Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-07-03
.Yhe Railroad Difficulty.
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test now going OF between tic South Carolina
and the Colu,nbl ard Ancu>ta Rn'Tnads,
and as evary oar, especially your country
rsa .ers, are not sufficiently acqHa'nted with
tn; facts to j,:;.c of the merits OF Tie Con
trorcr:v. al one who has been 4 looker on
an., observer a. the dit.rent psa'H' OF the
c,sS. would place before them, rs succinct
"a; possible. tn iac:s as have been ena-
b!el to learn them
Il is Eoown that the South CaEo'ina Rail
roai Company filed a "bii'' 10 81 join alto
ether the construction Of the Colombia and
Ausu.ta R,irua,l, and asking hat the Cnan.
c4.lor might order the work upon it to be
discontinued immediately. This bill was
a:,ly argued for several days before his Honor
Cbancc!:o. Carroll The argument upon tile
,if. of the Scuth Carolina Road. many O:
mr. rea.;crs haze doubtless saeH, as,it was
ruoli<hc.l in the i.ailroal Joarsnt, oi one OF
,bs Northern cities, in few days after 1t was
delivered before his Honor, and very gener
nlly disseminated, both in this cit:' and Au'
ensta. by an extra issue of the Charleston
.Ners. which was sent g free traits and ier
no,h;orn TO everybody and the p" res: of man
6indp His Honor the ChanceiIo7 has'n";
as' vet render d any decree III thc case. owing
TO the multiplicity Of other cases whch're-
ou:red his attention.
Uniil a decree was rendered erj 'in'ng
them, the Columbia and Augusta Railroad
;ud the legal right to 90 on with their work,
under The grant of their. CHARTER; this char
ter. BY the way, is the offspring OF that same
p,spr which gave existence TO the South
Int la.t
crown so ol1 aud powerful and sell-wiled
iaat It is disdainfuliy defiant and deiiauilT
,I;S.la;nfnl Of all the laws and authorities ii
its progenitor. .-...,.;..- or d.;
work. Is they Thought, it ~as not otry Their
n.bf. bas their duty, 10 do, the Columbia
and Augusta Railroad, upon attempting 70
an. in a crossing Of the track o. the South
Caroiina Rl;lroad were again brought before
hi. Honor the Chancellor upon q second
.:bill.n asking that they be stopped iroin so
doing. THIS second bill was also armed
~, s.Enc length. aat dismissed by tse Chan
ce,n-. upon several gronnds-among others
too,th. construction Of ths Columbia and
Aacns.a Rllroad acrosS the track o! the
S,uth Carolina Railroad would do no injary
70 the later. whilst to delay the columbia
and Augusta Railroad in the prosecution Of
their work until the decree in the first case
which might be some.montls-should be
rendered. might subject them to great dam
. e and loss. Tue authorities OF the South
Carolina Railroad were duly notified of this
decision: but instead Of acquiescing in the
dec;s,on of the court whose aid they had III
yoked. in contempt of that court, they at
tempted, by forceo OF their own strong arm,
f. preyent the work of the c iumbia and
Augusta Railroad from being carried on by
placing obstructions across the street along
which the latter passed.
Upon application to the Mayor and Council
OF the city, by whom the use and occupancy
Of the street had been granted to the Coum
bia and Augusta Railroad, ar order was is
sued to the agent of the South Carolina Road.
residing in Columbia, t" remove the obstcuc-
ion at once, or it would be removed by the
marshal of the city, The order CT the Mayor
Was treated with the same contempt that the
decree Of his Honor the Chancellor had been.
The Mayor then sent the marshal 30 cause
the engine and cars, which constituted the
obstruction, to bc removed.
AS soon as the distractions were removed
the Columbia and Augusta Railroad com
menced operations, and put in the crossing
50 that the evening train OF the South Carroll
m Railroad passed over 1t without let or hin-
drance. This was dcne upon Saturday eve
ning: upon Monday evening, the supervisor
came M, with about forty hands; his engine
PASSED over and went to the depot, but soon
returned and began tearing up the track, and
cutting up the cmbankment Of the Columbia
and Augusta Railroad for some distance upon
each side. The Mayor, upon being informed
of the facts, sent down force and had the
suneryisor and several others of the party
hrouqht before him, and fined them 10 the
inll extent of the law for their rictous con-
duct. Yet, Notwithstanding all this, the an, III,
thorities of the South Clroina Railroad still
keep an engine standing near the site OF the
crossing, with ''stea;:. up for the purpose OF
interfering and annoying the workmen when
thcy shall again attempt to proceed win tue
work. but imagine, from whist hear, they
viii have TO 90 again.
This procedure Of the supervisor was an
outrageous defiance and contempt of both the
,.,rrt and the city authority. ! understand
he boasted of and exhibited written authority
fnr his proceedings from one of the highest
officials of the company. l learn also, from
,ood authority, tha, this is not the only case
p which they have taken the law into their
oxn hands; that one OF their employees, with
his force Of hands, tore down thetrcstle-work
erected by the Columbia and Augusta Rail
rcnd Company, near Graniteyille depot, and
bo also alleged that he had directions from
the same official.
There is a. li,tleness and childish malicious
ness about these acts which is entirely un-
Iv,rthv the authorities Of any responsible cor.
noration asd cannot believe that the Di-
rsstors Of the South Carolina Railroad, com
a.,cd es their board is OF such fair and homo
rr,hle gentlemen as Mcssrs. Furman, Rose,
Gonrd;n. Trenholm and others, can be aware
n and sanction such proceedings. 1t is not
no;sible that they could lend their connte'
nance to the persistent contempt and defiance
aS tho decrres of the court, and to the NUM-
sinai authorities of the capital city of their
State.
Bv acts such as these, they may harass and
ornoy the Columbia ard Augusta Railroad
Com3anv fora time, but the mind must be
If small comprehension, indeed, that would
exnect ~ by such means, to arrest the construc:
l;on Of n work which ons-third or more OF
tbo r.' naonle OF the State are interested in see
@ ;nr carried out. Besides, these acts of vexa-
t;an .a have generally to be atoned for through
.,Sa @ court and from all the manifestations OF
oniniou oni that hear, the Columbia an'l Angus
" lppo;lroad Company need no; STINT them
elves .a w in their demand for damages in the ac-
sa .;an which hear they have Instituted.
hoh "n'''- LOCKER ON.