Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1872-02-08

These are the facts, ana the Wnole
Delegation, Senator and Rep
who were in the Legislature
in 1S65-,6, are appealed to for the truth
of the statement AS far as my knowl-
edge goes, there never was, and is not
now, another public Ferry in the whole
State where Commissioners of Roads
were or are permitted to collect toll. Yet
is this thing to have no end? Are the
public spirited citizens about shaw's
Mill to continue paying tribute to they
know not whom, and in amounts to suit
the whim of the Ferry keeper? Is their
former generosity in consenting to the
temporary payment of toll to be thus
requitted? The free ferry at Parks Mill
has no Charter, and there never would
have been any Charter of the Ferry at
Shaw's Mill except to condemn the land
ings and right of way to those landings.
The intended temporary leayy of toll is
still kept up five years after the date of
the Charter, and that too after the Dis
trict has for years borne five times as
heavy taxation as ever it endured in the
most prosperous days. The Ferry is on
only neighborhood road, as the great
Martin Town highway passes it at right
angles, and the Savannah River road
crosses into Ge rgia at Fury's Ferry.
But although used5pnly by the local pub
lie, vet it is much used, and sufflciency
of toll has long since been paid to some
body to reimburse the amount of assessed
damages, cost of fiat, and hire Of keeper,
the rates of toll Usually having been
within fraction GEhose collected at the
Augusta bridge over Savannah River.
Erecting free bridges, or flats, is Dis
trict affair under the law Of South Caro-
lima Il beg pardon for using the word
District" but as "County'' is phrase
which has been ra1nmed down our
throats by the Radicals my gorge rises at
it, If each beat Company (again beg
pardon for not writing township'') paid
for all its public bridges or flats, or If no
free bridge or flat had been established
in Edgefield since the war, no complaint
would be made. But since the. anamo-
lous toll ferry was set up at Shaw's Mill
free bridges or ferries have been con-
structed at almost every necessary point
in the District, exceptover Big Stephens
Creek where they are needed most Of all.
Some of these bridges newly built have
cost perhaps four thousand dollars, while
the whole expense Of establishing the
toll ferry at Shaw's did not reach even
one thousand, and that has been REIN
bursed by toll.
The people who mostly use the Ferry
in question pay as much or more tax
per capita, or according to land owned,
than any other section of the District.
Yet why is it they still have to pay toll
| for the privilege of going to mill or to
the Court House? Why is it that the
interest of the heavy taxpayers between
Stephens Creek and the river are wholly
overlooked in the matter Of facilities to
cross the largest stream in Edgefield?
Why is it that no bridge, and only one
ferry, toll one at that, is furnished now
to supply the public wants it formerly
took five bridges to supply? In the
name OF Justice letthose people have a
bridge cr free ferry at Garretts Ford,
or McIlie's Ford, either of which is near
ly midway between, Shaw's Mill and
Parks Mill, and if all sense Of shame be
|
| authorities let the taking of toll at the
Shaw's Mill Ferry cease at once
| A few questions now, and l beg every
public spirited citizen who can to answer
one or all Of them through your columns.
What goes with the toll taken at the
Shaw's Mill Ferry p Does it get into the
public treasury? Why can furnish all
account of its receipts and expenditures,
who hires the ferryman, and to whom
does he pay the toll he collects2 Does
the fcrryman keep any book of accounts2
| What are the rates of toll authorized by
the Commissioners? Why do they not
put up a sign boardtwith the rates of toll
on it as is required by law of all toll
ferries, and withoutswhich no one cross
ing is liable for ferriage? A legion Of
different ferrymen serve this particular
flat. and they all charge too high, but
hlrdly any two of them charge the same
rates, each seeming to exact all that a
passing stranger in particular is willing
to pay. What is thecompensation of the
ferryman, and as heappears generally to
be a worker about the mill, do tho public
owners of the mill the other part, orido
the public foot the whole bill? The
keeper of the. flat oilsSunday gets all the
toll of that day for his day work, when
the ferry is most used by visiting freed
men and Church-going whites.
Many-tongued but unreliable rumor
has it that those who cross the Ferry to
patronize Shaw's Mill pay no toll. I do
not believe it, and state it here that
AIessrs. Shaw q Meriwether may have
the opportunity to clear their skirts of a
foul imputation. Will some citizen who
knows be good enough to inform your
readers all about how the free ferry at
Parks Mill was established, and is man
aged? AS new bridges have been built
at nearly every public ford on Turkey
Creek. while no bridge has been erected
over Stephens Creek, do some one give
the Dark Corner light, if not free ferry.
SUFFERER.