The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-02
~THE PORT ROYAL RAILROAD
4 REPLY TO "4LLEND4LE."
TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS.

TO THE EDl1OR VI ldE NEWS.
BEAUFORT, S. c., August g.
ii The DAILY NEWS OF the 18th Instant no
tice letter addressed to S. C. Millet, Esq,
and signed "Allenda,e." This letter under
stand and believe to have originated with no
less parsonage than Hon. A. p. Aldrich,
which I do not hesitate y pronounce most
unfair, ungentlemanly attack upon one whose
efforts to build and equip the Port Royal Rail-
road have always been honest, earnest and un.
tiring-whether in the past, considering all
the discouraging adjuncts, q measure OF sue
cess eQualling the hopes OF the most sangune,
and far exceeding the general expectation,
has been attained, leave for the considera-
the difficulties to be overcome, or whether the
triumphal completion of this noble enterprise,
at no distant day. shall constitute sufficient
answer to 'Allendale's" diatribe, will not
stop at this time to Inquire. 1t will be sufficient
for the present occasion to consider few of
which, owing to his official position, proved so
sjngularly disastrous to the fortunes Of the
road in the past, and which will finally defeat
the entire scheme, in spite of all your (.'Allen-
dale's'o efforts to save from utter wreck. 1t Is
pertinent to remark chat the highly datterlng
encomiums passed upon the Hon. A. P. Al
drich would not naturally have fastened the
authorship OF this letter upon the Judge him
himself; neither is 1t easy to discover, in the
mass OF indiscriminate and sovenly state
-ments, most Of which have no foundation in
truth, or are garbled with the intent to de-
ceive, any Internal Evidence OF the judicial
mind.
''How you" (Mr. Mett) ''can approach any
one Of the original stockholders, Is matter of
astonishment to me-" have read this singu-
ylar statement over several times, and am still
In doubt whether you really intended to per-
petrate pleasantly or not. Falling of this, 1t
is presumabe that you may be gentleman OF
extreme diffidence. The only way In which he
can experience the feeling of genuine stock
holder, while subjected TO the above trying
ordeal, is to 'put yourself in his place." e.
become, what you are not now, and never
were, q Stockholder.
You are quite mistaken in saying that "the
right Of way was secured under the admins
tration Of President Dayaut;" about sixty miles
was 80 secured; the balance, fifty miles, has
since been obtained by purchase mainly,
though In some Instances by free gin.
''By plausible representations and the exhi-
bition OF some letters, you persuaded the
direction that you represented capitalists, and
that heir sole object was to. build the road,
not as q speculation, but as great work of in
ternal Improvement" The first part of this
statement is false; the latter part absurd. 1t was
held just previous to this event: this meeting,
presided over by D. C. Wilson, ESQ.,. and called
by Mr.. s. G. Millett, at the instigalion of Cap
tain George P. Elliott at that time member
Of the direction and identified with the Port
Royal Railroad from Its inception, passed,
among others, a resolution constituting Mr..
Millett adelegateto to represent the interests Of
the citizens OF Beaufort and vicinity. The
minutes OF that meeting was all that was
exhibited" to the direction. The idea that Mr..
n. represented capitalists anxious to put
their money into work OF internal improve
there might be speculation In 1t, Is little
too thin to be foisted upon Stephen or enter
talned by the board Of directors.
"Thc on dit is1hat Chapman gave Flanagan
one hundred and tive aty thousand dollars"
&c. This Is rubbish. Chapman never gave
tone OF your letter, judge that you do not un-
derstand ChapmaD's status at all. He was
merely sub-contractor, who, for a certain
sum of money, agreed to do certain work,
9Rnd If he tailed to pay his employees, it was
I, not on account Of any failure on the part OF
ure was the cause OF the subsequent Interrupt
ton of the work on this line, you discover a
degree Of ignorance altogether quite surprls-
ing. The real cause lay In the precipitation OF
an event which the most sagacious did not
foresee.
"You, with Mr.. Chapman, tried to get from
the negro Legislature State aid" This also Is
incorrect. Mr.. Mllett asked for an extension
of the charter and OF the time to complete the
road, and got both.
"SO0n after tnlS second dlSaSter," Mr.. Hen |
ry T. Peake and yourself appeared upon the |
scene-the former anxious to become super |
-intendent; the latter, president of the com.
pany. Doubtless this was "a consummation |
devoutly to be wished" for by yourself, 'sbe- |
cause" as you say, 'f there was any money In |
the concern" you would be sure to have found |
1t, and used 1t with such surprising sagacity |
as not only to ''carry out the work to 9 sue |
cessfuf conclusion" but at the same time re- |
celved the appreciation of the people, and com
PEELED the admiration Of the financial world. |
But while youwere placidly contemplating this |
possible Utopia, "congrstulatlng yourselves on |
the auspicious event." the papers announced
q r,eao board Of directors with Mr.. James
Appleton. OF New York, for president, and |
8: G. MiIlett as superintendent 1t is
not my purpose to coDjure up the |
thick fancies which may have followed |
this discovery. Let me hope that you will lose
no time In securing the services Of Mr.. Peake /
as superintendent and yourself as president of |
the Barnwell road, lin which, understand, |
you are q stockholder,) and together ''push
that enterprise to successful completion"
This will not be at all difficult to accomplish,
because you "would command the respect |
and confidence Of the people OF South Caro- |
lima and Georgia: and any pledges made by |
you would be received with entire confidence"
This finished. we shall be glad to strike hands |
with you and join in the benediction of the !
county of a "well done.n BEAUFORT.