The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06
RAIrroAp NETTING.

RAILROAD MEETING.
On last Monday morning some of the
citizens of the town of Anderson who are
! opposed to the Savannah Valley Railroad
cailei meeting in the Court House to dis
cuss the subject, and Col. J. N. Brown was.
calledt the chair. On assuming the chair
Col. Brown stated that the meeting had
been called to consider thu subjest of taxing
the people to build the Savannah Valley
Railroad, by some of the citizens who are
: opposed to the measure. That it was in
tended to discuss the subject so as to call
the attention Of the people to the subject SO
as to enable them to make up their minds
snpor it, and to. initiate thought which
would fully advise the people. He then
declared the meeting ready for business,
! after which J. L. TriDble, Esq, WIS elected
Secretary.
o. h. P. FAINT, Esq, then offered the fol-
lowing resolutions, which were seconded
by Capt. W. s. Sharpe:
Rssoired, That 1t Is the sense of this meet
) ing that the incurring alarge bonded debt
sat this time to aid in the construction of the
! Savannah Valley Railroad Is unwise, and
would be injurious to the material interests
and prosperity Of the County.
Resofred, Tint the policy of incurring
bonded bebt for our towns, cities and coun-
ties, entailing high taxes, should not be
I resorted to except in cases where it Is eyl-
dent beyond the contingency of doubt,
that the benefits to be derived from it will
- ',v,. rI,, r,,rseraeate the Outlay
Resolred, That the material interests and
prosperity Of the County demand low rate
q OF taxation and return to the economical
s polisy OF our government and people LII
antsrbellnn days. Il 3
Col Ruclter suggested TINT the resolutions
be voted npoa by sections, whereupon the
first resolution was read. Capt. s. NJ. Pegg
/ stated that he would ike to hear the reason
for the resolution.
C1l. Brown said that eopposed the road,
and favored the resolution, because he was
opposed to debt. He did not like debts as
5 Counties, towns or individuals. They are
bad things. It is easy enough to get into
debt, but it is hard to get out Of it. This,
road proposes to put g debt on the people
without giving any adequate return. He
J did not believe if the amount asked was
Z voted from the town and townships, that
it would not complete the road, and If it
was completed that it would not pay the
expense of running it, and if it did pay it
would be Q disadvantage to the town. The
connection with Augusta would take from
5 us our trade from large section of coun:
thy. The roads we now have do not pay.
The South Carolina road is on the verge OF
bankruptcy. The Wilmington, Columbia
q Augusta road is in the hands CT q re-
ceiyer, the Charlotte road is greatly en-
barrassed, the Air Line Road has been sold
out, and tho Greenville & Columbia road
cannot pay the interest On its bonded debt.
The Savannah Valley road wonld not be an
exception. Its prospects would even be
4 .wosse than these others, because its terrific
nv would be circumscribed by the Greenville
& Columbia, the Greenwood, the Air Line
and the boats on the Savannah river. If
built, It would not do Us any good, because
freights are as cheap or cheaper at Central
than they. ara I'M Angusta, and yet they talk
about building 4 road to Augusta TO get
cheap freights, This is o peculiar time.
Money IS scarce. and If the bonds were is
sued they would sell very low. Greenville
and spartanbnrg bonds sold at about 80
cents on the dollar, and that is about what
these bonds would bring If thrown on the
market. BE believed that If the people
j. voted the subscription they would have. to
pay the tax and then not get any railroad.
1t the conclusion Of Col. Browns speech
Mr.! y. E. Breazeale asked him several ques
lions with view of developing the subject
more fully.
Capt. Sharpe followed and opposed the
road, because it was bad policy and not
right. He did. not believe in one man
voting away anothers property. He want
ed to know If it was proposed to make this
town joint stock company and issue
shares according to the taxes paid by each
man. If so, they ought to divide it out
and give every man as many votes on this
subject as he would have shares. He said
this movement has wave of Communism
in 1t. If Il coald build the read it would
net pay. a connection with the Air Line
Road would be better. BE objected to this
manner of building railroads, because it
was introduced by the Radicals, and be-
cause Of the class Of people who ara allowed
to vote for it. BE did not like the prece-
dent. He did not know much about rail-
roads, but he thought Anderson was as well
situated as most towns, and We had better
LET well enough alone. If We build this
road it will cut of our trade. Cotton is
like duck. It will seek the nearest water
and 60 to augusta. It will depreciate
property, lower rents, &c. 1t will add two
hundred per cent. to our town taxes for
twenty years. We had better think about
it. Capital viii not come here. The
owners of personal property, banks, &c,
will move out of town, and instead Of
building up we viii go down.
Judge Reed favored the resolution, and
opposed the road. he did not propose to
argue it, but would give q few reasons.
The road would not benefit Anderson. 1t
would bald up towns to take away our
trade. If the road was built it would not
pay, and in all probability it would result
in breaking down both itself and the Green
willie road, leaving US nothing but the dirt
road. He was afraid we are coming to this
anyway. We ought to turn our energies to
the Blue Ridge Railroad and secure its COM
ptetion, and then build the road from here
By Abbeyille and Aiken to Port Royal.
This would give the town Of Anderson an
outlet which would be profitable. The
proposed road would not pay. because the
boats on the Savannah River would de-
priye it of great deal of freight. More
over, Congress has made an appropriation
to survey the river, with view of render