The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-03-07
THE c. K. g. w. SITUATION.
a Statement of the Purposes Of the
Georgia Construction Company
No Cause For Fear About the Com.
pletiOn OF the Whole Line.
Greenuillc Nt,pS.

a very general uneasiness has pervaded the
lower section OF the county for the last week
or more about the completion OF that part OF
the Carolina, Knoxville and Western line ly-
ing between this city and Augusta, and now
in the partially constructed condition in
which it was left by the old Atlantic, Green
vile IL Western company.
Much of this feeling of unrest could likely
be accounted for by the sclfawakened fears OF
the people along the lower end Of the line. IL
is largely explained however, by the recent
resignation Of President w. l.. Mauldln. Of the
railroad company, OF. account of a disagree
mcnt with the board Of directors, and the 10
cation by the construction company of q line
connecting with the Georgia Central here.
cate an unsettled state In the affairs Of the
road, and from them all manner Of rumors
have riscn many Of them unfounded.
1t was reported in the city yesterday that Il
| movement had been started In the lower Sec
tion Of the county TO secure the services OF
counsel to apply for an injunction TO restrain
the county commissioners from Issuing bonds
of subscription to the road. 1t was stated
that party. including number Of original
| opponents Of the subscription, went to Trian-
| gle yesterday to seek from President Hum
bert a statement of what the company IN
tended to do and whether they would not
complete the line from Greenvile to Augusta.
Much excitement has naturally arisen in the
| lower section by the circulation OF reports
| that the construction company who now
| have practically control OF the road expect
| ed TO connect here with the Georgia Central,
leaving the people along the old Greenvillc &
Western route in the lurch.
| In order to obtain an authoritative state
ment OF the construction company spurpOses,
| n reporter for the DnitV NelUs had an Interview
yesterday with Hon. w. G. Benct, n torncy for
the Georgia company, who was In the city.
Mr.. i5enet said there was no cause whatever
| for fear that the whole line Of the &. X. & w.
| would not eventually be completed. That
| had been and was now intention OF the Gcor-
| pia construction company. Their contract,
he said, provided for the building Of the
whole line and that they expected to do.
They had shown their intention to carry out
the contract by promptly letting out the line
from Grcenvlle to Knoxville and having
work started on 1t at once. The only trouble
with the lower section was that it was encum-
| bcrcd by the old contrac, with Susong d Co.,
and the company could not afford to touch 1t
until that encumbrance was removed.
| Tho old contract between SuSOng Il Co., and
the Atlantic, Grcenville & Western company
| provided for the completion of tho line from
| Augusta to the upper line Of Oak Lawn town.
ship, this county. by January lst, 1889. Sl5O,o9O
| of stock to be forfeited in case of failure TO
com ply. Susong d Co.. MIR. Bcnct said, had
all along intended 10 fill their contract The
construction company. he added, except that
some of lis members were also members of
the construction company as individuals.
The Georgia company could not undertake to
| build the road until SuSonS x Co., were rcllcv-
| ed of their contract.
If. said MIR. Bcnet, the stockholders would
relieve SusonG Il Co. OF their ontract, the
| Georgia construction company would take
the road and build it through to Augusta
along with the rest Of the line, or In case that
was not done and SuSonG & Co. failed to COM
plctc the line by the lst OF January next, then
| the construction company would complete
the road. "In any case" added Mr.. Benet.
"thc road will be built, whether by Susong IL
| Co., or the Georgia construction company
Mir. Bcnct said that the talk about pcrman.
ent connection here with tho Georgia Central
was entirely unfOunded. The track 10 be laid
through the city to the Grecnvillc IL LaurcnS
depot was purely for the convenience OF the
construction company and would not be per-
mancnt. "The same arrangement exactly has
been made at Waynesville," he said, and l
closed an exactly similar contract with the
South Carolina road at Augusta. four
months ago"
Mr.. Bcrct emphasized the fact that there
was no cause for fear. The construction com
pany had nothing TO conceal he stated, and
expected to fulfill their contract to the letter
by which they agreed to complete the Green
Vile Augusta section when 1t was freed OF
encumberenccs They did not expect to stop,
even at Augusta, he said. but to build on to
Port Royal
This Is the situation as freely given by Mr..
Benet, who rs the legal representative OF the
construction company, may be taken as the
one best prepared to express their Intentions.
1t has the advantage at least, of being an an-
thoritative uttcrance and Is Of more weight
assuredly than the flying rumors that have
nv hollow