The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-31
MIR. B. L. ABNEY
SPEAKS.
HE GIVES THE CANALS SIDE OF
THE QUESTION.
And RcafIlrms Their Intention to Build
10000 II. Il. Power House and
Criticises the Sloan Re-
solution.

| wafer ROVER company, when seen
| by n reporter for The COtun,bia State
and asked about the concurrent re-
solution introduced by Senator Sloan,
to direct the attorney general to in
vestlgatc rs to the right of the State
! to have the canal continued to Rocky
Branch by its present owners, said that
he had no knowledge or intimation
Whatever before reading the concur
rent resolution in the morning papers,
tLat any such action was intended or
was desired upon the part of any one,
although from past action taken Ey
certain citizens OF Columbia in attempt
ing to bring about litigation with the
company, aud which had proven futile,
he was not surprised that some other
effort would be made in dtfercut
direction to further annoy and create
vcXatioUs controversies with the Water
Power company, which was about to
commence to expend large sum %
! money IN erecting power station in
| order to MAKE available the property
they had purchased and which had
hitherto been dead expense upon
their hands. because of their inability
| to induce persons to purchase the
He said that the resolution had been
introduced and had been referred OF
| the same day to the committee, OF
which Senator Sloan is a member. and
had been reported on before he knew
anything about it; and that it appear
ed that the persons IN charge OF the
measure desired to push it through
without allowing time or opportunity
for members to have sufficient TN
| dcrstanding Of the measure or its
effects
The Water tower company, he said,
has been 80 pcrsistently annoyed, aud
has been so frequently threatened.
! with all kinds of suits on the part Of
tho same persons who. no doubt, are
urging this measure, that he did not
know that the company would make
any opposition to the passage of the
resolution, however unjust and un-
timely they might consider it to be,
! preferring to have the matter reach the
hands of the attorney general and be-
yond the further annoyance of these
! parties. He had full confidence in the
! fairness and impartiality of the attor-
ncv general, aud felt that if any inves.
! tI@atiOn was to be had, that no officer
! "i the State could fail TO see that what
ever might bc the legal rights of the
tate in the premises, It certainly
would be injurious to the State, under
/ the circumstances, 10 attempt rigidlv
! to enforce them. But that he could
not possibly see that the company had
in any manner been derelict in any
| duty it owed to the State AS n mat.
f.r nf 1,u l,ur
to fulfill any Obligation upon the part
of the company that was imposed by
the net under which It purchased He
Thought every one would recognize the
i right of the legislature II. any time to
make inquiry into any subject in
which the State was interested; and
that so far rs the resolution was di
rccted to this end, no one could object.
But the misfortune of the thing was
the injurious effect that the passing of
such n resolution might have by Great
ing in tho minds of the public the inn
preston that the company had in some
way involved itself with the State. or
were laboring under obligations greater
than had heretofore been considered
IA dcvolving upon them. thus creating
doubt and uncertainty aS to tue invest
ments OF the company, both by its
stockholders and by third PARTIES. He
continued:
The only interest the State has in
the matter is. to encourage the early
npbuilding Of the manufacturing inter
-ats IN and about Columbia in the way
3D.: factories and other industrial en-
tcrpriscs.
OF