The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1893-02-09
UNCORKING PORT ROYAL,
THE STATES EFFORT TO RIGHT a
GREAT WRONG.

Port Royal and Augusta Railroad Com
pany-A Suit that Rivals In importance
the Great Coosaw Case
COLUMBIA, 5. G., Feb. 1.-The suit
Tor the forfeiture Of the charter Of the
Port Royal and Augusta Road is at
tracting considerable attention. IT, is
a somewhat unique case, especially for
the Courts of this State, and every
move is being closely watched. ON
next Saturday Judge Aldrich will hear
argument at Aiken from the ATTORNEYS
or the threatened road "to show cause
why j. ii. AVerill should not be ap-
pointed permanent receiver pending
the termination of the PROCEEDINGS. -
rms means pretty long and indrh
mite appointment. knowing ones seem
co think that the case Is gong to he in
the Courts for years and years unless
one or the Other side gives up the fight.
me SUIT brought in the name of the
State or South Carolina against the
fort Royal and Augusta Railway a
corporation created by and under the
laws of the State Of S;Outh Carolina.
The complaint is brought on the part
OF ID. A. Townsend, rs Attorney Gpnpr-
al. The papers in the case have not vet
Detn completed. The "aIlegations"
ana information will make about thir-
W pages OF printed matter, and will
give perhaps the most complete hisrO-
ry of the Port Royal and Augusta II ,ad
and !!A complications that has ever been
| published. 50 far as can be seen the
paper Is remarkably strong, and shows
careful aud painStaking lnvt stlga,ion
INTO the affairs of the road. Some one
from the inside has evidently given a
considerable portion Of the "intorma-
tl0a contained in the complaint
| Mayor Townsend kindly showed me
some Of the advance sheets oI the doc
ument TO De submitted to Judge AL
drlch. Some of the details Of the i'm
partant paper are interesting. 1t IS
| dlV'ded INTO about Il dozen sections.
me llr5t lew paragraphs are devoted
10 the facts relating to the original
charter of the Port Royal and Augusta
LOAD. which was granted December
II, 1897. The allegations then go on to
snow the history of the road until Nav.
1881, when the Central Road secured
control OF the Port Eoval and Augusta
load 10y the purchase of 4Ol5 Sharr,,
at IL cost of $Sl,l7i,GOU. The road then
went under the Central's rule, and il,
IS shown what rights were granted
| =
1907, the charter was extended so as To
allow the road TO run into the city ut
Augusta.
The complaint gives a complete his
tory OF the various reOrganiZations and
an explanation of the various series ct
SLOcKS and bonds. 1t also states fully
| the circumstances which led to the is.
suing of the $500 shares Of stock in
1873 ANA their division into two series
The chief interest, however, in the
complaint Is the part winch refers di
rectly to the causes for asking for the
repeal OF the charter. All through the
paper there are references to the illegal
Uses to which the Central is putting
the Port Royal and Augusta Road.
But the climax Is reached in the 9Th
and on sections, where the Attorney
General further alleges that, under the
pretended name and Ivy illegal use of
he franchises Of the Port Royal and
Augusta Railway Company, they have
managed the business of the Port Row
al and Augusta Railway in such man
ner as barely to keep up tho road at its
lowest state OF life compatible with
existence at ALL that they have con
Quoted the affairs of the Port Royal
and Augusta Railway Company con.
trary 10 the hest interest of that com
pany; that they have Disseminated in
freight raj es by arbitrary requirements
against that railroad and against the
depotS and warehouses at Port ROyal:
that they have diverted large part of
the business which would naturally
come over the Port Royal Railway and
carried the same over other lines; that
they have rendered useless purposrl ly
and dlSmantlcd the WharveS, the dock :
the elevators and ware houses which
nad been erected ut great expense III
lOrt loyal, and have caused the same
To become Il total loss, and have caused
the compress TO be removed from Port
Royal; that they have removed the
rolling stock of the road and marked il
with the name of the Central Railroad
and Banking Company; that they have
allowed the r0adbed and track tJ ruI
down, and have failed TO prOperl,
MAINTAIN the same; that they have
made charges against the Port Roya
and Augusta Railway which are no
properly chargeable to it at all. an,
have endeavored to deprive it of tlaill,
which naturally belongs to it; that the,
have manipulated the rates SO as tt
throw every benefit in favor of the
Central Company and against the Port
Loyal ana Augusta RailWsy; and, II
short, that the road has been AMI is be
ing conducted entirely against its owl
interests, and in favor OF the interest!
OF the Central Railroad and Bank ina
Company, of Georgia, and its system.
1t IS further charged that the con
trolling interest was secured to c0ntru
the road and not for a legitimate pur
pose. That the road was chartered tt
make INK OF prop 'sed line through
Il western connection in South Caro-
lima and al Port Royal. That the Cen
tral Road does not form with the POr
Royal and Augusta Railway IA continrl
Gus and connecting line. TN 1t It's in
teresiS IN destroying the road as
rival IS far more than the value OF til,
stocks and bonds necessary 10 Secur
the control Of the Port Royal and Au
guSta Railway. The controlling inter
est was secured simply to crush out
rival and competitor
That the Central has no right pXcpD
those conferred upon 1t by the laws o
the State of Georgia or by its charter
The purchase or holding hy 1t of stock
and DOnns Of the Port Royal and An
gnsta Raiiroad IL wholly unlawful an,
shonld be declared void, for the reaSO