The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-08-17
AN EYENTFUL HISTORY !
THE cHEoUERED ciREER OF THE
PORT ROEIL ROAD.

TIE cHE0UERED CiREER OF TIE
PORT ROEIL RO-ID.
ReytnninS the. Work-A Specimen Con-
tractor-Promises Made TO be Broken
will the New Board Come Down
with the Cash
The following racy letter, containing an In:
teresting sketch of the history and prospects
of the Port Royal Railroad, is addressed to Mr..
Stephen C. Millett by an old and influential
citizen: - :
AUGUSTA, August Is, 1871.
- Sir-I have read your letter TO d.. Lawton,
and confess to some surprise at seeing you
again before the public on this subject. After
ali that the road has suffered under your man
agement, how you can have the assurance to
approach any one Of the original stool kholders
is to me 2 matter OF establishment Let me
call your attention to brief resume OF tnls
When the road was chartered tine planters
living along the line promptly came forward
a9d took the stock. Mr. Davant OF Beaufort,
, was the first president. Under his admlnls-
tration the road was surveyed and located,
the right Of way secured, contracts given out,
and much work done; butthe war came and
interrupted the enterprise.
After the war, you represented 20 the ooaro
of directors that you had secured the AID OF
capitalists In Boston and New York, who
would build the road IL the charter and proper
ty of the same were turned over TO them. By
plausible representation and the exhibition OF
some letters, you persuaded the direction
that you did represent capitalists, and as their
sole object was to build the road, not as mat
&ter ofspeculatlon, but as great WORK OF lnter-
Nnal Improvement and connecting line be-
tween the great West and the deep waters at
Port Royal, Mr.. Davant resigned his office OF
president, the directors retired, ana you ana
your friends were placed In possession Oh Ghe
road, its charter and property. Your board OF
dent. 80.
Mr. Finegan, believe was his name, ap--
peared now on the scene. He was 10 Dullo
and equip the road for q certain contract
Nice, which was voted him, but no; articles OF
agreement were entered into by which he was
Mr.. Finegan disappeared, and Mr. George u.
Chapman took his place. The on DIT Is that
he bought out Mr. Finegan, paying him siso,-
600. 81. sc, z 8 .5.,s:
You and Chapman. then set to work to gain
from the negro Legislature OF South Gafoiloa
State aid and extended privileges. Whether
you did not have money enough, or whether
Charleston influence was too strong for you,
Won were not successful. Yous also sought TO
obtain aid from the City Council OF Augusta
and the Georgia. Railroad, and, although you
had able supporters In both rporation Syou
again failed. ..,9,,S: 5sSs ~ ss<s5s
Chapman, however, inaugurateds the work,
o&Sned IAN office In Augusta, and placeeaa
Large force OF iaboreraa on the road. Apont
this time, letters were, written from the Norlni
to gentlemen In BarnWell and Augusta, &C.
cusing Chapman Of bad faith Z IN tnes UeIoy
Railroad and enclosing newspaper articles DE-.
nouncing him. Some. of these letters we're
addressed to .tha5 Hon. Al i. drichs one OF
the Judges of the old South Carolina judiciary:
who had been removed from office by General
CanbY, and had resumed. the. practice olslaW, 4:
and Sh9 esGasnt Is
also negotiating TO control Jgdg sAldrlcn
with that adireGtness and fanknesB forSwh whica
he Is dstin1nished, sent these letters. and
articles to Mr.. Ehapmans who expressed hlmI
self gratiaed that an opp portnnity was ofered
him to refute the slanders Whicn ne mas NOE
okdone yet. oasss Y. 49,.
Things progressed very we'll f0rtwo oEthree
months; hands worked ON the Port Royal Rail-
road and contractors; were paid their m0ntnly
estimates, when suddenly Chapman dlsap,
-peared from Augusta, ,-his Office was beslegeo
by hungry negroes clamoLaog ior pay ana ms la
tors. Abbott, his secretary, tried to pacify
them; sold that. some delay had Occurred In
sending in funds from NeWs f6rk;; that Chap;
man had gone after the money that ne haG'
telegaphed him the condition ftaffalrs, and
that he would; be back In q few Gays With. cm-
Die funds topay all demands. Chapman re-
turned, took some law proceeding to dissolve.
the attachmehts assured the contractors and
labofers that has s&as making a. slccessials ar
lrangement to- obtain an ample supply OF FUNDS,
which he was preVe epteds completing 6ys tnelr
.precipitatio A lew hands were, Kept On tne l
parted, a1dt PortsR loyal Railroad again coll
lapsed 4. - =.
Psake. late shperinte Dent OF the South CARO-
lida Railroad, &. man of large .exper riencexln
railroad matters was spoken :of IN GonnssnSn
the other as presldent, az, the men: most likely
to Carry out the work to a successful compile
ton, and SWass supposed the ScapifRiiHtst
WHOM sou profess to represent, would Teorl]
;ganizs with these gentlemen as treirTepre-
.sencstiyesi and the road would pc pnsnsd to;n
hope, because II there is any money In the
concern, these IWo ssulen would com
,Inand the respect aud confde ence or the: people
of South s.Carolfna, and +, Georgia, and any
pledges made,by them would be received with
entire: :confde dence.a But Just we were con-
graduating ourselves on this anspic cious eyenfs
the papers announceda 8 new board OF direc9
tors, with Mr.. James Appleton, OF New york;
ns president, and yot.. as supe pertntenden
.Allow me,to ask How; do you expect 70 sob.
tain the confidence and aid OF the people ;of
Augusta and South. Carolina when you put:
unknown to them, and your sell, as superan-l
tendent, who have already failed as presidents"
III you really can control capitol, and wish to
build the road, ,yon have lived here long
enough to know that the sarest way TO do 1t
is to put forward men who are known as men
OF character, ability and Integrity, in whom
confidence will be reposed, q and who can pre-;
sent the claims of gthe company to the people