The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-03-23
VOLUME V-NO. 2

that 1t was addressed to convention of in
teiiigent stockholders, who wers asking in
1ormatlon on the subject, and that, too, by
one whose participation in the actual admin
istration of the affairs of the con,C,up
would have we'll warranted him in. saving
quorum magma pdrS fui|' When the pro
position to which he refers was made. the
Columbia and Augusta Railroad was nearly,
completed to Graniteville; and the right ot
the company to continue their construction
to Augusta had been established in law. ana
was no longer denied. The proposition
made on this state of facts, was to procnra
on terms. the use of the track of the South
Carolina Railroad, between GTanitevile anG
Augusta, for the trains of the Columbia and
Augusta Railroad, instead of CONSTRUCTING n
separate track. The question for tho South
Carolina Railroad Company to consider
and, as it seems to me, the only question
was whether it is better to farm out the
partial use OF our track to the Columbia and
Augusta Railroad Company, or, by our re-
fusnl, compel them to construct a separate
and independent competing track" IT was
plain business proposition-one which has
been solved by hundreds of other railroad
companies similarly situated, and solved, to
the common interest of both companies
But, instead of 80 treating it, the reply is
made: your railroad from Columbia to
augusta Will divert large part of 'our bu-
your proposition, unless you pay us some
thng equivalent to what we lose!' There
might be reason in this, if the refusal wonl6
defeat wholly the completion of the CoIum
bia and Augusta Railroad to Augusta. But
did these gentlemen for moment suppose
that their refusal 10 treat would cause an
abandonment of the enterprise? That the
Columbia and Augusta Railroad Company
would not, or could not, in the face of such
refusal, complete separate track to Angus
tar Did they suppose that ''onr business"
could be retained by such refusaI-that the
community and the business world would
recognize such claim to ''our business. "and
refuse to employ the agency of the Colum-
Dla and Augusta Railroad when completeds
apprehend that the people of South Caro-
lima and Georgia, to soy nothing of the
world beyond, are not aware that the South.
Carolina Railroad Company has an absolute
property IN the transportation of passengers
and freights. They do not recognize that
any railroad has lien upon their persons
and property as against all other roads; and.
unfortunately for such pretentious claim, or.
the part of the South Carolina Railroad;
Company. the Courts of the State had de-
cided that. however exclusive may be their
right to conduct the transportation between
Augusta and Charleston, and between Co
iumbia and Charleston, no such right exists.
or has ever existed, rs to the TRANSPORTATION
between Columbia and Augusta
In addition to the two propositions con
tanned In the communications of the Goth
September and of the 21st October. the
Columbia and Augusta Railroad Company
have, within the last three wars. submit ted
as many rs FIVE or six other propositions
through their President, their Chief En-
gineer and Directors. inviting negotiati ons
Some or these overtures were in no manner
noticed; others were simply rejected; and
onl y In reply to the proposition of the 21st
october was any reason assigned for its re-
lection, and that reason was simply that the
offer was not sufficient. Besides these
several propositions, the Direction of the
Columbia ard Augusta Railroad Company
appointed Special Com mittee of Directors,
consisting OF Colonels Childs and Gibbes.
and Foster Blodgett, Esq, then the MAY or
OF Augusta, to confer with similar co m
mittee from the Directors of the Son tn
Carolina Railroad Company, and negoti ate
terms OF adjustment between the two com
panies. This committee went to Charleston.
and IN an interview with committee of
the Direction of the South Carolina Rail
road Company were told 'that all these
questions had been referred to the Courts,
and they would have to be there decidedr'
After the decision by the Court of Errors,
determining every question Of right at issue.
between the two companies, the Columbia
and Augusta Railroad Company had reason
to suppose that all merely factious opposi-
tion would be yielded, and that the decision
Of the Court would be acquiesced in In
July. 1868, however, when the road was
about to reach Graniteville. where its leca-
tIon required an entrance upon the lands of
the South Carolina Railroad Company.
communication was addressed to MIR. Ma
grath by one of the Directors of the Colum
bia and Augusta Railroad Company, asking
him to unite in tho selection of commits,
sioners to assess the damages for the land
required. In reply thereto, the following
letter was received from Mr.. Magratn: