The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-06-23
Col. Orr's Adrice.

lSlt II HTe9s 'll'GitSI III llo VuCSliou VI us
Numbering Grcenvillo and Anderson
Counties, / have not taken an active part
in the discussion, but since Y. II. Russell
has seer fit to drag me in and the VII.
HamStonian to publish his article I shall
reply through tho press.
I object to the formation OF the now
county on account of the loss it entails en-
the two old counties. The cost OF run
ming them will be practically the same as
now, and it must be raised by taxation.
With four millions (one-fourth the assess
ment) transferred to Williamson, and tho
taxable value reduced by that amount,
the levy must be increased in a like ratio
in other words, without any increased
advantage whatever, the old counties will
have to pay 25 per cent. moro taxes. If
this was realized more fully, increased
interest in the election would be taken by
those sections of the counties not in tho
proposed now county. They have just as
much at stake as those in the sections
affected, and can reap none of tho golden
benefits promised.
If you can influence one single vote it
behooves you to do it this week. Your
duty to your county, to yourself and to
your children demands that you exert
yourself and save thetwo grand old coun-
ties of Anderson and Greenvilie from
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, disintegration and dis
grace.
For the people within the new county
land I speak as one of them, for most of
my interests are located within its pro-
posed borders) I can see benefits to but
few and hardships to many. 1t will en-
nance the value of real estate within the
corporate limits, and lots now worth $50
per acre will probably command 5000 to
$500, but as money can't be raised like
cotton or manufactured like s%heetings, it
must come from somebody else, and
every dollar practically which William
ston gains will come out of the pockets of
the country composing the county.
AS to tho Court House and Jail for the
new county: What is the use of this ex-
penditure? GreenYille has q good Court
House and new Jail and Anderson has
contracted for Q buildings. So it
would be an absolute waste OF money. If
you had q comfortable dwelling house on
your lot or farm would you discard it and
build a new one on another location SIM
ply because it was a trihe more conven-
lent You certainly would not unless
you had more money than brains.
Without using the actual figures but
simply assuming some for illustration,
say that the taxable values of Greenville
and Anderson Counties amount to SlG,-
100000 and that we require for our County
governments S1GO, 600, we could raise
the amount with a levy of 10 mills. Now
if 81, 000, 900 is transferred to Williamson
County and we had to raise the same
amount of taxes it would require q levy
On the old Counties OF nearly II mills.
Say Williamson required $4,000. On
the $1,000 900 her levy would be 20 mills.
So If the whole property were kept to-
gether and only two governments main
tanned we would pay a tax of 10 mills,
but if divided and three supported the
old counties would pay nearly II mills
and the new q 20 mills. No matter
what your love for Williamson may be
are you willing to double tax. yourself
aud your children for all time to come?
Another reason which impels me to
oppose the new county is the gross in.
justice and hardship, which it's formation
would entail upon the people and prop.
erty within the boundaries in the matter
Of indebtedness. Under the constitution
and laws of the State the new territory
will have to assume the same proportion
of the Indebtedness of the old counties
from which it obtained property. Now
how would that work in the present case?
Anderson county has practically no debt,
outside of the new court house and Jail.
Greenville has a considerable debt, yet
the property owners of Anderson will
have to shoulder part of that debt, and
pay taxes to liquidate it, when they have
never received a particle Of benefit. The
Anderson citizens had better stay where
they are instead of forming 8 new part
nership, which will require them not
only to pay their share of the new business
of the concern. but to liquidate debts Of
the old firm, from which it has not and
never can derive any benefit.
If a county is established a very
serious expense, and endless trouble arc
worry, will be entailed on every land
owner, present and prospective, in the
matter of titles. Tho only way that one
can determine whether q title is good is
to trace it back to the grant from the State
or into tho hands of some holder who has
had uninterrupted and adverse possess
sion for q sufficient time to presume o
grant. In order to do this the records in
the new county will be examined from
the time Of its formation, and then the
lawyer must go to the old county and ex-
anime the records in the Office of register
of mesne conveyance, clerk of court,
sheriff and probate Judge before he can
give an opinion. Instead of the certi6-
CdC6 OF Cltlo cOSIluS % W 9lO IL VIII COSI aL
least $25. An nee impressioniex-
lists in the mind of some that a transcript
of those records could be made for the
new county at a cost Of $1,000 to 81, 200.
For the mere indexing of the deeds and
mortgages Anderson paid over $4,000, and
that work is now being done in Green
vile, and will cost that amount at least.
Now, if the simple indexing costs that
much, the indexing and selection and
copying of all the titles in the new coun-
ty would require the highest skill, con-
sumo several years, and cost thousands
Of dollars, for in addition to copies Of
deeds and mortgages, to make the work
of any value they would require the ex-
emplification of all the records touching
lands in the new counties which had been
partitioned or sold under mortgage or
execution or tax sales. 1t would require
such an expenditure Of time and money
that it simply could not be done, and this
additional expense by the purchaser of
real estate would have to be borne for
years to come.
Many other reasons could be given why
the new county should not be formed,
but my tim is limited and I will close
by simply asking every man interested
to consider the matter carefully and vote
to the best interest of his State, his county
and bis family lanes T, Ohm