The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1872-03-21

| across every stream across the highways III
the upcer townships, where the passage is
difficult, or might be dangerous.
For one hundred years, this highway
across the Wateree river at Camden has been
kept up without cost to the people. of the
upper townships; by the energy and at the
cost of individuals resident within the terri
tory now embraced within DeKalb and Wa
terec townships.
The ferry existed before that period, but
in 1855 Chartered rights were vested in the
proprietors, as ''tenants in common" not as
''ioint tenants" Joseph Kershaw who own
ed at that time the West bank of the river,
where tradition tells us the village of"West-
erham was located and William Wiley,
who owned the East bank. From that day
to this The Camden Ferry Company"
or "The Camden Bridge Company" have
kept up the crossing In 1923 the "Camden
Bridge" was built by private enterprise: and
has been kept up by the same parties ever
since. Not by Parties, as is supposed, inter
ested in the adjacent plantations, but by
those persons, aided by merchants and other
citizens of the town of Camden, these latter
persons furnishing perhaps half the stock
and guided by no motives of direct profit,
but by patriotism and desire to build up
the market town. When a freshet would
destroy one bridge, they would build anoth-
cr; but at length Sherman burned the
bridge, and the war and its results have
bankrupted all these people, and they are
unable to rebuild the bridge, while the pub
lie require it more than ever, for larger
population use the ferry than ever before
The public must build the bridge or do with
out it; private means cannot do it. Now, at
ter the consideration of ali these points, is it
unreasonable toask the upper townships who
own onc.third of the property of the county,
and pay near one-third of the taxes, to aid
us little in the matter, and after all these
years of aid from DeKalb and Wateree with
out return, pay one-sixth of the amount re-
qurcd and We will pay the other fve-sixths.
The bridges in the upper townships now
need repair (some rebuilding from the ef-
fects of recent frcshcts, and two-thirds Of the
expense falls on DeKalb and Wateree town.
ships, from which no word of complaint is
heard. The subject oftaxation, my friends,
is much talked of pow, but the great motive
of complain, really, is not the amount of
taxation, but the entire misapplication of the
taxes. Taxes are heavy, but if thy were
used in support of good government and in
reducing an honest debt, we would have no
right to complain. In this scheme all this
is protected The money can be used but
for the public good, and WILDE collected and
disbursed without expense.
Second: The next object Of this call was
to ascertain to what extent our citiz0s would
subscribe for the bonds provided in the act.
Now. it is not for me to dictate to any one
their duty in this matter. Our ability. in
terests and patriotism must furnish the guide.
I, with each of you, am interested only as.
citizen. I own no property on the West of
the Wateree I find myself member of
this commission mostrcluctantly. Inevcrwas
consulted about the details of the act, never
saw it or knew anything of its contents, un-
til after the commission was organized. l
greatly desired to decline the position, for l
have neither the time nor the inclination for
the work, but I felt that I might be of SER
vice there, as I am known to have no inter-
est other than is common to every citizen. l
am committed to no scheme, am a partizan
of no view of the question; am atrustee faith
fully to carry out the work of building the
bridge if possible, and equally trustee to
guard the interests of the taxpayers, and to
build it at as light burden to them as posi-
bic. My duty and interest, alike prompt
this course, for I, too, feel the burdens of tax
alton; but wish all my taxes were consunl-
ed in as proper expenditures. l feel bound
to say, too. that in this prudent, careful and
economical course I will be heartily sustain
ed by the whole commission. I have had
frequent occasions in the past, to condemn
the course of the county commissioners. l
have always done this promptly and earnest
" when l deemed it proper. As earnestly as
promptly, and much more gladly, DO [ now
commend their ready action in all that would
secure Justice to all the citizens i'll this mat
ter, and faithfully, economically, promptly
and zealously to discharge every duty in this
connection. The first resolution passed by
the commission was that no scheme cf tax
should be acted upon, no money appropriate
ed, no contract let out &c. &C., except at a
public meeting OF the commission, or Wnlch
due notice should be given in the public
journal of the town.
How much each one will subscribe to the
purchase of the bonds, must be left to his
own Judgement. but a point or two may he
suggested BY way Of information.
1t will be so arranged that each holder
of bund may pay his bridge tax when due
by credit on the bonds, so that the bends,
being in sums of one hundred dollars, the
purchasers Of bonds will really have done
nothing more than advanced the tax and
will get interest on it.
The apprehension that the bonds will be
of less than par value has already been dissi-
pated. This was subject of very decided
concern, but happily the generous and clear
sighted action Of the So. Ca. Rail Road Com
pany has relieved us of all anxiety on this
subject. If the whole twenty thousand dol
lars $50 O,O0O) of bonds provided for by the
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