The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1879-12-03

number Of physicians, including
two of the undersigned, who saw
them the day before they started
for Columbia, were also included
in the twenty-five before mention
ed, while four or five obviously
feeble ones were left on our hands
One Of those twenty-five convicts
sent 10 Columbia died on the road
and another one shortly after ar.
irving in Columbia, but if they
were too feeble to be removed
thither, it was no fault ofour cora
pany, as DR.. Pope, who represent
ed the Penitentiary, when remon-
stratcd with, said carry them, no
matter if they should die on the
road. he would take the RESPONSE
bllity.
! After carrying out the wishes
i of the board Of directors Of the
: Penitentiary we hoped our trou-
+ bles were over and that we should
! be permitted to proceed with our
road prosperously, especially as
appropriate treatment for scur7y
had net only improved the health
and strength Of the remaining
convicts but their spirit also.
Judge then of our surprise whe n
on the 9Th day of October Super
interdenti tiLipscomb and DR.. B NJ.
Taylor, of Columbia, turned up at
the stockade, inspected the same
and the convicts without giving
any notice to our president, sur.
geon Or superintendent, or saying
a word as to their object. We
mover knew their purpose until
Gen. Bradley received on the 18th
day Of October last a copy of a
resolution of the Peniten tiary
board passed at special meeting
of the board when only mem.
bers were present, ordering US to
Immediately return all the re-
naming con7icts at work for US
except eight in conformity with
the recommendation of DR.. Tay-
lor, dated 9th instant. From all
this it would seem that there was
desire to break up our railroad
entirely and have all the convicts
returned to the Penitentiary eth
er to be supported IN idIeness at
the expense of the taxpayers or to
cut a canal and build factories as
we'll as operate them for the bene-
fit of CoIumb bia at the expense of
the rest of the State. It is true
the Greenwood and Augusta Rail-
road is on the extreme western
verge of the State, but it is an i'm
portant link in the railroad sys
tenn Of the State, as it will be
practical extension of the Port
Royal Railroad, especially when
completed to Spartanburg and al
so to Anderson, as it it will be in
time, and connect our greatest
seaport, Port Royal, with the
great Northwest. Therefore, all
the people in western Carolina
are deeply concerned in its early
completion, particularly the coun-
ties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hamp-
ton, BarnweIl, Aiken, Edgefeld,
&c. Now that we have no serious
sickness among our. convicts, and
that they are all working splen-
didly except four or FIVE feeble
ones unaccountably left US, it
seems hard that we should have |
to quit work at this juncture when |
our grading is nearly completed,
and when our railroad taxes have |
just begun to be collected in every
township along the line from
Greenwood to Fury's Ferry.
If the road is to be !, suspended
as will be the case temporarily at
least if all the convicts are to be |
taken away except eight, for it is
mockery to offer to leave US only
eight with which to work, then
our taxpayers will also become
demoralized in all probability and
thereby. greatly embarrass us, but
doubtless the three city medical
experts from the capital and their
allies intended our work should |
be suspended and our railroad
taxes. too, if possible. Yet con-
victs or no convicts our road shall |
not prove a failure, and our stock.
holders and friends may rest as
sured of this.
If we or our agents have abused
our trust in m!streating the con-
victs the State has Onr heavV