The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-30
The New Iron Road.

IN ANS" ltoh 1AOhos
Last week we mentioned the proposed
new railroad connection with the West,
and again we ask the attention of our
readers to this matter. We presume that
all are convinced of the necessity of this
road, and it is only remains for our peo-
pic to act in concert and with the deter
mination to succeed. The Augusta and
Greenwood road can be used in common
for more than forty miles and by q COM
bination Of Lowndesville and Calhoun's
the money can readily be raised to finish
the road. The Greenwood road will
eventually be built to Laurens and Spar
tanburg which will give Augusta a road
more important than any now running
into that city.
The Spartanburg and Ashville road
is being pushed forward with great
energy and perhaps thirty miles is now
in running condition, and President
Duncan thinks he will scale the noun
tains in less than a year from this time.
Let the road be finished by Calhoun's
Mills and Lowndesville to Anderson, and
then with a little help the Blue Ridge
road can be completed, which will give
Augusta another equally important road,
and at the same time build up tho finest
portion of Abbeville county. BY the
Lowndesville section going in part
ncrship with the Greenwood enter
prise forty or fifty miles could he built
for a small cost to each, and then with
some further assistance from Augusta
Lowndcsvillc could finish it to that town
when those Oh the line of the route to An
dcrson could easily carry it forward tt
that point.
The stock Of the company should be
made receivable in payment Of passage
or freight. This plan has been adopted
in some of the States with wonderful,
success. For instance if a merchant O,
other person. owes a bill for freight, he
should be allowed to pay a portion of the
bill in his stock at par. OF course ne
railroad could pay running expenses i
the whole was paid in stock, and to kee1
the o in running condition a portion
say two-thirds or three-fourths of the
passage or freight bill should be paid in
money. BY making the stock receivable
for part of any amount due the roaC
much larger subscriptions could be Sc,
cured for the enterprise, and the builders
Of the road would be made perfectly Sc.
cure against q possible loss, while the
business on this plan would be greatly
augmented. AL things being any way
near equal, the stockholders would, as q
matter of interest, patronize tho road in
which they were SO much interested.
. Let all stockholders have the privilege
of paying twenty-five per cent. of any
bill they may owe the road, in the sub
>cribed stock, and in our opinion the
money to build the road can be easily
raised. The last convention which met
in Augusta seemed to favor the Georgia
side Of the river for the location of the
road, bat W. can beat them out of it east
~ enough. In the first place we can
raise more money than they can, and in
the next place the road can be built much
cheaper on our side Of tho ~river-especi-
ally if the combination is made with the
Greenwood road, as it should be.
Two things are necessary to build a
road-money and labor. OF the first we
have some, and Of the latter enough to
build forty railroads. Every farmer
through whose plantation the road may
run could take profitable contracts, and
pay his subscription in work, ard then
Ibis stock, by making it receivable for
freight or passage bills, would always
command a fair price, even if he should
be disposed to sell it.
We should be pleased to hear from any
friends of either road and will take
pleasure in publishing any suggestions
which VI friends may choose to offer,
We know if Lowndesvillc and Green.
wood will join teens that both roads
can be built. There are now no political
matters to divert our attention and we
believe the present a good time to press
the matter.