|
Editor's
Note: The following undated item was supplied by my
brother, Doyle Wilson, who got it from someone else in the
Tucapau area. It supposedly was written by a girl named
Christine Barry in a diary, which was later "found in the
trunk of an old car". I am reprinting it unchanged
except for obvious typographical errors, which have been
corrected. I believe someone other than Christine Barry
added the last page which starts "These are the actual
facts taken from the diary"...
In 1893
- September 7 - there came a party of men from Spartanburg to
Middle Tyger River, on a fishing trip (also looking for a mill
site). About twelve miles from Spartanburg they came
across a grand shoals of water surrounded by a beautiful forest
of trees, which was called Penny Shoals. They were
favorably impressed with the situation and went home with a
determination that if arrangements could be made to buy the
shoals and land they would build a mill. The party of men
included Dr. Fleming,, W. B. Lucas and others.
Dr.
Fleming and Capt. Montgomery, on February 13, 1894 - came to
Penny Shoals to locate a mill site (having bought the land and
shoals from Mr. Harry Hadden). The price was one thousand
dollars.
 April
11, 1894 - a surveying party came to Penn(e)y Shoals, in charge
was, B.L. Arelle an architect from Boston, Mass. They
surveyed the land and on April 27, 1894, Dr. Fleming, Mr.
Converse, Mr. Greene, and Mr. Cleveland selected the site where
the mill now stands.
May 9,
1894, Mr. Jack Bright and James Lovis fell(ed) the first trees,
and went to work clearing the forest for the tenant houses.
These men lived in brush tents until May 11. Mr. James
Snoddy sent Lumber and they built a plank tent. This
lumber was hauled by Mr. Crocker.
May 29,
1894 - surveyors laid off a road from Tucapau to Wellford.
This work was in charge of T.B. Moore of Wellford, S.C., known
in later years as "Uncle Tommie" by his friends and
employees.
The
mill building was completed and ready for operation, June 7,
1895 - As it was necessary to get in with the Towns around, on
September 12, 1894, the telephone poles were put into Tucapau.
On October 10, the wires were strung.
On May
17, 1895 Tucapau began to issue Stock Certificates and on May
29, the first stock holder's meeting was held at Mr. John B.
Cleveland's office in Spartanburg.
September
21, 1897, a notable event was the turning on of the water to the
water field. It cracked the corner of the mill.
The
dam, mill foundation and pillars were built by Mr. George
Hampton and Mr. Charlie Willard.
The
first families were Mr. George Hampton, Mr. James R. Smith, Mr.
Daniel Barry. When they moved to Tucapau the houses were
not completed and they laid planks down on the floor and lived
that way until the houses were completed.
The
first beam in the mill was drown by Miss Minnie Barry. The
cloth was bought by Mr. James R. Snoddy who had a shirt made.
This shirt is still in his possession.
The
store was a small store in those days, its first manager being
Mr. Robert Roundtree. The next, Mr. Alfred Moore.
The third, Mr. Walter Query. The fourth Mr. Harvey
Anderson. Mr. Charles Howe has been the efficient manager
for several years. The first drayman was Mr. Boyd Smith,
who delivered groceries in a wheel-barrow. He was a small
lad then, I say then, because I thought perhaps, you folks who
see him now up at the scales at three hundred pounds, would
hardly 
believe he could have accomplished so strenuous a task. He
also walked to Wellford, two and a half miles to carry mail,
until a hack line was put in by Mr. Daniel Barry and Sons, who
also carried the mail and one son Charles D. Barry Still carries
it to Wellford every day.
The
first market was opened by Mr. Daniel Barry, in what is known as
the shoe shop. The he went out of the meat business.
Mr. C.P. Cannon what at that time worked in the mill, would work
in the mill all week until Saturday on which day he would run a
meat wagon. on March 1, 1899, he opened a market and has
been operating it in the same stand for twenty two years.
The
school house was a small one room building that stood where the
Methodist Church now stands. There were only ten pupils,
the first teacher being Miss Flora Bryson. About this time
the mil was enlarged and more families moved in and the school
house was moved to Belk Store house. It stood there where
Mr. Sam Jackson's house now stands. It outgrew this
building and was moved to the hall over the company store which
has been built onto, and is still used as a company store.
But the
hall was too small for school so on July 10, 1900, a committee
went to T.B. Moore and asked for a school building. He
gave his consent and a nice school building was erected.
February
27, 1899 - the company had a new telephone put in the office.
May 15,
1899 - installed a soda fountain in the company store.
This was quite an event for the belles and beaux, but since
bottle drinks have become so popular it has been removed.
The
little building first used as a school building was moved by
James R. Smith below the company store and was used as an
office. August 9, 1899 - the office was moved to a
dwelling house and
is still used as an office.
On
March 12, 1900 work was begun on the Methodist and Baptist
church. There had been union services in Belks store,
The first pastor was Rev. Irving. Later in the same year
both churches were completed.
On
August 25, 1896 the first election was held.
On
September 21, 1897 the steam whistle blew for the first time.
Until this time a bell had been used.
On
February 17, 1898 the waste house burned.
On
February 25, 1899, the first shaving and hair cuts were given in
the building now used as a Post Office.
On
January 2, 1897, Stockholders received their first dividend
checks.
On
March 2, 1897, the mill started running at night and ran for a
long time. The mill then made another change so that it
would be possible to fill its orders. It now has something
over 68,000 spindles.
 Tucapau
has fine transportation to the surrounding country, where people
had to go to Wellford two and one half miles to catch a train or
drive twelve miles to Spartanburg. The Piedmont &
Northern now operate electric cars north and south on a two hour
schedule.
The
mill has been making improvements (now for several years) until
Tucapau is indeed one of the best mill towns in the Piedmont
section. It now has an electric plant at Berry Shoals that
operates part of the mill. It also uses water power and in
summer when the water is low they can use steam.
The
mill village is lighted by electricity which is generated at
their electric plant. It also has one of the finest
community buildings in the south. This building and
playground has a person in charge who teaches cooking and
sewing.
The new
hotel opened last week and is a forty room structure with all
modern conveniences. The sidewalks are paved and the roads
paved with topsoiled. The houses are equipped with water
and hydrants have been placed along the street, and fire wagons
bought, so in case of fire it can be controlled. There is
also a laundry owned by the company. It does the laundry
work for employees at a reasonable price. In
this building is also the Ice Plant that furnishes Tucapau and
other towns. There is one of the best cold storage plants
to be found. Now
you will agree with us that Tucapau is a bustling town and a
good place to live.
|
