The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-29
ALL ABOUT MOSBLEY'S FORD.
A CLEAR AND FULL STATEMENT OF ALL
THE PARTICULARS.
Mr. MOseley Speaks in His Own BE-
half and makes the Whole Busi.
ness Clear.
LOWNDESvILLE, s. c., Sept. 20, 1856.

LoWNDESvILLE, S. C., Sept. 20, 1856.
Editor Press and Banner:
DEAR SIH-ln your issue Of September 1St,
1SS6, thcre appeared an article headed "Mosc-
lcy's Ford" pnrportlng to give the ftcts con-
corning the management OF said ford. VIII
proceed in as brief manner as possible to
Just AZ they ure, and, i'm doing SO, l feel as
sured that those who know them Will not
gainsay or deny them. In order to do this
deem it necessary to first explain the situa-
ton. Mr.. Franks owns the island where
once stood the "Donbe Bridges" but 1t is
no longer an island, for the run on the west
side is almost filled and grown up in willows.
own about two acres Of bottom land bound
ed on the Southeast by this old river bed,
on the East by the river, on the Northeast by
a creek and Oh The Northwest by road lead.
ing from LOwnGcsvillc across this creek and
leading across the river. When on the 18th
of June Mr.. Riley let out the contract for the
rebuilding of the bridge at this point to be
completed by lst of September Mt the soltc-
iLatiou Of some of the citizens he also let out
a contract to have the river banks dug down
in order that the people might have the con-
venicncc Of ford until that u me. J. was not
at home when this was done, business having
called me away, but l had consented to give a
road free of cost around the edge Of my bot
tom. The road through this ford strikes the
bank some distance above where the point OF
the Island is or was, and does not touch Mr..
Franks land on my side the river. Now, IL Is
one hundred and thirty yards from the river
to the public road, and one hundred and
twenty of that is in cultivation, while OH the
road to the river, only eighteen yards Of that
is in cultivation. On Wednesday morning,
June 10th, found Mr.. B. =. Hutchinson dig.
ging down the river banks and asked HIM II
side tho river. He said he had not. l then
went to sec the parties with whom had con
scntcd to give the road 10 the public and told
him it would take two hands aboRt half
4. t-~$ ,1yo
lnunty would furnish them l would take
them and make the road, but instead Of do.
ing this, rs soon ns Mr.. Hutchinson finished
the ford, the public generally commenced
which was then planted in corn and about
knee high. Finding would not submit to
this | was asked to sell q road through the
centre Of the bottom which measured one
three dollars. Thinking the money would be
made up took my plow and laid ctl road,
having been asked to do SO. An effort was
made to raise this three dollars, but so few
being willing TO contribute tue effort failed,
most persons giving rs reason that the cou.i-
ty should pay for it, This road wax used for
more than week and the corn on 1t de.
stroycd. About this time the bank on my
side Of the river became very boSgy, and q
very serious accident occurred. IN which, had
not Mr.. Edward Smith received aid, he would
have lost {, very valuable mule. III attempt
ing to pull up Tie bank his mule Inircd and
fell back into the river. ] was called To his
assistance by the cries of his wife. When I
reached him his mule was lying in such po..
81 ton IL was impossible for him to rise, and
he (Mr: Smitl) standing holding the mules
head above the water. From this accident
and the notices which / put up, the ford went
into dSus. for q time. There was ford up
near the mill all this time with two pr inci-
pic objections: the water WIS rather deep,
and the read leading cut through Mr.. Franks
plantation from il was very rough.
l was asked again about opening the ford /,
and then told them they could have the road
through the bottom for five dollars or make
one where first proposed TO locate 1t FOR
three dollars. Another high water banked
up sand In the gap OIL my side higher than at
first. AS matters stood now, proposed TO the
road supervisor TO put the ford In good fix,
keep it SO until the bridge was up. and make
for six dollars. Mr.. T. Baker said to me, If he
were In my place he would not do IT,. os |
would have more work to do Than Mr. Hutch.
agreed To pay him ten dollars. Failing to ac-
cCpt this proposition, / then tried 10 let II be
generally known that would open the ford
and road on q certain day and all VINO would
assist in making 1t could have for himScf and
family free use of IL until the bridge was
BULL. On the morning appointed two neigh.
borS came and they from the opposite side of
the river. We went to work about eight
o'clock. About nine o'clock three young
men came down from I,owndesviIlc to go in
bathing and they assisted us. About eleven
o'c ocil another came We work cd until two
o'clock, my horse and wagon hauling. rock
very ncnrly all the time. ! worked with =
negro about two hours in the evening haul.
ing rock, SO, instead OF two hours work
spent eight and then had the help OF others.
then gave all those who wished to avail
themselves OF II, free lsc of the road and ford
If they will have it so for twenty-five conts.
About eight or ten paid this amount. l then
charged for Il man ON horseback five cents
single buggics Overland back, ten cents; two
horse vehicle over and back, fifteen cents.
Mr.. II. Baker paid me for his mill and family
right, one dollar. One of Mr. Huckabcc's lit
tie boys looked after the ford for about eight
days In that time It paid three dollars, the
principal part of that being rom parties
who took the right, the half OF which l gave
him. So you see Ii was no good thing to me.
The ford paid in all not exceeding eight dol
lars; great many crossing that did not see,
and many Others who said they diu not nave
the money but would pay me.
opened the ford simply for my. own con-
vcnicncc and those who would assist in maxi
ing 1t. and after having been treated as | was
| made up my mind that others VINO diu
When / finally opened the ford located the
road where ] proposed to give IT. lrce oi
charge, and after doing So expressed myselI
as beisg willing to take five dollars lor inc
work had done. and tn" road, in the pres
ence OF q dozen men, and throw 1t open free
TO all. Had the party been in the funeral
procession MS is claimed they would have had
no occasion to cross at at tmis 1"r; las as Inc he'rSe
Now, Mr. Editor, after having suffered more,
perhaps, Than any other man In the commun-
ity in proportion to my means from the fresh
cts, did not propose in the first instance 10
do enough?
These arc the simple facts about the ford
and my action in reference thereto. to which
good men in 1OwnleSville are ready 10 certl-
rs. JONATHAN JOHNSON MOSELEl.