, tho publication of a pamphlet endorsed by all the phy-of Aiken.But more than this, he thought it would be expedient to communicate with those persons who had been benefltted by journ in Aiken, and obtain tbeir consent to act as referees in their respective cities. In this way a list of references might be added to the pamphlet by which disinterested testimony might be furnished in all the • rin-clpal cities of the North to the curative qualities of the climate.In concision, the speaker urged warmly the formation of an organization, the appointment of oommittecB, etc., to further the views of those who had inaugurated the movement.Dr. Amory Coffin next addressed the meeting as follows:I suppose that I have been seleoted from among the medical men of this town to address you on the topics of the evening, simply on account of my being the oldest practising physician of the place. With one or two exceptions, I may be said to be that very respectable individual of proverbially imperfect memory and powers of observation, the oldest inhabitant. Messrs. Sferd-and Williams are natives of the plaoe,I believe, and William Schmidt preceded me, but he was only a boy, and boys don’t count, you know. Colonel Finley, it is true, lived here before me, but he deserted us for awhile ; howover, he was soon galvanised , back, and in reward has been so coated with • health that he has tho prospect of living yet many years, an ornament- and light to our social and legal community.Among the older settlers I iniss, with row, from this assemblage the genial face of my old comrade, who has “Dropped the wallet of this life And passed.Allow me to digress for a moment from my subject, and pour a libation to the memory of one“Who bore, without abuse,The grand old name of gentleman.But to return. I considered myself then a kind of pioneer ; other immigrants came after roe, but when I first made Aiken my domicile the prospect was not enlivening— on the contrary, rather disheartening—and if it had noL been for the sake of my wife’s health, and for an innate doggedness, I would have “struck my tent,” packed up, and wandered farther, but the sky was as blue, the air as pure, and the climate as invigorating as it is to-day. I determined to stick, and stuck I have !There were nice people,, very bice people here, but sociability was not the order of the day, and they looked upon the stranger with distrust. No doubt it was the stranger’s fault! The main street had been devastated by fire, and there was little capital or prospect of profitable return to encourage the work of regeneration. The distances between (henhouses was great, if not magnificent. A few stores were scattered at long intervals, their merohants looking •gcrly out for the trade and barter of the scarce farmer or planter from the country. Tho pugnacious goats occupied in herds the highest portions of the vaeant lots, and tbeir gladiatorial contests served to enliven the streets and amuse the universal street-boy; whilst the priviledged pig was. content with the lowly gutter. Fresh meat was scarce, and, indeed, I remember having to hunt two (ays for a roasting piece, being re duced meanwhile to content ourselves with the aboriginal faro of “bacon and gieens.This primeval state of things did not last long. As the population increased a larger demand for the comforts of life created a more abundant supply. A better appreciation of the merits of our unsurpassed climate induced a larger influx of settlers. New dwellings and new stores were erected, the large spaces between the residences rare slowly filled up, trade revived and the teady, industrious Germans came in to supply the want of an intermediate between the producer and consumer. As a place of resort in the summer for planters from the jountry, Aiken became quite a favorite, dtc of Lhc quiet sneer of the Charlestonian who depreciates «v.-.y thing proximate to him until it is attackod by sider.i out-But all this progress was slow, because all efforts were isolated; not the result of combination looking towards general i provement. Indeed, there was no grlt; call for this in tho opinion of many. 0 hotel and one or two boarding houses wlt; sufficient for the accommodation of the or 40 Northerners who visited us in the w ter.It was only after the close of the late war that it was felt, keenly felt, that to recruit our ruined fortunes it was necessary to utilise all moans within our reach, and to do this it was also necessary to combine our efforts. As an example of the advantage of this, I may cite the pamphlet pupltslied by Dr. Geddingsand myself, calling attention to the claims of our climate in the treatment of consuaiption and diseases of debility, which, I will venture to say, has been the means of attracting hither many invalids and their aooompauying friends. Neither of us could hare done the work as well alone; each one supplemented the other, and by so acting together wo certainly have done some good. After that came the society of Improvement which did not entirely fulfil its object, from want of experience. And next, the Society for the Promotion of Amusements whioli has certainly been and is still a success. .As, after the Mexican war, the adventurous Northman discovered the immense mineral wealth of California, (the existence of which the “Groaser had only suspected) so, after the civil war, the same adventurer, in search of health, discovers the hygienic wealth of Aiken, not previously appreciated by us. And to this people, coming among us in this quest, with wealth at their command, liberal and open handed to a degree, anxious to meet us more than half way in the accomplishment of all our plans, we should make some effort to extend the hand of welcome; to make their stay as pleasant as possible, and to let them return home with as agreeable an impression of “dear old Aikex, as I have heard it affectionately it called by some of them.Every dollar spent in this way, on this object, will certainly be returned to you ten, fifty, aye a hundred fold, as surely as your seed corn ^returns its increase. You may say that I am speaking in my own interest; 1 acknowledge it, but I am at the same time., pi ending your cause, and yours, and yours.What directly benefits one, must neoessari’y indirectly benefit all the rest. If a Northern patient pays me a bill of 60 or 100 dollars, do I not therewith pay off my grocery or butcher’s bill, or my livery stable bill ? How else could I now be discharging the indebtedness incurred during my helpless illness, except principally from this source? Let us not therefore be selfish and shortsighted, but work together with a will. Archimedes wanted only a resting place for his lever to be able to move the earth out of its orbit; give us but the fulcrum of your support to rest on, and we will raisr Aiken, “dear old Aiken’’—dear to me as my home, as the birth-place of my childreo, the field where I have grown grey in service—we will raise it to its merited place among the foremost and moat frequented health resorts of the world.Mr. George W. Croft next addressed the meeting substantially as follows:Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen—I feel that £ have been very rnnch flattered, by the gentlemen who called this meeting, being selected to address, you, and I speak conscientiously when X say, that after such full addresses as have already been delivered upon this subject, I will only tire your patience without adding any thing further which will be of interest to you. It has been said, Mr. Chairman, that every citiien of Aiken is deeply interested in the objects of this meeting, and this can hardly be doubted after hearing what has been said by the gentlemen who preceded Why, gentlemen, let us look, for an instant, at the object of the meeting. It is for the purpose of rendering our town more attractive, and to induce a greater number of visitors to reside with us during' the winter months. Every town has its peculiar trade or business, and to Aiken belongs this particular business. Depending as it does, in the main, for its success upon the number of visitors who annually reside here during the winter months, this is as much the business of Aiken, as the cotton trade is of Augusta, Charleston and the other cotton marts of the country, and, as the success of those cities depend upon the amount of Cotton annually reoeived and shipped, so does the prosperity of Aiken depend upon the number of visitors who annually resort here. It may be said that this applies only to the boarding houses and hotels, bat such is not the case. It cannot be contended that the cotton trade of a city only enures to the benefit of tbe factors, but common observation tells as that the city prospers wherein this particular trade is large, and so it is with the business of Aiken or any other business that oan be named. It is a principle of political economy that every dollar brought into a community helps to a greater or less degree every member of that community. And so I might illustrate by examplo bow the influence of money paid out here at our boarding houses is felt in every branch of business of tho town. First of all there is their grooery bills. Who profits by thorn ? Why, the butcher and tho merchant, and, indeed, the farmers in the surrounding country who sclltbeir proin our town ; for it has been the expe-of all, that provisions and the produce of the country command better prices during the months of the sojourn of the visitors i ban at any other period of the year. Then there is consequen'ly a larger number of laborers employed in every capacity, who also paid through the means of this business of Aiken. Their wants must be supplied and, again, in this way, our merchants find that they are proportionality benefittcd. So it is with every channel of occupation, with every profession, and with i mechanic who is given new employment .1 those who furnish the lumber: and ina-: j terial to bo used; thus I might go on in-definitely and show you how the prosperity of our town, in having a great number of visitors, is a benefit to every class of ourcitizens.; It becomes us then to cncourago and make this business of our town prosper and we can do(U if we will. If wc only turn our attention to it, we can succeed.Every scctio i of our country has its advantages ; Florida, Georgia and South Carolina each have their peculiar advantages as a resort for Northern visitors during the severe months of cold weather. Florida undoubtedly has the advantage over us here in its milder climate, but then, on tbe other hand, we have perhaps greater advantages in the dryness of tbe air in the vicinity of Aiken, and in its peculiar adaptation to pulmonary diseases which makes Aiken, as an abode in the winter, the most desirable locality on the American Continent. These assertions are made upon tbe experience of those who have studied this quest ton. There is no doubt then but that we possess hero in Aiken, as a winter resort, advantages on-equalled by any other section of country.— Now the only thing for us to do is to make these advantages known, and to render our town attractive. The only way by which we can expect success is to induce you, the people of Atkex, to lake hobl of tbe matter and make a success of it.. You can by trying, and uniting your efforts. Sin^ ly, no one man could expect to do this, and one of the main‘objects of this meeting tonight is for the purpose of affecting an organization to advance the aterial interests of Aiken ; on organization that will, through the aid and help of its members, embracing, I trust, all of the citizens of Aiken, procure the publication of such circulars and documents;as will give advertisement and notoriety te Aiken. An organization that will promote the interest of our Town by permanent improvement*. A source cf great attraction and amusement would be the establishment of a race course. There are already gentlemen from our neighboring counties ready to assist us by taking stock in such an enterprise. All that we need is somebody, or association, to superintend the selection and purchase of suitable grounds for that purpose. To assure you of the success of such an organization I need only cite you tbe example of the Society for the. Promotion of Amusements, who, through their own exertions in one season, have not only added greatly to the entertainment and amusement of our citizens, keeping up a lively interest in the Town during the entire winter, but have realized sufficient funds to procure » lease of this very hall you !are now in for the next four year*, whenever they shall need its use, and have already paid for it. With a similar organizat ion to foster and provide for tbe material advancement of our Town, we cannot but be successful. Every one of us, every inhabitant could be induced to encourage such a society.Aiken, in many respects, is similar to Saratoga and Long T Branoh ; the very causes which have added to the prosperity of those places will add to the properity of Aiken. Saratoga and Long Branch, already noted as watering places, enjoy perhaps equally os a great a notoriety on account of the annual races, which attract hundreds of persons. So will it be with us here if provide the same means of entertainment ; the establishment of a race course will, without doubt, be the commencement of an agricultural fair, and tbe building and grounds it is evident will answer the same purpose.Let me urge upon you tbe necessity ofrendering your To'l desirable winterresort. It is the most natural and easiest business of the place. Without this, Aiken oan never be any thing, but a small station There can never be any large commerce carried on here. The surrounding country and the locality of the town renders it almost impossible. If then, Aiken is to prosper it mast be in making it a plaoe of resort. Look already wbat;bas been done in tbe last four years There is no town in the State that, comparatively, has made such advances. The energy displayed by some few of our citizens has been amply repaid. Aiken to-day oan boast of better kept hotels and boarding houses than any other section of the State, but our prosperity can only continue with our own efforts. Every other section or locality hare used every means to divert I travel from Aiken, and carry it elsewhere; especially has Florida been active, and it* people have been proportionately successful. We live here a long way in the interior, and we cannot expect travel to our Town unless we do as others’and compete for it We cannot expect strangers to beautify our town and render it attractive. If we wish this, w« must do it ourselves, and I call upon you to interest your energies to promote tbe w«i fare of Aiken. Some few of our citizens by their individual exertions hare accomplished much towards improving the general ap-pearancc of our town, and adding to its at-traetability, but. unless you, .the citizens of Aiken, will unite in this common enterprise, must fall behind in the race of competition, and Aiken, from: being the Garden Spot of South Carolina, will sink to the level of the other way stations on the South Carolina Rail Road.On motion cf E. J. C. Wood, Esq., Dr., G. Rockwell was invited to address the meeting. Dr. Rockwell cams forward and said: \ Mr. President, Indies and gentlemen:—I have made no preparation to address this meeting, and hardly know what to say, so amply has the subject for which we have met been discussed by the eloquent gentlemen who have preceeded me. It is a happy circumstance that the objeotB desire to promote by our meeting this evening, and the efforts we are called upon :e are equally demanded by a regard temporal interests as a community, r duty to others.■ No person with a spark of humanity in his bosom, who has been an eye witness to the multitudes of invalids, wbo, with theirj anxieties and distresses have repaired to this locality in sarch of .relief under the influences of this healthful- climate (many of whom have been greatly. |benefited thereby) can fail have his symphathicB enlisted for that unfortunate class, coming as they do, from all parts of tho country, and his effortsstimulated in the lino of duty, by providing comfortable accommodations for the invalid sojourner. Hence, we readily per-eive that in the right spirit and motive,there cannot be any conflict ion between,our interests ami duly. The lending motiy« for action is too apt to be self-interest, which degenerates frequently into unqualified | selfishness. This, ns individuals and as a cointnunity, wc should endeavor t* avoid ; . we should unite as practical men and women in efforts to make our houses warm-and comfortable, nn l our outdoor surrounding* pleasant and delight ful ; improving the general aspect of the village—its rambles and its drives—in fact, doing all within, our power to render happy and contented. ?*th« stranger within our galea.’* One of the chief obstubles which imped» our prosperity, is the high prices of the ucce.tsariesi of life (provisions). The cause of. thtlt;, tn a great measure, is the unproductive condition or the soil in the country' around us. Wo are forced to obtain our articles for food from a long distanco. The commit lee who have this meeting together with other plans recommended an organization of the citizens of this town, with rutes and regulations ; with regular meetings for consultation upon the material interests of the plan, hoping thereby, to raise needed funds to create * salutary influence in alt respects towards aiding the growth and prosperity of Aiken, . even to the encouraging of producers in this neighborhood, tb give more special attention to furnishing articles of food for the supply of the table, and by this' means to lessen the cost of living expenses; and reduce the price of board. These expenses are necessarily high with u* owing to causes before mentioned. By scouring such results, we would get more visitors and reach a large class, who, with the present expenses are not able to come here. I. am gratified at an attempt now being made to establish an institution-in this neighborhood, whereby invalids with limited pecuniary means, may avail themselves of an unequalled climate. This institution , is represented here to-night by one #f its officers, and I welcome him, and I wish him success in his undertaking. I speak of our climate as unsurpassed in this; country.—I mean in its sanitary influences upon pulmonary disease This is my honest belief, after careful observation, in the treatment of those diseases for the past four years. I came here with! these impressions, and my preconceived views have been fully veri- -fieii. Aiken is at just a stage of gro wth and prosperity ns a health resort which renders it liable to remain about as it is or to retrograde or advance, either result depending upon the action of the resident citizens.— Competition, as in all branches of successful tusiness is strong, and not always the most honorable. Money most be raised by us to successfully compete with other places; measures must be contrived and carried out to make the place.better known, and te attract strangers to us. Funds for publication, also for employing individual labor to produce this result, are necessary. (The Doctor here read an article from the Christian Union giving a summary of the lzgt census reports upon : vital statistics— showing Aiken to be less encouraging as a resort for pulmonary subjects than one other locality.] This conclusion I dissent from, and it must be met—-either by publication or personal influence. If we, the citisens of Aiken, unitedly (and there cannot be any real conflicting interests here) put fort h our utmost endea vors oh nd id ly, truth fully, and judiciously toadvaccet.be material interests of the residents here, I am confident we cannot fail of success. We roust .aim, at least, to imitate the suoccwfal business. world, with the necessary variations and. . modifications in action, j We citizens of Aiken, honored oven, with thi* one resource, an unshaken faith in the sanitary influences of this locality, may succeed in benefiting ourselves, and greatly benefiting large number of our fellow men. I» our action as a united coinmnmty, .we can ob-parative results for eur encouragement, by recalling to our minds the results ot individual action, which have i-a-n manifested unassumingly and unflinchingly in midst for year*. Why, ladiec and gen. tie men, you all know a gentleman who U in -meeting. Yes, who sit* on that platform, and who is not a member of the jacd-.. cal profession, but: who by his sympathy, his 'attentions, by night- and day to the.sick and- suffering; to. the stranger, the sojour-administering spiritual consolation at the bedside of the dying, conducting the sou! through the dark; river which divides time from eternity, has done more to draw people here, and make the name of Aiken venerated, than all other influences combined. f There is still another gentleman ;that platform to night, who, by his labors, in another direction—in season and out of season—when in precareous health too— has for years past, devoted his efforts to the organization and establishment of a society for the entertainment and. amusement of the weary guest, whose -yearnings for home associations and privileges sometimes leads him to regard himself a prisoner.. I say all honor to this individual.*Many others have done a good work among us, as for instance, the founders of the Reading Room Club, who should receive credit for their efforts. I think, Mr. • President, that we may reasonably, as a combined and united community, be encouraged by those individual illustrations . to work.Thanking you for your patience.in listening l o me so long a time, I will stop.fRev. E. C. Edgerton. *W. Stevenson.After a few remarks from Mr. Arthur H. Edy, the Vice-President of the “Rustic Home,*’ tho Committee, charged with that duty, through its Chairman, Major James E. Crossland, reported the-followingCONSTITUTION.ARTICLE I.’This organization shall be known as the “Association for the advancement of the interests of Aiken.ARTICLE II. 'Its operations shall be directed to, and shall in a general way contemplate, the at-: traction of visitors, whether in pursuit of business, of pleasure or of health, to our the plauning ami execution of the details of snch m- tsitres as may be condu-: to their convenience, amusement .and .fort, and the publication, to the ,world,
Newspaper Details
Aiken Tribune
Aiken, South Carolina, US
Sat, Jun 14, 1873
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USA 24 Jun 2024
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