1939: South Carolina

Area and Population.

One of the original thirteen states, South Carolina occupies a part of the eastern slope of the United States. It is roughly triangular in shape, with an east-west extent of 273 miles and a north-south extent of 210 miles. The total area of the state is 30,989 sq. mi., of which 494 are water. The highest elevation in the state is 3,548 ft. on Sassafras Mountain, located on the northwest border. The state is divided into three physiographic provinces which extend north-east south-west. The northwest marginal belt, some 500 sq. mi. in area, lies within the Blue Ridge province; the central belt, of about 10,500 sq. mi., is in the Piedmont Plateau province; and the southeastern or coastal belt of about 20,000 sq. mi. forms part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain province.

The total population of the state, according to the census of 1930, was 1,738,765, which was made up of 944,040 white persons, 793,681 Negroes, and 1,944 of other races. The urban population amounted to 371,080 of whom 62.8 per cent were white: of the rural population of 1,367,685, 52.0 per cent were white. The latest Federal estimate of the population of the State was 1,875,000 as of July 1, 1937. The birth rate and the death rate for 1938 were 22.6 and 11.1 per thousand respectively.

South Carolina is 39th among the states in area, and 26th in population. In 1930 the average density of population was 57 persons per square mile.

The leading cities of the state with their 1930 populations are: Columbia, the capital, 51,581; Charleston, the principal seaport, 62,265; Greenville, 29,154; and Spartanburg, 28,723.

Education.

According to the 1930 Census South Carolina had 360,281 white, and 353,593 Negro inhabitants of school age (5 to 20 years). Of these 79 per cent of the white and 85.8 per cent of the Negro people of school age were rural inhabitants. For the school year 1938-39 there were 266,882 white and 220,728 Negro children enrolled in the public schools. The state has 1,496 white and 2,222 Negro elementary schools, and 315 white and 139 Negro high schools. The sum of approximately $16,000,000 was spent for public school education for the year, slightly more than half of which was state aid. The average teacher's salary in elementary schools was $646, or $866 for white and $349 for Negro teachers. For high school teachers the average salary was $1,003, or $1,087 for white and $541 for Negro teachers.

Industry.

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1939, the total capital invested in all manufacturing industries of the state, according to preliminary figures, amounted to $394,563,426 which was a gain of $1,736,774 over the previous year. The total value of industrial products for the same period amounted to $382,290,041, an increase of $26,642,983.

The textile industry was the most important both as to capital invested and value of product, figures being $199,323,388 and $239,842,159 respectively. During the fiscal year 1938-39 the state had a total of 233 textile manufacturing plants in operation. There were in place 5,766,513 spindles and 146,631 looms. The average spindles active for the year numbered 5,377,564, which was 26,703 more than in the next highest state, North Carolina. The average of active spinning hours per spindle was 338 hours, 12 hours more than in Georgia, the next highest state.

Textile plants employed 96,139 persons as wage earners, whose wages totaled $64,993,309, an increase of $767,086 over the previous year. The mills of the state consumed 1,348,907 bales of cotton during the fiscal year, 88,297 bales more than the previous year.

Second to textiles in value of product were the industries having to do with forestry resources, such as lumber and timber, pulp and paper, and wooden packages. These industries reported the value of products at $33,029,081. The fertilizer industry had a product valued at $12,739,934.

In addition, electricity to the value of $16,198,350 was produced during the year. Construction which was started in 1938 has proceeded rapidly on two hydroelectric developments, the Buzzard's Roost project near Greenwood, and the Santee-Cooper project near Moncks Corner. The estimated cost of the Buzzard's Roost project is $4,500,000. Turbines developing 22,000 horsepower will be installed. It is estimated that about $40,000,000 will be expended on the Santee-Cooper project. Four 34,000 kilovolt ampere generators initially, with one additional unit ultimately, and one 11,350 kilovolt generator are to be installed. This project also includes locks and channelways for navigation. These projects will increase power developed in the state about 45 per cent.

Mineral Products.

Production of the state's leading mineral, kaolin, in which it ranks next to Georgia, was substantially reduced in volume in 1938, to 98,924 tons valued at $865,177, from the 1937 figure of 129,120 tons valued at $1,053,805. Stone, which with kaolin makes up about half of the total value of South Carolina's mineral resources, amounted in 1938 to 987,280 tons, about 50,000 tons more than in the preceding year, but with a reduced market value of $1,315,999. Gold production increased from 2,482 fine ounces in 1937 to 11,681 fine ounces in 1938.

Legislative Matters.

The state Legislature was in session from January 3 to July 1, the longest session on record. There was appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1939, a total sum of $12,553,208.39 for expenses of the state.

The Legislature provided for the transfer of $2,000,000 of revenue from the gasoline tax and motor-vehicle license tax to the general fund of the state, but allowed the Highway Department to issue additional certificates of indebtedness.

Welfare and Correction.

South Carolina maintains through state support the following institutions dealing with charity and correction: The South Carolina State Hospital at Columbia, for the care of mental cases; the State Sanatorium near Columbia for the treatment and segregation of tubercular patients; an Infirmary for the care of Confederate Veterans and their widows at Columbia; a Training School for the feeble-minded, at Clinton. A reservation of 652 acres and some 30 dwellings is managed by a State Agent for the Catawba Indians, near Rock Hill. The John De La Howe Industrial School located near McCormick gives agricultural and mechanical training to dependent boys and girls; and the State School for Deaf and Blind at Cedar Springs is maintained for the education of boys and girls so handicapped. The state also maintains four penal or correctional institutions: The State Penitentiary at Columbia; an Industrial School for boys at Florence; an Industrial School for Girls near Columbia, and a Reformatory for Negro boys near Columbia.

State Officers.

The chief officers of the state government during 1939 were: Governor, Burnet R. Maybank; Lieutenant Governor, J. E. Harley; Secretary of State, W. P. Blackwell; State Treasurer, E. P. Miller; Attorney General, J. M. Daniel; Adjutant General, J. C. Dozier; Comptroller General, A. J. Beattie; State Superintendent of Education. J. H. Hope.

United States Senators.

Ellison D. Smith, James F. Byrnes.