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


y The stagnation of business and the scarcity OF
goney in this section is truly alarming Our
hsrohants are doing almost nothing. No trade |
cfnes here, save whnt is forced through liens, |
sid the merchants have to keep arict watch |
pr 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
,Sopnty the towns adjacent county are receiving
. large amount Of cash trade.
Why is this? Why con the Cotton buyers of
Spartanburg pay moro for Cotton and sell goods
cheaper than Union? These are questions that
the people cannot answer, consequently they
have come to the conclusion that the merchants
of Union are set of sharpers and swindlers.
We do not expect to answer them to the salts
faction Of all, but we will make such statements
as we are satisfied can be substahtiated.
A farmer bought barrel of Molasses in Spar
anburg. The merchant charged him for 46
gallons, but the guager's mark (Which had been
eracedD 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 rs cheap"
Another case is similar: An Agent from
Spartanburg called on our merchants and pro-
posed to sell them car load OF Liverpool salt ut
| q very reduced price. The salt ordered,
and in due time it arrived; but upon exan,ina-
ftion il was found that zach sack was nearly. 80
lbs. less than the usual weight of Liverpool salt
| The result was the Union merchants would not
| stoop to such q cheat upon their customers, so
notified tie shipper that the salt was at the
| Union Depot, subject to his order.
These are the only cases. Of that dtcharacter, that
have come plainly to our notice, but others have
| been mentioned. .NE
But Unien has another and, We think, q
greater enemy to its prosperity. The freight on
n car load of merchandise to Union is just three
| times as I.uch rs to Spartanburg-2S miles above
us-on the same road. BY the published rates
the freight on n car load of Molasses TO Union
is 800; but to Spartanburs-28 miles beyond
it is only S33. Our merchants now ship their
goods to Spartanburg and back for one-half
what they would have to pay if the car stopped
at Union, on its way TO Spartanturg.
Again, cotton is shipped from Spartanburg to
Charleston for much less per bale than from Uh-
n ray station. This is great drawback to the
business q Union, and we cannot help thinking
that the discrimination in frcights between the
two points is unjust and extraordinary
The Town and County of Union has done as
much, if not more, than any other section, to-
ward the interests Of the Spartanburg and Union
Railroad, and d does seem hard now that the
road should be used as n prominent means OF
injuring our trade to build up the interests OF
an adjoining codhty. We fought hard to secure
the Sl5o,ooo 81 description from this County ,e
the extension o{ the road, and securcdit. 1t wa:
the most liberal subscription, all things consid
cred, male by any other county. but we had nc
ilea that the rah which would receive the
greatest benefit from that extension v1Buld s,
far ignore our claims as to make such ruinou
discrimination. In the building of the Spar
tanburg AMI Ashcvillc road Union has receive,
sfssSIS~ aNliar Of Lenc5t. Nearly all the none,
has been spent in Sparanburg. We do no
complain Of that for we knew from the first tina
it would he so, but we did rot anticipate tha
our libcralty would be used so pointedly and s
fagrantly TO our disadvantages.
We have no idea that anything we might sa,
will have any effect upon those who control tn
Spartant urg and Union Railroad, bu, it is pos
siblc that the bare mention of the ,lifiicultie
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 a railroad, stiIl "
believe it is their duty to seriously and earnest,
make some move towards establishing compe
ting line of transportation. A charter for
road from Chester to Union has been granted b.
the Legislature, and the merchants of Cheste
are anxious to have that road built They stan,
ready TO subscribe literally toward it, and W
ask them to move in the matter Mt once Al
that Union coa possibly do, by individual aid
will be cheerfuly and promptly done. Our peo
PIE feel that they must have another railroa,
outlet, or their property and business will b
completely ruined. Will the merchants of Ches
ter and Union give us any encouragement t.
keep the matter before the people? Let us hea
from you, gentlemen.