The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-28
Wednesday, July 2s, 1886.
The g.. q. &. & 4. IL. Z.

The Directors of the Carolina, Cumberland
Gap and Chicago Railroad held another meet
ing last night. Present: President Bowen,
Vice President Croft, II. W. Haudon, ii. l.
Eptinc, ]. S. Cothran, Lewis Jones.
We would take pleasure in printing the pro
cecdings of the meeting, but President Bower,
said in very emphatic terms that he did not
want any printer present, and hence we take
it that the proceedings were OF such a nature
as to forbid their publication.
We have never been able TO understand
what seems to be the settled policy Of the
Company, namely: The keeping of the af'
fairs OF the Company entirely secret from the
public, except at such times when it may be
thought proper to give out few mysterious
winks, the meaning OF which no fellow has
yet been able to find out. President tiaGood
was noted for his rcticencc ana his aversion
10 being interviewed Schoficlds letters seem
to be only for the eyes of the elect; and fres-
idcn. Bowen wants no printer at their meet
ings.
1t has been said that the President Of the
Company has been and Is making a personal
inspection of the line of road from Pickcns TO
Aiken, and that it is contemplated to get ma
lerial aid along the line. which, together with
convict labor, will enable the Company TO
proceed to work on the road which was trans
fcrrcd to others several years ago. The Prcsi-
dent said at tho recent stockholders meeting
that he wanted to get the people Interested IN
the road, with n view to getting more money
from them. He said rs the Construction
Company would be compelled to refund the
money, If they took the road from lis, that
there would be no danger in putting money
in it. The proposition was a startling one,
but from the fact OF its monstrosity, we said
nothing at all about it, but if this people are
called upon to put more money or their bonds
into secret concern, whose acts the public
eye may not see. then we shall protest. 1fthc
affairs of the Company are all right, then
why keep them secret? If there Is nothing
wrong why such fear of the light Of day, and
the record of printcrs's ink? We con feSs that
we know nothing ut all of the affairs of the
road, and we confess that the SccrcSy which
has characterized it from first to last has done
nothing to inspire our confidence in it.
Suppose, by appeals TO our public spirited
citizens, number Of gudgeons along the
line should be induced to invest their money
in the road ? What then? Would not Scho-
field and the Southwestern Construction
Company have the right to indict tic Prcsi
dent and Directors of the road and put them
of as trespasscrs on the property of another +?
If the Southwestern Construction Company
has not the right to remove trcspasScrS,
where is the value Of their papers by which
they entered into a contract? To a man who
takes a plain common sense view of matters.
the proposition to put money into road
which has been transferred, and which. iii fec
simple, actually belongs TO others is too plain
TO need any explanation. We hardly think
that any man in Abbevlle county would do
so Ill advised n thing as to enter upon and
take the property of another, without Legal
papers to protect him from the danger OF so
dong.