The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1884-04-30
THE G. G. G. & G. R. R.
GEN. HAaooD. COL. BOWEN. COL. CAMP
BELL, AND COL. GREGG CONE TO
SEE JUDGE CoTHRAN.

GEN. HAaooD, COL. BOWEN, COL. CAMP.
BELL, AND COL. GREGG COME TO
SEE JUDGE ooTHRAN.
They Hold an Important Railroad
Meetfns..-Thcy Renew Our Hope,
and Almost Promise to Build Our
Great Acknowledgement HnsOOd
Falls Into the Hands OF n Report
er, hnd Is Betrayed Iute Giving n
Hint az to Important Transactions
in Which We are Much Interested.
Governor Elagood, Colonel Bowen and Coz.
Campbell Of his State, and Col. Grc"g o.
MorrIstown Tenn, met with Judge Cotiran
Of this village Lost Tuesday and Wednesday.
While we do not know tho particulars. from
which these gentlemen seem SO hopeful MS to
the bnil'ng Of this great Railroad, yet their
evident belief In the final SUCCESS of the enter
prize is assuring TO those witt whom they talk
ed. OF late our people had begun to dcspont!
because Of hope deferred, but as soon rs these
gentlemen came to town, the Ect ~aS
noiScd abroad. and our people were anxious
to hear anything upon which they could re-
new their hope for the completion OF tho
Road. Without any definite knowl-
! edge rs to actual fact, VIZ believe that
our people would be ready ut any time to
contribute MS literally TO the work as their
means would allow. The recent construction
OF the Greenwood and Augusta Railroad, and
the fair prospects fo- the early completion OF
the Savannah Valley Railroad from Troy to
Anderson village, makes 1t imrerittve upon
us to get an additional outlet II we would
I t--- IL tL4 A~.o, - thn -
We believe tho Savannah Valley Railroad
will be built. A larse part OF the ility-onc
miles from Troy In this county to Anderson
has been done. and with between 10000
and $4,000 now In hand, 1t seems to us the
grading of the roai will he finished, when 1t
Is understood that the Georgia Central VIII
put OH the iron aud rolling stock. This would
make US entirely surrounded by railroads,
and the necessity for an additional Iron high
way tn this place must he apparent to all.
While Governor Hagood did not say 30 to
US, yet we have heard that the engineers cs.
tinlate Of the cost for IN approach to this VIII
lage has been made. Beginning At the diVerg-
tnr point. the route through the village In
reur Of the Episcopal Church by Maj. ZrIgler's
lot, 10 Capt. Bonham's and out by the Misses
Caters would cost $4,000: the ridge route by
the Morse house and near Mr.. ]. F. Living
ston's dwelling would be $.Ooo-lncludtng
right Of way In each estimate. All the heavy
grudIng from Troy to Abbovllle has been fin.
ishcd.
It is understood, and IN fact Governor Hut
good said 30, that while the prospect for aid
was good. yet in no event could We get the
rond without further help from our " cl'i-
zens. Aiken will be allowed another chance
to vote a subscription AZ a township. The
charter allows the company TO connect their
road with that OF the South Carolina Railway
Company at or near Aiken, and II Aiken
refuses To give n lIboral subscription. IL Is Ger
tain tina the road will not run to that town.
IN the event OF the refusal OF subscription H.
will connect with the South Carolina Road ut
Montmorencic, some five or six miles nearer
Charleston, at r much less cost than would
be incurred to take II to the town OF Aiken.
At Montmorencle the pro rata Of travel and
freights would be thus less"ncd to the South
Carolina Railroad. The officers and directors
Of the company desire to 20 to Aiken. but
they cannot afford to. do 30 Mt n cost to them
selves Of some eighty thousand dollars. II
Aiken township will vote n tax or bonds 10
the amounto Of $4,000 or $50 OIL. the road wonld
be secured to that town when built. But II
the own which Is to be the terminus OF the
road refuses to maken subscription, ills hard.
~ to be expected that other towns along the
route would force a railroad on the Aikenltes.
We presume from Governor Hagood's re.
marks to us that In n little while he will have
some definite proposition to make. md our
Al- L-y. Nkk
Abbev,lle will be expected to give additional
help either by private subscriptions, taxation
or bonds. AZ between taxation and bonds we
are entirely In favor OF the levy OF a tax for
any amount which our people propose to give
In that way towards the construction OF tho
road. without being familiar with the man.
ipulation OF the bonds, we have a prejudice, II
not a we'll founded reason. against voting a
bonded debt. There arc many chances
that the bonded debt may DO hurtful
n ua. The amount which we wonld pay In
interest would certainly be n liberal subscrip-
ton itself. For this reason. If for other, we
shall oppose a bonded debt, but we favor tax
alton for that purpose. Then whntever we
give, goes directly to the furtherence OF the
enterprise for which 1t was intended. II We
] ole h LGS vi W. wv" ~
whnt We are doing. We know tho burden
which wc will undertake to carry, and we
know the date ut which we will he relieved.
But with a bonded d"bt and accumulating In
terest over our heads, we are certain OF moth.
Ing. We believe n reasonable tax for railroad
purposes would he q profitable Investment.
We presume the taxes which were paid for
the Augusta and Knoxville railroad has al.
ready been more than returned. The people
along the Savannah Railroad have Just voted
a tax OF ten mills for two yenrs. Does any
body doubt that the advantages to be de-
rived from having the roal will repay
them fourfo!d7 besides this, the direct re-
turn in taxation on tn" road itself, at n val
alton Of say sl0.O a mile Is no Uncomfortable
item.
The people Of Troy may expect to be called
upon to make liberal contribution. They are
centrally located. md, with the proper
effort on their pnrt, thut town mt no dis
tant day, is bound TO be one OF the most I'm
portant trade ccntres In the county. Even In
case the c. c. g. & G.. is never built, VIC must
Join hands and unite Abbeville and Troy by
rail. We take II. that the Georgin Central
would iron and equip the track. II we finish
the grading. This additional railroad VIC
must have, even If we get no more. With
! railroads all aroun ! us we would be hcmmed
In unless We got y new outlet.
Gov. Hagood said 10 us, In m Interview. as
follows:
Reporter-I have sought you, General, for
the purpose OF getting such Information for
the public ax you may feel disposed to give
touching the present proerects of the Carolina.
| C..S Cns nnl fI,t,nro PntIrnnN In
which tho ~lIvelicst Interest Is still ielt.
Gen. Hagood-The financial agent OF the
cnmpanv, Mr.. SchOfleld. is ut present engaged
in negotiating In England with reliable par.
necessary 10 build the Road. The undertake
ing is one Of vast magnitude. and the opera.
lions have necessarily been slow. Capital ~
| always cautious. You vi | readily understand
why re move slowly when you reflect that
the negotiation Is for plnrlnga ut once near two
million dollars and potentially the rHisins OF
four or five million more.
Reporter-Whut progress Is he making In
Gen. fIagood-iIe has been for over IL months
actually engaged In fully and clearly laying
scheme: this Of Itself has been no matter of
quick accomplishment. Persons who nro
lucky enough to be the owners OF millions DO
not, generally. except upon the fullest aSSn.
from their Immediate control. They hive
demanded and we have given {" them
the fullest and most minute Information
~ IN The advantages anil capacities OF this
proposed through route across the mountains;
and Of every particular circumstance con
necred with the enterprise. These representa-
tions have heen verified TO Them in the most
conclusive mnnner possible. and | am assured
by Mr.. s. that his NEGOTIATIONS have. passed
through the preliminary stage and have
reached the point at which he confidently an
ticipates an early success.
! Rcnorter-C 20 you feel at liberty TO give an
outline nf the character Of his negotiations
especially In reference to the relation that our
own people are expected to stnnd towards the
same.
General Hagood-Our people will certainly
have To contribute Of their own means II they
expect foreign capital to be invested In THIS
enterprise. In the shape that our ncgnti'-
lions have now taken II Is probable that the
contract with foreign capitalists Will he, tliat
they furnish The money and the material
stipulated when our people have either COM
pleied II certain amount of work, or have eX
hibIted by their contributions the nruclns Tor
doing so. This is hut IL reasonable assurance
required by them OF our faith In the results
OF our own enterprise and Of the Necessity
felt here for the Road, Tie exact amount