The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-09-30
SOME GRIEVANCES.
Railroad Mngnates Might at Least
Consider the People whom They

Railroad Magnates Might at Least
Consider the People whom They
Serve.
The public cannot but admire the bravery
and courage Of Nice-President st. John or the
Seaboard Air Line railroad. His honest man.
ly way of speaking has the effect TO making
an impression on the public as to the justice
Of his cause. He fights the Southern braVel y,
and will resist the effort OF that corn panx TO
absorb its business and ruin it's property. The
Southern is great corporation, but the sea-
board is so strong that 1t Will De difhcult ior
the Southern 10 crush ii under foot.
Aside from the meri Is OF the controVersary
between the corporations, we would remark
on some other matters.
Neither road seems 10 be desirous of being
In touch with the people. Or 10 be friendly
with the customers who give the roads busi-
Let us hurredly go hack a little.
Long years ago the Southern Disseminated
greatly in favor of Greenwood and against
Abbeville In the matter of freghts. The pre-
text for this outrage was that Greenwood was
a competing point with A. & X. road, and
that we had no competition and therefore
must submit TO what might justly be called
eXtortion, If not downright robbery. This
condition made the people restless, and the
outcry attracted the attention Of the bu ilders
of the Seaboard Air Line-and that road was
diverted this way.
When the road was finished to Abbe-
vile our people were rejoiced, and gave
vent to their enthusiasm by the greatest snow
Of fireworks that was ever seen IN AobeviIie
and the evenings entertai n ment was wound
up by, q most magnificent banquet, Whlcn
was given in honor OF the railroad men,
whom we regarded as the dellVererS of our
people from q heartless and unoearable tyran D.
When that was done the old methods pass-
ed away. Just treatment was vouchsafed by
Il.
the Southern and civility was guaranteed at
the depot. and requests from headquarters
were afterward noticed and replied to as the
necessity or the justice of the respective cases
demanded.
ness of community that had suffered SO
much at the hands OF its competitor, paid lit
tie or no attention to ns or to the keeping Of
our trade. 1t seemed that II we were friendly
10 the road, that we might as q special favor
from Its operatives get freight shipped that
way.
This Indifferent treatment OF our people, at
O time when the Southern was as polite and
and solicitous ''as basket OF chips" won for
their old enemy thousands Of dollars worth
Of trade from the people who would natural
ly have gone to their new friend.
The Southern has had men to come to see
our people, but the men who have appeared
in the Interests of the Seaboard have been
few and far between.
Later on, when our people contemplated
the building OF cotton mill, the authorities
of both roads were consulted as TO the induce.
ments which they would hold out to have the
mill located on their respective lines. The
editor OF the Press and Banner was one OF the
directors and this Is his impression of the in
ducements which were held out by each road.
The Southern people said If we did the
grading OF the side-track that the railroad
company would put down the iron rails. and
in rather high and mighty air created the
impression that as q special favor the mill
might be put on the s slde of their road, but
they would take no stock In the mill.
The Seaboard Air Line people were more
gracious with their words Of approval of the
enterprise and were more liberal with their
promises. They promised to grade the side
tract and lay the iron from the main line to
the mill. When asked to take stock they
said that the laws OF the country, or the rules
of the company, forbade their taking stock,
but that they would make US present OF
The difference In the action of the two
roads, 1t may be surmised, was enough TO de-
termine the location OF the nil on the Sea-
board Air Line road.
That was less than two years ago.
Since then the scales have turned. The
Seaboard appears hard and exacting, while
possible, and through advantageous or agree
able terms that road has shipped and is ship.
ping part OF the tint Der for Mr.. Long. out OF
which h e is building the cottages for the mill.
This, too. in face OF the fact that the South
ern depot is perhaps three-fourths of mile
distant, while the Seaboard slde-track is on
the ground.
The transfer OF this business occurred in
this way. Under rules OF the railroads, they
usually haul material for building factories
at two.th thirds rate. The Seeboard exacted
from MIR. Long payment OF the full rates, with
q promise that one-thrd would be returned
at some future time, at the pleasure or the
company, we presume. Besides this exaction
on the part Of the company, the illmanners
OF the trainmen In cursing and making de.
mands about cars made IL exceedingly dlsa-
greeable to do business with the road. Mr..
Long sought more polite trainmen and more
reasonable treatment. and he got II, while
the Seaboard lost the business because OF the
cussedness OF the company and because OF the
curslng with which the ears OF It's customer
was greeted by ill.man nered employees.
AS to the cotton mill Itself When the
lands had been bought. and the contract had
been awarded for the erection OF the
mill house, the. railroad company was
called upon to perform It's part of the agree
ment to build the side track. Answering this
call 1t was claimed that the mill was further
from the road than the company expected,
aud that owing 10 It's location, the track
would necessitate bridge across the puolic
road and the maintenance OF ever SO much
trestling. On this account, they wanted the
mill TO pay part OF the expense, and upon
this demand for money, it was finally agreed
to relieve the company OF the payment OF
one-half the thousand dollars, which the COM
pany had promised. When this was done
the company proceeded at once TO lay the
time contended could be done. An act like
this was not calculated inspire either conf
dence or friendship when some Of US thought
the claim of the road on US was so clearly
unjust.
A little later on. the railroad company de-
manded Of the directors of the factory the
granting of fifty feet of right OF way on each
side OF the side track. The side track runs
across their land, and encompass ses one end
and two sides of the mill. The granting OF
that right of way would have been to sur
sender three-fourths or four-ftfthS OF the mill
house TO the company for its own uses, leay.
ing us the only right to pay taxes on It, and
to use il as we might be permitted II ever
people had inst cause for Indignation the fac
tory people had cause In the mere suggestion
of such an outrageous proposition.
Another cause of complaint with some OF
our people lies in the imposition which was
practiced upon US by that road In the propos'
Flower and other distinguished gentlemen OIL
New York, including military company.
Abbeville made great preparations, and walt
ed their arrival until past mid night on Sat
urday When the train came The distinguish
ed gentlemen who were expected did not ar.
some of their friends, however, were present,
and partook Of the banquest which had been
prepared for Others For this great blowout
10 advertise the town and the road, we be-
lieve 1--we are indebted TO Mr.. L. j. Anderson,
who holds some kind OF an official position,
which authorizes him TO take up tickets, and
to deny the courtesy OF refundiug, as MIR. st.
John the President always does.
Not SO long ago that same officer, Mr.. L: j.
Anderson had on bis road some distinguish.
ed mill men who were travelling over the
country. AS we understand 1T, he or some
one proposed reception, or some kind OF
blowout for them but our people remember
i,o ho dpnaptlnD In the pntertain-