The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1889-10-25
RAILROADS AND HIGHWAYS.

Mr.. stokes did not publish IN last weeks
paper the resolution adopted by last Cotally
| Alliance lii reference to the prospective
Railroad. Perhaps he overlooked it, 1
wish to say few words to my brother farm
| ers with regard to the Railroads.
Let companies and syndicatcs build as
many Railroads as they please; give them
warm reception, and the right of way, if
You choose, but l am bitterly opposed to
any more County or township subscriptions.
Why, we landowners on North Pacol,t
h"om there could be n paying Railroad built
over here. N road built from Chester, cross
ing Broad River between the mouths If
Thickety and Pacolct, and up the ridge be-
TWEEN these parallel streams, right by or
house, into Polk Co.. n. c., without crossing
single stream, aud with scarcely any
grading, and from thence to Jonesboro or
Washington, Tennessee
Yes, let them build Railroads until We
have perfect network of them; but let
those build who get the money.
can tell you how we and our fathers over
Pacolet have been served by railroads. Be-
tween 1850 and 1860, the s. s. u Railroad
was built. Our fathers, animated with the
spirit of public enterprise, took stock
literally, for men of their means The road
was built went into bankruptcy; was sold
for, think, $lOo,ooO. They got nothing,
and now. am informed. the road is rented
out for $4,000 per annum. Then, like
prosperous (?) farmers, we voted u subscrip-
tion tn extend the road to Ashcvillc, to bring
us, we were told, cheap Western corn and
bacon, giving our money without having any
voice in the mana cement or a knowledge of
what became of the proceeds ofthe road, and
we arc allowed only to pay the interest on the
bonds-a good investment for the owners of
the road. and lifetime drain on us and our
children.
Not satisfied with this, they propose a sub
scription to road FROM | don't know
where to Gatfney or Blacksburg. The land
owners voted almost unanimously against it:
hut $4,000 was voted on us in Draytonville
Township by about ten or fifteen majority of
ncgr" voters. who own no real estate and
ought not to have had any voice i'm the mat
ter. And now, if the road is built it will
only touch the extreme Northeast corner of
the township-just enough to get the money
and not profit us in the least
Did you ever notice the chicanery of Rail
road Companies? Anxious for us to take ncar-
~ lalfofthc stock, leaving them only small
majority, but enough to cast the deciding
vote and d" what they please with the road
and its proceeds. Then they run two or
more routes through the proposed town or e..
township. leaving the decided route-m4,---
known till they get the last nicklc from
both ways.
will build it, and let us quit being the cats
paw for them
\ farmers pet monkey once wanted some
chcsnuts that were cooking in the ashes,
and seized cats paw and rakcd them out.
The Cat engaged the pain, but the monkey
enjoyed the chcsnuts.
We advocate good public highways in
stead of the miserable ones we have in many
sections. and hope the resolutions of our
County Alliance will he needed by our Lcgis-
laturc, especially the one that relates to con-
vict labor on our highways. Some of these
lazy vagabonls arc almost willing to commit
some petty crime in order to rest and be
boarded by the public. Put them to hard
work and crime will diminish.
You are right, Mr.. Allianc Editor,
Mr.. Stoke, did overlook the rssolu-
ton, from the simple fact that it was
written on n slip of paper upon one side Of
which was printed circular headed. "a
word for the Farmers which had appeared
III the TINES few weeks before and we dill
not see the resolution written on the other
side until after the paper had been workad
off. The following is the resolution
Rcsoi"ed, That this body is pleased to heap
that there are some prospects Of railroad
crossing Broad River ut iockhart Shoals.
and we regard such n road crossing mt
Iockhart Shoals being of incalcuablc
benefit to the farming interests of this State.
c. B. FOWLER