Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-10-09
CHESTER AND LENOIR RAILROAD.
A recent issue of the Charlotte Observer at


that they are not now in a proper condition
for an extension of their railroad facilities,
and that to build the contemplated Chester
and Lenoir road, even partially by taxation,
would prove grievous burden, not only to
the county of York, but to others who may
be called upon to aid, or are interested in the
construction of the road.
The self:assumed wisdom and Importance of
some personsis we'll nigh past all understand!
ing. We believe it is the King Of Dahomey,
who, after eating his dinner, causes horn to
be sounded, which is signal that the great
King having dined, all the rest Of the world
is at liberty to 60 and do likewise In the
matter of volunteering gratuitous advice
where it is neither needed nor wanted, and in
oficiously advancing opinions upon subject
in which it has not the least concern, the O6-
server reminds US of the aforementioned king,
whose selfimportance it successfully emulates,
even though it be done at the risk of the same
disaster which befel the frog when attempting
to assume the proportions of the OK.
The Observer admits that this road would
be valuable to the citizens of Yorkville and
Chester. Would no others be benefited
Would not the entire counties of York and
Chester be benefited in greater ratio than
simply the towns mentioned? And if York
Vile and Chester are the natural outlets for
the productions of the Catawba valley, is it
not of equal Importance to the Catawba val
ley that the proposed road be built, thus af:
fording the people of that section increased ia
cilities for reaching market? But perhaps
the people of the Catawba valley, who, gen.
Grafton after generation, have sold their pro-
ductions to South Carolina purchasers, have
committed grave blunder in the selection of
their customers, and it was altogether wrong
to seek market in this direction. A late is
sue of the Observer intimated as much, when
it mildly suggested that "Charlotte, and not
Chester, is the proper market for the produc-
tions ofthe Catawba valley" This, we opine,
is the "dead fly in the ointment" at which the
Observer is so much distressed, and furnishes
the key to its opposition to the proposed man.
ner of building the road, while it fully ex-
plains the kind admonitions and disinterested
counsel which that paper so lavishly bestows.
The Observer would deprive the people of
the Catawba valley of the market of their
choice, and which naturally presents itself,
and drive them to q Fictitious market with all
they have to sell. If Charlotte is the natural
outlet for the Catawba valley, how thankful
should those people be to the superior wisdom
of the Observer in making the discovery, and
how deplorable will the fact appear to those
who have been so long cropping in the dark
The Observers assertion that the County
Commissioners of York are attempting to force
the people of the county to pay heavy SUBJ
scription to the road against their will, is
wholly presumptuous The Commissioners,
as we'll as the most ardent friends of the en-
terprise, are anxious for ajudicial decision in
the premises. On this point, we repeat our
own position, that if the subscription is illegal
and was made without warrant of authority,
let the act of the Commissioners be abroga-
ted and set aside by the Courts. We would
not in the columns of the ENQUIRER know
ingly endorse a wrongful or illegal official
act, however great might be the boon it would
confer. Nor, to our knowledge, does any ad-
vocate of the proposed road, in the ecounty, wish
30 oop,r1ofinp hu ,,nfoir il1oro1
means. The Commissioners who made the
subscription, await the decision of the Courts
with no less interest than the opponents of the
measure, and none, We are assured, will abide
that decision more cheerfully than they.
Who are the oppressed taxpayers, against
whose will the tax is levied, and for whom the
Observer has such deep commiseration The
total assessments of the real estate of York
county amount to $3,O9O509. Ofthisamount
the assessment in the town of Yorkville, on
real estate alone, is s306,767, or sum equal
to one-tenth of the real estate assessments of
the entire county. The assessment in the
township, including the town (only on real
estate) is s694,819, or more than one.fifth Of
all the assessments of the county. From none
of those who are called upon to pay more
than one-6fth of the taxes of the county have
we ever heard single word about oppression
and besides the aggregate amount, the town
ship includes some of the largest individual
taxpayers in the county. We are unable, at
| this time, to procure the assessments on per.