The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-17

hfesSN VAN ~ AASitlJ stSAN we ~ 's'ft
ton was seconded by Gen. 4. H. Rntledge
who alluded TO the services Of Judge Mc1vcl
both In peace and In war. His character ant
capabilities, he said, were known to ever.
MAJ on the floor and in his opinion II Was I'M
possible to make q better selection.
The vote was then taken, and OF the li
votes cast Judge McIvcr received every one
and he was therefore declared duly elected.
ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCK
HOLDERS 4. s. K. r. r.
Reports Of the Treasurer and En-
gineer-EncOuraging State of Affairs
Election Of President and Boar(
Of Directors.
Chronicle and Sentinel.
The Augusta and Knoxville Railroad
which will be of such great benefit to the
trade and commercial prosperity OF Augusta
Ing the next twelve months. When the ell
terprise was fkst put on foot there were
on 1t, But for the indomitable energy and
perseverance, Of one man, whom the compa-
ny were SO fortunate as to secure as Presi.
dent from the outset, 1t Is doubtful whether
the road would not nave been numbered
among the list of dlsappointments In pro-
jected railways. In Mr.. w. L. WheleSS' vo-
caoulary there is no such word as fail.
Strong In the belief that the enterprise would
be OF great advantage to our city, he entered
heart and soul into 1t, II the result of his
end of the road has been graded throughout,
the work On the bridge across the Savannah
river ut Waiton's island, Is progressing and
everything will be in readiness to connect
with the South Carolina section when 1t
shall have been graded. which Will be III a
very short time.
The stockholders of the road were anxious
that he should continue the work that he had
so well begun and SO ably and successfully
kept up. Mr.. WhelesS, however. while just
as fully interested in the enterprise as ever,
felt satisfied that he could not give 1t that at
,rntion which 1t would demand In the future
when in active operation; that 1t would re-
Quire the entire time OF the President and for
that reason he could not continue at It's head.
He assured the stockholders, however, rs will
be seen by the report OF the meeting, below:
that he would work just as hard for the road
US Director as he ever did rs President.
The annuu meeting of stockholders was
held Mt Hussar Hall yesterday at Il o'clock
and was called to order by President Whe-
less. j. L. Maxwell was requested to act as
Secretary. Tnerc was q large attendance OF
Stockholders, all prominent men OF Augusta.
The President said it was not necessary for
him to make any general report. 1t was gen.
orally known through the press what had
been done.
Mr.. John NJ. Clark, Treasurer of the COM
pany. read his report. !tSh0wS that ST ,11.7.75
has been collected and ST ,U37. 90 expended,
leaving Il balance of S7jO.Sj on hand. The re-
port was received and ord, red spread on the
minutes.
The Engineer read his report which Is as
follows:
AUGUSTA, Ga, December /. 1879.
NJ. ". T. Wheless, President Il. d H.. Il. r.
Il have the honor to make the following ro-
port ri the construction of the road: AS you
know the work was commenced on the 10Th
OF May, 1878, and was continued until June
the 10Th. 1879. There being only q small
amount Of work to finish. Mr.. Grant with.
drew his force to do other work until the lst
OF December, at which time his force return
ed. fund will finish all the grading by the
The grading has cost sl3.7SO.ss for earth ex:
cavation, SlISl.@ for rock excavation and
81 .UIO.4U for stone culverts. The unfinished
work will probably cost about $1,000. The
tres ties are all to be built, the cost Of which
will be about 5000, making II total cost OF
SO, la. .2S TO complete road bed ready for iron.
This is sl7, GO7.l3 less than the original csti-
mate, which WAS S12,7SS.4l.
The masonry for the Savannah River
bridge was commenced on the LIST OF July
last. Two abutments are now finished and
the foundations for one abutmcnt and one
pier ore now ready for the masonry. There
are yet two abutmcnt Is and four piers TO build.
The work SO far has cost s2,7l6.3 for mason
ny and excavations, and S1Gl.W for cement.
The total cost Of all the musonry complete
will be about Sl5,DW
The iron should be laid as soon rs possible,
rs thc. road bed Is being impaired by the
rains. 4 great deal Of the work will have to
be done over, and the longer 1t Is delayed the
worse IL will get.
A. J. TWIGGS, C. f.
The report was received and ordered spread
ON the minu.eS.
The President said the next thing in order
was the election Of President and twenty-five
Directors. He could not consent to have his
name used for the office Of President. He
could not act or serve longer for various
reasons, the most important Of which he con-
ccived to be the interests Of the company IT.
self. It WIS never his intention at the be-
ginning OF the enterprise TO be associated
with It In the position OF President, but other
parties felt averse TO taking the position, and
he accordingly assumed 1t rather than have
the project stop. He had now served three
years ut some loss TO himself. Next year the
entire grading ought to be finished, and a
President ought to be elected now who could
not do. He would continue to work Just rs
hard TOR the road rs ever. 1t would be TO his
individual interest to do SO. The first year
tina the road was completed he expected TO
lie could not be President Of the road and
President OF the Commercial Bank and cot.
ton factor at the same time. He would STAND
up 10 the President and Directors, howcVer,
convention was held in Augusta, and 1t
started GU. with the idea Of n direct connec.
ton with he West. During the meeting
their South Carolina friends made a PROPOSE
ton that II Augusta would. build a road to
Walton's Island and a bridge acrossthe river,
they would bring Il road from Greenwood to
the river. This proposition had been accept
ed and the South Carolinians had been at
,,,Oslr nErae al ~ m ThnNy hn1 nr,ndnI NR
and had only IL moro to grade. We had
graded ours and had 1t all paid for. That part
Of 1t was a success. Now they are going 10
have q railroad and they must have q man to
to It,: II he thought 1t was going. to fall he
would let 1t fail on his hands and not put q
friend in the position. If they built the road
1t would help the city and his own interests
gla. She vas stretching out her hands and
offering her trade. With O few thousand dol
lars a road could be built that would bring
one hundred thousand dollars to the city an
amount to that. II Augusta does not work
now we had better turn the canal loose IN.
to the river. He returned thanks TO the
stockholders for their confidence In him;
A committee OF five to nominate a ticke'
for President and Directors, was appointed
This COMMITTEES. consisting of Major Georgt
T.. Jackson, Gen. NJ. A. Stovall, Mr.: s.. H
Sibley, Mr.. q. McCord. and Major T: u: Cas.
wei nominated Tue OllOWlHS IlChoIs WhiSA
was unanimously elected:
President-E. F. Verdery.
Directors-John M. Clark, w. T. Wheless
Walter VI. Jackson, +: Fl. May, u. MeCord
W. II. Barrett. II. a.. Fleming, W. {. Sioleyy
len, Chas. isles, j. w. Wallace. Robert Wal
ton, w: b. Young. Henry, FRANKLIN L; )
Miller, F, Cogin, S. G. Iamkin, Ell Lockhart
vilie-P. ii. Bradley, j. N. Latimcr. W. X
Bradley.
Mr. Merriwether, of South Carolina, salt
with the present force they had at WORK OF
road q month, and expected to have q mucf
larger force on In q short time. A.
The new President was conducted 10 In
chair.
Ing. He thanked the stockholders for IN
compliment, and could only assure tnen
that he would use his best efforts for the sue
cess OF the road.
the stockholders be rendered to their forme
President for the able manner IN. when ~
had handled the road and for the success
which mad attended his Efforts AuopIe'
unanimously.
Mr.. Whelcss said he was very glad to fin
that he had the approval OF his friends an
%neighbors. He was with them and was g0ih
TO stand by them. He was going to do az n
could to build the road and help more Lha!
he ever did before.
The Convention adjourned.
Mr.. Verdery, thr new President. IS genus
man fully competent for the position. IA
has been deeply interested In the road iror
the inception, and In his future work nc VI %i
be assisted by an able Board, including A'
WhelcSs.
Mai. ]. v. H. Allen and several othe
| prominent Directors were spoken or IN COT
%nection with the Presidency. but decliheu Y
accept.
A Card from John NJ. Gambrell.
], WILLIAMSON, s. c., Dec. Ii, 1871.