Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-10-16
CoRREsroNDENCE OF TIE KEowEE COURIER
LETTER FROM CHARLESTON.

CHARLESTON, S. G., October 6, 1879.
Attention centres on the Democratic
meetings called by the Presidents of the
ward clubs in each ward tonight. The
registration held last week By the old Exec
utivc Committee, which may hero be used
as Synonymous with the Sale faction,
showed u support for Sale which seems to
have surprised tho Courtcnay managers, but
Sale can no longer bo regarded as Demo
crat, and the registration was not conducted
in way to secure only Democratic names
on tho lists. The Courlcnay men talk very
boldly, and say that the meetings Tonight
will show that Courtonay is tho only candi.
date acceptable TO tho Democrats. 1t is
generally thought that Sale will run on the
Radical ticket if lie loses the party nomina.
ton. Meantime Col. Gaycr hus kept quiet,
but as lie l,as not shown that lie will be
scrupulous with regard to his constituency,
and is man of great talcut and personal
attraction, | should not bc surprised to sec
him develop unexpected strength before the
close of tho campaign. Courtcnay is not q
popular man, but he is the only straight out
candidate.
Lato operations in South Carolina Rail
road stock have surprised and puzzled
everybody. The stock has long been con-
immense debt of the road; but few
months ago offers Of 50 share began to
be made for it at this market, and the
prico has continued to advance, until on
Thursday last large lot of 1000 shares
was sold at auction at 50 Sd share. 1t
is said also that there have been sales here
at $40, and we hear of largo purchases at
the North too What it all means nobody
knows, and those in tho secret, (if anybody
here is in the seorct,) seem to keep very
quiet. It is generally believed that some
Northern capitalists are trying to buy up
controlling interest in tho stock, probubly
with view of owning the road, making
some arrangement with creditors, getting it
out of t.e hands of receiver, running it
for themselves, and retrieving its debt. If
this is true, it is cheering. But if, as is
possible, the purchases are being operated
by spectators to affect tho other securities
of the road, os soon as their aims are &C
compishcd, the stock will fall back into the
worthcssness whence it so unexpectedly
came. Meantime the poor s.ockhodcr is
greatly exercised to know what lie should do.
II he sells now, he is sure of something. If
he holds, he may lose all. The fuct, how
ever, that these men think the stock worth
their money at 50 to $40, is good ground
for hoping it will be worth more to those
who long ago paid out their sl00 share
for it.
The Libcrian Exodus Joint Stock Steam.
ship Company are about to hold regular
annual election for new Board of Directors.
The Liberan Association has not realized
the glorious anticipations with which it
began its existence. Instead of great
steamship line, carrying cargo after cargo
of emigrants to enjoy the negro freedom
and happiness of Liberia, they purchased
small, though trim bark, the "Azor,"
which carried from this port the first ship
load Of cmigrants, and with this ono voyage
tho hugo exodus ceased. Since then tho
"Azor' has become frcighting ship, has
sunk deep in tho waters of debt, and has
been tied up at her wharf horo many
months under process Of tho United States
Court. Tho Association has met with
hindrancos on all sides. In spite Of tho
most patriotic appeals they cannot raise
money enough utof the negroes torelicvo the
ship, and so u short time ago plan was
arranged to send her to sea with cargo,
and let her earn froi ght, instead of rotting
on tho dock, and doing no good to her
creditors or owners. But hero again arose
ono trouble after another, the ship is very
old, has had ballast in hor about year,
and no insurance company would take