The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-09-20
THE RAILROAD NETTING.


to preside, and Col. jas. L. Orr to net Sec
rotary. The chairman announced that
inasmuch es the railroad convention in
the interest of the Anderson and Augus-
tn Railroad had been postponed to meet
at this place on the 25th inst, it had been
decided to hold mass meeting at this
time scr The purpose cf hearing sddreaaea
from distinguished Speakers upon the
question Of the proposed road. Col. J.
@. G. Featherstone moved that Judge T.
II. Cooke be invited to address the meet
ing, and upon invitation he responded
in an earnest and well-timed speech, of
which the following is brief synopsis.
He said: This is such sudden turn to
tho administration ofjustice, that can
not do justice 10 the merits of the enter
prise presented for you. consideration.
know nothing Of the merits of the road
from Anderson to Lowndesville, but am
told that It is very favorable route for
a railroad, but do know that you will
derive very great advantages from con-
Meeting Anderson With Augusta, or Port
Royal, or even Charleston, by another
line Of railroad. You are now ourdened
with discrimination in freights which
has been driving your trade TO Greenville.
If you had another route 10 the sea coast
it would bring down your freights equal
to those which Greenville now enjoys.
This is enough of itself to induce you to
build another road; but there are also
other inducements, such as the advance
ment Of the value Of real estate end other
property. Your lands would be enhanced
to double their present value, aud more
over you would develop the immense
wster-power which now lies idle along
this route, thereby bringing capital from
abroad and using up your raw material
at home. These advantages are culIicicni
to warrant you in building this road. If
you wish to prove true to yourselves and
to posterity lay hold now and build
it, for if you fail or delay, Others lying
near you will build rosd, say within
fifteen or twenty miles Of you which will
prevent the construction Of this line and
cut you eff from competition. You are
able do 1t and now is the time. You can
bear g tax OF 100000 to secure it.
Greenville paid $250,OOO for the Air
Line, and has lost oil of her stock, and
yet her people do not complain, for they
have made more by 1t in freights and in.
creased value of property than they lost.
Anderson County 10 the banner county,
and can do the Same. If you should
lose your stock, you will be moro than
repaid by the advantages OF the road
Do you want 10 5oa your town gu d0wn,
and your most active mon ieavo itf You
are now second, II not first among the
towns of the up. country. but If you do
not secure better railroad facilities, this
place is destined to become roosting
place for owls and bats, and your town
will sink into insignifcanco. Your live
men will go TO live places. I am told
that this is a practicable route; IL SO,
why stend ye here idlep Yen need the
road. Go 10 work now. Put your ahoul-
ders TO the wheel ard ahCv disposition
to help yourselves, and capitalists will
come In and help you, Show disposi-
tion to connect with live places and tney
will come out to meet you.
Judge l.. 9. NoFihTop was next invited
to addreas the meeting, and said, in SUBJ
stance: Like tho Judge who preceded
me this invitation takes me by surprise.
do not remember to have ever made
@ railroad speech, and am no public
speaker. am Mt home with my pen,
but am i'll at ease when upon my feet,
and required to deliver speech at such
shors notice. AS general thing do
not care TO address public gatherings,
but this Is q subject about which every
man ought to know something, aud to be
willing to assist as far 10 possible. The
question Of the policy of railroads has
gone, and they are now established as
necessities. There 10 no use 70 talk about
the policy, for railroads are the moving
power in the civilization of our day. II
you wish to advance equal TO what ether
places attain, you must have railroads.
Forty or fifty years ago tho British Par
Lament appointed commission to ex-
amino Stephenson to ascertain If he were
not insane because ho proposed TO invent
a railroad. They asked him If he could
run his engine one, two, and so on, miles
poT Eioos:ss, &C. tests &C his insanity. Nov
men arc considered crazy who have no
railroads. Railroads ere the great need
of our people. We have G magnificent
country. Our mountains nod to our
seas, and they rush up to wash our fer.
tile shores. Our people ara industrious,
patriotic end chivalrous, but our pros.
perity languiOhes while our fellow-citizens
across the Potomac and the Ohio are
revelling in wealth. Nature has not
done, much for them as for us, and yet
they are covered with wealth., while we
are hewers of wood and drawers of water
for them. They take our phosphates and
cotton over their roads, manufacture
them, bring them back TO us and charge
almost what they please for their trouble.
Manufacturing aui Rs4iiroads give siiean
our money, from which they hsve grown
rich and fat. The trouble is we are at
their mercy. You are feeling this here
because you have only enc e:::ee s=ses.... s=ses.... and cam