The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-12

IL. lie.
The Mcssrs. klugh had personal experience
in having Il railroad run through their lanos
Clerk +. H. Moore organized the jury, anu
1t was estimated That the railroad would re-
quire between thirteen and fourteen acres oi
Mr. Arnold's land. II the jury then conclud
cd to give Mr. Arnold for dividing strip OF
his land, the average price at which his neigh
bors sold or held theirs in bulk, it Will be
readily imagined how the jury came 10 their
verdici-S25 an acre.
Mr.. Arnold claimed Sl,GOU. ana hence lne le
gal settlement Of the contest. Mr.. Arnold OIL
icrcd either to take 81 600 for the right or way,
or to give 81 COO to the company If they wonid
run the road on the line as originally lalo OH
by The engineers. The work on the new line
had progressed too far, and could not now DC
changed. 80,
Mir. Arnold had built his pasture fence with
reference to the first survey, and had left IL
outside of the pasture.
AS the changed line now stands, the road
will run through his pasture, and necessltate
the moving of about two thousand panels OF
fencing, or else subject his stock to tfe dah,
gers Incident TO being pastured on railroad
track. :,
Another grievance of which Mr.. Arnold
complained was the fact that the engineer tes-
titled that for the whole distance through MS
farm the road was on the surface, Tor ieVei
with the top OF the ground), for length OF
some thirty feet. The remainder OF Inc way
was either cuts or fills that would prevent
easy access Of stock To passing trnins.
\ witness who lived on the road from Lau.
rens to Augusta said that there were iunu-
mcrabe objections TO cutting u farm III Two
by q railroad. Ordinarily, the centre OF
large farm, If fenced, was almosteXempt from
The lrcspaSs Of inIruderS, and very little SUB
jcct To annoyauCes by tramps or other proWl-
ing people. But If line OF road was run
through the most secluded part Of the farm,
it would then become subject TO aunoyances
Of which it was impossible to estimate daln'
ages. ,
Mr. Arnold and his attorneys justly urged
the jlry not TO be misled by any idea that the
actual value of the tract by the acre, was
fair method OF reaching verdict for coinpen-
sa1ion for the needed land; that 10 have a
farm divided arbitrarily without reference 10
the suitablcness Of tho line, besides taking
absolutely given number Of acres from the
middle OF q tract, might incur serious damage
To the actual value Of the whole body OF the
land.
The people generally should not be misled
as to what is meant by the right OF way.
In plain language, it means the owners com
plete and absolute surrender Of every right to
forever X strip OF land one Hundred feet
wide, means about eleven acres 10 the mile.
II then, the owner of land gives the right OF
way for Il mile through the heart OF his farm,
he and his executors, administrators and as
signs have contracted and covcnanlcd 10 pay
taxes Oh that much land forever, when lana
lie has surrendered for the sole use and bene-
lit OF the railroad, and from which the rail-
road company uiay kick he pntriotic Sudgeon
whenever they choose to do so.
/
sometimes allow farmers To piow nearly up 10
the line Of their roads, but IL is done only by
Sullrancc They have no right to do so, and
cannot lawfully come upon the right OF way,
except by permission of the railroad COM
plny. ~ . . 49,,
When there are cuts and fills the full width
of one hundred feet Is generally rendered USE
less for agricultural purposes. II there Is
cut, the banks yearly widen out, and the rains
aud frosis continually act on the earth so as
- wear away the edges and thus carry the
cream of the soil for much greater distance
than the granted fifty feet from the track.
If there is fill the rains. in many In
stances, bring the ::Iud down on the surround
ing surface Of the earth, and render it unfit
ior the production OF crops.
We believe that 1t is the duty OF every citi.
zen to lend a hclI.inS hand 10 any scheme
which has for its purpose Tie development OF
the country, but We also believe that the
Spccled and it is with pleasure we note the
cuuitahic manner In which General Hoke has
treated the citizens OF this village, In the mat
ter of paying for such rights of way as were
not chceriully given 10 the road.
With hut few exceptions the question OF
right of way has been already settled with our
citizens, and each and all, as far as We are In.
formed, are we'll satisfied. We learn that
General Hoke has XprrSSed himself az nbun.
dainty satisfied with the way In which the
road has been treated by our people, and we
have heard nothing but praise OF his treat
mcnt of the citizens uf Abbeville. Every
body is friendly TO the new road and ench
and every citizen feels that, to Il grenter or
less extent he has personal friend in Gen
eral liukc.