The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1872-03-13
Col. Vim. Johnston.


ment, which is absorbing so much of
public attontion and causing many to
forget or overlook the valuable servi-
>ces in publ, enterprises which have
been conducive to the welfare of the
people, State and country, render
cd by private individuals, it is
proper that at times reference be
made to such gentlemen and the parts
they have performed in aid of the
public welfare, aud we conceive such
TO be duty which tho press ows to
suoh public bencfactors and to the
people. In this respect, no man in
the State has surpassed Col. Wm.
Johustou, if any have equllled him.
10 make good our assertion, wo sub
nit the following record of him us
rail road President and 6nancier, which
We have taken pains to collect, and
The facts are iudisputable-showing
administrative abilities (stateman-
ship Of the first order, and position
worthy of a true son Of North Carolina.
Since the war he hs built aud
''rehuilt nearly TWO hundred miles Of
railroads in North and South Caroli-
ma, without any Site aid from either
among q poor, des itu;e people {:
much of'the cohntry aloug tho line
having been laid in utter ruin by
Sherman's army, and almost iu state
of revolutions; without confidence,
'pecuniary iheans, or credit in it,, To
rebuild about 50 mnes Of The G.. & 81.
Ca. II. r., it's >hups and bridges, with
all its war debts hanging up,n MIN,
We learn that Cvl. John,ton only had
abolt 73 bales of'c,Ltrn. When the
war closed about $4,000 woth of
graf ing only was done ,n TIC Cri1m-
'bia & Augusta r 'R.--the C,alp III,
saving Out of 'he wreck abou 1000
bales Of cotton. lu the t; II '6G tn.
stoukhvlders rriasstrd h,m 20 e.. aud
build tho Road La 1870 tn, Road
was tinlSheh, aid is, 85 lhiles long.
The Consureo und Savannah bridges
alone oost over $500, 900 in the
aggregate-morc than the rocecds Of
the sale Of the cotton and ali other
means Of the Company in hand When
he began the work While the Road
cost over two millions Of Dollars
During the entire construction of
This Road, amid tho other almost in-
superable difficulties lie had to con-
tend with, the South Carolina r. Il.
the most powerful corporation in
the State-fought him with her heav-
lest artillery, bringing suit after suit
against his enterprise in almost every
form known to the law. Tn a9l this
he succeeded beyond the most san.
guine expectation. How hs over
reuliz ID the funds or sustained his
credit to get through, has been
a mystery to the be.t railroad men
and fnancie. If the country.
In June last, he 6ni shed rebuild
ing 47 miles more of Road from
Charlotte to Statcsville, and built it
in five and a half months A public
journal has remarked that Col. j.
|'has done more for. the Improvement
and Development of North Carolina
than any man living" How much
more has he done, however, for South
Carolina having built over t36
miles of road within her limits. In
truth, the opinion is that he has done
for the material prosperity more than
any citizen of that State. Without
any aid from either State, he had in
a870, constructed more mile6 of new
road than all other ralroad officers in
both States, while they had millions
of bonds used in their aid. No man
south Of the potomac, since the war,
has been able to accomplish such re.
suits with double the means. It is
said that when he first built the Char.
lotto & Statesville road, before the
war, he began it with only $4,000.
If to accomplish mhoh, with small
means, and under the n,'ost upfavora.
BILE conditions of the country, is evil
denco of ability, then he has shown
itin the highest degree. Hc has ad-
ded much to tic wealth and resources
of North and South Carolina, hy his
great ep, rgy and decideu ability: If he
Is bencfaotor who makes one blade
of grass grew where mono grew be.
fore, how muoh are tho peop.o Of
North and South Carolina indebted to
one who had to imptovise his means,
and almost unaided millions to their
estates. Let the stockholders of tho
Roads, and the planters on tho line
of ths Columbia. & Il, Augusta X. r.,
estimates thoir profits.
1t is admitted that Col. Johnston
has been the leading spirit in tho IN.
ternal improvements radiating from
Charlotte. While ho may have beeh
hrm and exact in his official relations
representing others, no one has por-
sonally contributed more literally to
worthy and benevolent in his com.
munity. He Has devoted himself
with moro energy and Zeal to the, in