The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-12
Annual Meeting OF the Stockholders of the
n. y L. Is. v. IL. Il. Company.
BELrox. ANprRsoN Co. \

| DEi.ioNi ANHEESDN To-, Nty -, 1881.
The meeting was called to order by Presi
dent X. T.. Bowen, who read his report 0
the management Of the Road during Iii.
term of o'fire. which was as follows
| Thirtsel months ago we commenced grad
ing our Road near Easley toward Pickens
with ~ convicts; 6 OF the so obtained. be
ing worthless, were returned to the Peui.
tentiary. had had 40 experience whatever
IN railroad grading. therefore gave it UP
| TO the Chief Engineer and General Supcrin.
teldent and overSeer ~ manage: the work
and hands. and am glad to soy that the
work has, think, given general satisfac.
ton. The work thus far has i'm no instance
exceeded The Engineers estimate. notwitli-
standing the strong opposition, and many
obstacles we have had to contend with
some landowners refused us the right OF
way, and some subscribers have been slow
to pay. Consequently our expenses were
necessarily greater than our income. The
Directors, however, authorized the Treas
lircr aud myself To raise some money on
me f'i'h of the subscribers paying up in
iull when their last insnllnent was due,
which We did, and were thereby GRABBED to
purchase our supplies and goods generally
al wholesale cash prices, which was great
saving
When we determined TO go to work. had
no thought Of any opposition, but on the
contrary expected almost every one that
was able to aid us to some extent in this
great enterprise. But we have been met on
some occasions, am sorry tc say, with
strong anu obstinate opposition; but when
am as firmly fixed in my opinion that an
enterprise like :his is for tile public good
ana that the future welfare and Prosperity
OF our couii:;c-,, well rs our State, de
pends In eat measure upon the success
OF II, never swerve from what conceive
10 ne my whole duty, heopinions Of others
u the contrary Notwithstanding
When our funds in Pckcns were about
exhausted. and there WAS no immediate
prospect of raising more. we set about to
move TO Anderson, but the extreme cold
ana snowy weather kept us back one
month too long. Consequently we would
have some small debts in Pickens if all the
subscribers were to pay up in full. Ne
graded q! miles between Easley and Pickcns
I. H., leaving IL miles unfinished We
lave also graded i LILO miles in Anderson.
lhe hcalt of the convicts has been remark
ably good-only one death, caused by ty-
plioid pneumonia. Through the kindness
lands enough to make an abundance of
vegetables last year; and the Superintcn-
dent looked closely after the cleanliness of
the camp as well as the clothes and persons
OF the men, which think accounts for their
good .Icalth.
! ihink the prospect of an early compile
ton of our Road is better than ut any time
heretofore. Our charter has been amended,
extending our line from Belton to Trickcm.
III ADbevilie, with the privilege Of extend
ing the same to Aiken. Abbcvilc has sub
scrIbed literally, and will go to work soon
at rickem towards Bolton. North Carolina
also granted charter ut the recent session
or the Legislature from Ashevillc To Ensta-
toe Gap, via Brevard. The charter, | am
told. is quite liberal III its provisions, giving
them an equal chance for convicts with any
other road in which the State is not directly
interested. 1t also gives them the right Of
taxation by towns, townships or counties,
ami no doubt they will c0mmcnc" work
soon.
AS TO the advantages of our line over that
OF any other, they are many. feel certain
that the link between Morristown. Tenn,
and Livingston, KY, distance of 81 miles,
will be built; and the road from Morristown
will soon bccompletcd through to Asheyillc.
Inc advantages have been fully set forth by
Il committee appointed at Il meeting of the
citizens of MOrristown and vicinity in May,
1880. giving the grades, distances, &c, show
ing conclusively the shortest, best and cheap
est route from Louisville via Cumberland
Gap, Morristown and French Broad Valley
to a Asheviilc. From Ashevillc up the French
Broad Valley to its head through us fine
farming valley as can be found anywhere
to say nothing of its minerals, fine water
powers, timbcrs, and its magnificent scene
ry, passing through the Estatoe Gap with
Saiuda and kcowee. and following the di-
riding ridge as nearly as possible via Pick
ems to Easley, on the Air Line Railroad Il
distance of about - miles, thence via Will
iamston TO Belton, Oh the G. d q. r. r., Il
distance of % miles, thence via Due West
and Abbcvillc to Irickem, on the G.. &
a. R. H., distance of Az miles, making
the whole line from AahcvilIe to Trickem
about 142 miles; and thence following the
same ridge via Edgeiield to Pine House, OH
the {. c. x A: Il. r., and thence to Aiken,
on the S. G. r. r.; II miles, making direct
connections with Augusta, Savannah Port
Poyal, Charleston and Columbia.
The great advantages this line has over
all others IS the easy grade across the noun
tains, with but few bridges, trestles, and
culverts-in fact there are none of any mag
nitudc. ! therefore fully believe. and !
think all who know the geography of the
country over which our Road TO be built
will agree with me, that it ca DC graded,
equipped and kept up % per cent cheaper
than any other line. or proposed line, of
road OF the same distance in our State
And believe the time has come when the
completion of this Road is necessity, and
the people along this proposed line are able
70 build it and operate it, and if they will do
it it will be the peoples road if not. capi-
talists will build it and make us pay for it.
have served you rs your President for
two years. have done my duty honestly
ability. If have erred, it has been an
error of the head and not Of the heart. l
have tried to do as much work as possible
with rs little money as possible; and in
conclusion, you will please accept nv
thanks for the honor that you have done
me In making me your President for two
years. But if it should be your wish to
make me your President the third time, |
would be compelled to decline on account
OF my own business requiring my W e
time. Besides, feel sure that we have IN
who have had more experience in railroad
ing, and will be more able to conduct the
affairs of the Company than have been
able to do. r. T.. BowEN.
AT the conclusion of his report the Presi-
dent announced the meeting ready for bus
mess and vacated the chair.
Col. J. 5. Cothran, of Abbeville C. H., was
called to preside during the meeting.
chairman to verify all proxies, and report
the amount of stock represented The fol-
lowing gentlemen composed the committee ::
j X. Gossett. j. l.. Thornley,, w. G. Brown
II. !. Epting, l.. w. White VIM. Hood.
The committee reported the following
number OF shares represented, viz Pick
ems c. II. 1861, Easley 1861, Williamson
township 3023, Due West township 23G
Long Cane township 1854, Abbevill> Gown
ship 500, Cedar Springs township 80, Beltor
township 303i. Total 1878. Value S33, $50.
The report of Capt. w. j. Kirk, General
Superintendent and Chief Engineer, was
then called for and submitted as follows:
On IT, 9Th day of April, 1880, Just l3
months ago to-day, ground was first broken
in the construction Of this Road. For tho
Arxf AI.,@ A.