Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1871-11-24
Blue Ridge Railroad

The stock holders of the Blue Ridge Rail
road met, in Columbia, on the 18th inst,
and elected the foling MS Board of Directors :
General JOHN Il. Wugeuer, Mayor of
Charleston; William j. Magrath, President
Of South Carolina Railroad Andrew Sim.
onds, President First National Bank, Charles
ton George S. Cameron, President South
Carolina Loan and Trust Company, Charles.
ton; General NJ. G.. Butler, of Rchland /;
General NJ w. Gary, of Edgefcld; Colonel
j. S. Cothran, of Abbcvillc; w. i. Gull
ick, Cashier of National Bank, Columbia !;
j. j. Patterson, Vice President Grccnyillc and
Columbia Railroad j. b. Palmer, President
Central National Bank, Columbia; General
j. w. Harrison, Of Anderson Thomas a.
Scott, President Of Pennsylvania Railroad
Company; Hardy Solomons, President Loan
and Trust Company, Columbia; Il }. Steers,
Esq, of Oconcc. Ills Excellency Governor
Il. IL Scott, Ex-oIlicio.
Colonel j. S. Cothran, of Abbcvillc, sta.
ted that the President of che Road, j.. W..
Harrison, had positively declined being Il
candidate for re election, and offered tho fol-
lowing resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted: ,.
Resoluea, That the stock holders of the
Blue Ridge Railroad Company feel it due to
General j. w. Harrison, President, to ex-
press their sense of the integrity and pcrsc-
veranco with which he has for years adniinis.
tered the affairs of the Company, ,uuder circum-
stances of great difficulty and disoouragemcnt.
Resotved, That his earnest end unscliish
devotion to an enterprise which they consider
essential to the future prosperity of the State
deserves and receives our warmcst rccogni-
ton and that in closing his Official service lie car.
rics with him our sincere confidence andrcgard.
Resolrcd, That pass for life, for himself
aud family, be rendered to him as mark Of
our respect.
Rcsol0cl, That the Chairman be requested
to publish these resolutions in the Daily pa
pcrs Of Charleston aud Columbia, and copy
be sent to General Harrison.
General Harrison responded in feeling
manner, stating in substance that the resolu
tions affected him deeply and peculiarly
That he was aware his administration Of af
fairs had been to a certain extent far short Of
what had been expected of him, owing to the
many difficulties he had met, and the various
stumbling blocks thrown in the way Of sue,
ccss!ul prosecution of the great enterprise
Yet lie claimed that with integrity, and
all the ability that he possessed, he had done
the best he could to meet and overcome these
obstacles and to further the completion of the
enterprise in attempting to fulfill the desires
of the stock holders and Directors.
by request, in 1867, he took the Presidcn-
cy Of the road, owning at thns time himself
one third of the bonded debt of the company,
and he woald NOW ask where was that debt ?
In the discharge Of these duties he had been
forced to consume what he had to pay hon
est debts and to live, and what little there
was now left the company still owed him
on their over due coupons. lie had declined
to consent to the enforcement of the first
mortgage, though that was his interest as all
would sec, and he did all he could to induce
the holders Of the first mortgage bonds To
keep them Fur all this he now claimed no
credit. He believed tho road should be built
flee in his power, that it might be bnilt in the
interest," Of the State lie so sincerely low ed
aud he, at TINT time, believed he could build
1t, and in she face Of prejudice and with
the advice of the directors. he had done all he
could to obtain ai. from The Legislature and
it was now known how that aid had failed
In closing General Harrison cntrcated TINT
committing his trust into new hands. all their
increased ability and energy might be put
Eesth to bring to a successful consurnnalon
this great object which he firmly believed to
be the great security for the future welfare
aud prosperity OF the State, and that in do
ing so he could say for himself and the Board
he had presided over, that one end had never
been lost sight of-that if they could not
build the road, the bonds of the roud euaran,
teca by the State should neither be squan,
dered nor stolen ard he now had the salts
faction of knowing that they to-day went in.
to the control Of the new Board, in shoir IN.
tcgrity, to be used as may be for tlse best
welfare Of the company and tho State.
From tie Columbia IhUn;x.
Correspondence.