The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-11
SHALL WE VOTE TIE SUBSCRIPTIONS


The election to be held on next Satur-
day, TO determine whether certain Town.
ships in Anderson County will subscribe
to the Savannah Valley Kailrond, is an
event Of no little importance to the peo.
pie Of those Townships. 1t is, as a gen.
cral rule, bad policy to have taxation by
popular vote for public enterprises, but
the tax to be voted upon in this case hes
been guarded against the evil or ordinary
votes for taxation, by providing that be-
fore any vote shall be taken, majority
of the owners Of real estate in each
Township shall first sign petition for
the election. The rights of property,
therefore. have been amply guarded, and
the question, divested of this danger, is
presented to the voters Of the County as
practical business question: "Will it
pay them TO make the Investment asked
to secuv the Savannah Valley Railroad 2"
In discussing this question there should
be no unkiud feeling, and all should seek
to reach the right conclusion. 1t is a
matter Of business, and should be settled
upon business principles. Six townships
are asked to subscribe fifteen thousand
dollars. II they do SO, Gen. Humphreys,
the able and energetic President of the
road, has the guarantee that if this is
done the road will be built and equipped
at once. 1t is net matter of conjecture
but q matter Of fact. The road will be
built at once il the subscription is made.
1t will not be built until that sum is
raised. When built, the road will save
TO the people of those Townships every
year, more than ifteen thousand dollars
in freights. The freight from Greenwood
to New York on bale Of cotton is 81
cents per hundred pounds, while from
Anderson it is ~ cents, or 81 10 per bale
Of five hundred pounds. Fertilizers
from Charleston 10 Greenwood are So. 100
per ton, while to Anderson they are $4.75,
or $l.75 per ton higher to Anderson.
Flour from Baltimore to Greenwood Ia
81 cents, while to Anderson it is 83 centsI
or q cents per barrel higher to Ander.
son. Bacon to Greenwood is 3S cents
per hundred pounds, and to Anderson it
is 81 cents, or l8 cents per hundred
pounds higher. First.class freigbts, (dry
goods, &c., from New York to Green.
wood are Sl.O5 per hundred pounds and
$l.1O to Anderson. The freight on q
buggy Or wagon is four dollar more to
Anderson than to Greenwood. The
freight Oh a reaper is $500 to Anderson
and only $3.50 to Greenwood. Tie City
of Anderson buys 10000 bales of cotton a
year, Of which at least 10000 conc from
the Townships interested. 1t is also aafe
to assume that 5000 bales are ruised i1
these Townships and boated TO Augusta
or sold in Belton, ut Pendleton Factory
and other points, SO that i, il apparent
that more than the amount of money
asked will be saved every year to these
Townships
The saving in fertilizers would be at
least $4,000 per year; in flour i. would
be at least $4,000 per year; in bacon it
would be mt least $4,000; in dry goods
and other freights, such as hardware,
farm implements, sugar, coffee, salt, corn,
molasses, shoes, and similar articles,
1t would be at leas. IS 900, SO that We may
reasonably expect to save in freighta
every year sum nearly or quite double
the amount we are asked to subscribe.
This not to be q bonded debt, but is to
be discharged in two years of taxes. It
will not be burdensome but can be easily
paid off. The road will give to our peo.
pie IN increased prosperity. At least
TWO new towns will be built In our Coun-
ty. 1t will give market for quantity
of the valuable timber in the lower part
of our County. 1t will afford valuable
crosstie contracts to numbers of our peo.
pie. 1t wiii give employment to con-
siderable number Of hands on the trains,
at the depots, and in keeping up the
track. It will enhance the value of our
lands. 1t will keep our City ard County
space with Greenwood, Leurens, Green.
vile and Spartanburg. In our judg.
ment, self.interest, County pride aud our
regard for tho fature all conspire to urge
our people to vote for the subscription.
We hope 1t will carry in every Township.
We really believe it will be to the inter.
est of every voter in the Townships
named to have the subscription voted.
There is no doubt Of building the road
il the subscription Is made. There ia no
doubt that 1t will pay when it is built.
Therefore, let us by all means have the
subscription.