The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-02-16
Union and its Drawbacks.

EfThe staguation OF business anu the scarcity Vi
Honey in this section is truly alarming. Our
aerchants are doing almost nothing No trade
ones here, save what is forced through liens,
snd the merchants have to keep Strict watch
for that in many cases, or be in danger Of losing.
Wagons pass this town, from below, and go TO
Spartanburg TO sell cotton and buy supplies,
while from almost every other part of Union
Ecounty the towns adjacent county are recieving
large amount Of cash trade.
Why is this? Why can the Cotton buyers of
Spartanburg pay moro for Cotton and sell goods
cheaper than Union? These questions that
| the people cannot answer, consequently they
have come to the conclusion that the merchants
of Union are a set of sharpers and swindlers.
We do not expect to answer them to the salts
faction Of all, but we will make such statements
rs are satisfied can be substahtiated.
| farmer bought barrel of Molasses in Spar
anburS. The merchant charged him for 46
gallons, but the guager's mark (Which had been
eraced) only called for AZ gallons. The excuse
| o. the merchant, when his attention was called
| to it, was: .Oh 7. does so, and we have to do
it also, or we could not sell as cheap"
\ Another case is similar: An Agent from
4 Spartanburg called on our merchants and pro-
4 posed to sell them car load OF Liverpool salt at
H n very reduced price. The salt was ordered,
\ and in due time it arrived but upon examina-
,ftion il was found that each sack was nearly. 80
j lbs less than the usual weight of Liverpool salt
u The result the Union merchants would not
stoop to such cheat upon their customers, SC
notified tie shipper that the salt was at the
Union Depot subject to his order
These are the only cases, Of Matcharacter, that
have come plainly TO our notice, but others have
been mentioned. -.
But Unien has another and. we think,
greater enemy to its prosperity. The freight OF
n car load of merchandise to Union is just three
times as uch rs to Spartanburg-2S miles above
us--on the same road. BY the published rates
the freight load of Molasses to Unior
is 500; but to Spurtanburs-2S miles beyond
it is only S33. Our merchants now ship thei
goods to Sparanburg and back for one-hal
what they would have to pay if the car stopped
at Union, on its way 10 Spartant urg.
Again, cotton is shipped from Spartanburg t.
Charleston for much less per bale than from Un
lon, vssssr than Ieo,,ueL thy fatyrr
a ray station. This is great drawback to tn
business q Union, and we cannot help thinking
that The discrimination in frcishts between tn
two points is unjust and extraordinary.
The Town and County of Union has done n
much, if not more, than any other section, to
, ward the Interests Of the eSparanburg and Unio
! Railroad, and i does seem hard now that tn
:, road should be used as prominent means c
njuring our trade to build up the interests {
an adjoining coJ6ty. We fought hard to secur
the Sl5OO0O subscription from this County t
! the extension o{ the road, and scc"rcdit. 1t wa
: the most liberal subscription all things consit
cred, male by any other county. but we had n
ica that the ra5h which would receive tn
! greatest benefit from that extension vBuld 8
far ignore our claims as to make such ruinor
, discrimination. In he building OF the Spa
tanburg AMI Ashcvilc road Union has receive
St-v3--.-ae'l'" Of LcueIt. Nearly all thc none
: has been spent in Spartanburg. We do N
, complain of that for we knew from the first tn,
/ it would he so, but we did rot anticipate tn;
t our hbcralty would be used so pointedly and s
/ fagrantly to our disadvantage.
: We have no idea that anything we might s0
4 will have any effect upon those who control IL
I Spartant urg and Union Railroad, bu. it is po
I siblc that the bare mention of tie difficult,
4 under which our people are suffering may arous
{ to some effort to relieve themselves.
While it is an unpropitious time to call upo
the people Of Union to build railroad, still "
believe it is their duty to seriously and earnest
make some move towards establishing comp
: ting line of transportation. charter for
| road from Chester to Union has been granted /
: the Legislature, and the merchants Of Chest'
are anxious to have that road built. They stan
ready to subscribe literally toward it, and "
ask them to move in the matter ut once. 4
that Union c0a possibly do, by individual ai
will be chccrfully and promptly done. Our pc
. PIE feel that they must have another railroN
outlet, or their property and business will
= completely ruined. Will the merchants of Che
ter and Union give us any encouragement
keep the matter before the people? Let us hei
from you, gentlemen.