The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-06-09
TIE & q .Jnne Ath 1897.

lliOS. d. MAisllN.
PELZER, S. G, June 4th, 1897.
Mr.. THOMAS J. MARTIN, P~ELzER,S c.
Dear Sir: I have your favor OF the 1st
inst, and have no hesitation in giving
YOU in full my reasons why I am not in
favor. of the new County scheme, and you
are at liberty to publish this letter If you
30 desire.
First. I am opposed to the new County
scheme because Anderson County has re-
Gently voted a tax Of $50, 100000 to build q
new Court House and Jail in anderson
City. While the Legislature passed an
Act relieving from further payment of
such tax any portions of such Counties
as shall withdraw and form z new Coun-
ty, still I am advised there are grave
doubts IS ito the constitutionality Of the
Act, and it is uncertain if the Williamson
County scheme is carried whether the
townships in Anderson County forming
Williamson County will be relieved from
the tax due to Anderson County. In
other words, we may be out Of Anderson
County, and yet for six years continue
paying the tax in Anderson County for
the new Court House and Jail, and to this
extent be double taxed in two Counties.
In Greenvil!e County, the townships
withdrawing to form a new County Will,
L believe, have to assume their proportion
of the County debt and besides lose the
taxes received from the Air Line 4. Il.
Second. When the scheme to have q
new County was proposed over two years
ago I was in favor of it without giving
the subject much thought, simply because
NV efforts to get a new and decent bridg
at Pelzer had failed because OF the seem-
ing impossibility to get he officials OF
the two Counties to agree. The new
County scheme seemed to AVE died
out and be forgotten, and last December,
without one word being said about the
new County scheme other by
or Anderson County officials or any
promise or request of me not to favor the
new County, they doubtless thinking as
I did that the new County scheme had
died out, the County Supervisors of
Greenville and Anderson Counties signed
the contract at Pelzer for q double track
steel bridge which will cost ton or twelve
thousand dollars. Now, according to my
way of thinking, I cannot consider it ex-
actly honorable orjust right to have urged
the building OF this bridge, and then after
the contract is let try to get out of those
two Counties and leave them to pay for
the bridge.
Third. While I know the large MAORI
ty of the present inhabitants OF William
ton are opposed to a Dispensary in the
town, still they can give no guarantee,
a Court House town, and the large popu-
lation they expect moves in, giving city
values to their real estate, that they will
be able to control that neG population
and prevent the Dispensary. We do not
want bar rooms or DispensariesE within
two miles of. Pelzer.
Fourth. Williamson proposes to build
q new Court House and Jail, but there is
no guarantee as to the cost Of these pro-
posed buildings, or whether they will
be sufficiently large or suitable in every
respect for the new County. We might
find ourselves burdened with a tax very
soon to build suitable public buildings,
as there is no formal or legal guarantee
that the buildings will be built by Will
llamston. IF Williamson is in earnest
about this why not put up the money or
state q certain sur positively and furnish
security?
Fifth. The transcribingofthe title deeds
and other records will be 3 very heavy
expense, amounting to thousands of
dollars, and either must be borne by
the new County or else part Of the records
will be in Anderson County or Greenville
County and part in Williamson County,
causing confusion and annoyance and
expense to parties transferring real estate
and to those who desire to borrow
ey on their real estate.
Sixth. I do not think it altogether fair
for the petitions that have been circula-
ted, calling for this election for q new
county, to pledge the signers in advance
20 vote for Williamson for the County
seat. Perhaps il 7 owned real estate in
Williamson I might think differently.
For these reasons T shall vote against
the new County on June 26th, and repreE
senting the largest taxable property in
that proposed new County ] would be
exceedingly sorry to be forced out of An
derson County. The people OF William
ston have contributed nothing to the sue
cess of Pelzer or Piedmont, and yet they
wish to uss the taxable values of these
two properties to give them O basis for q
claim as a county seat. Anderson Coun-
ty is now regular aud beautiful in shape,
and Is the banner County Of the State,
and it would be a pity to dismember it.
7 am we'll aware that PelZer Ia on the
edge of Anderson County, but the town
was built there with that fact recognized,
and with our eyes wide open.
7 am told that my friends in William
ston are explaining my opposition to the
new County scheme by stating that it is
because 7 fear another cotton market
at Williamson, and that the benefit to
our farmer friends will be great il Will
liamston becomes a city and has a cotton
market. knew my friends at William
ston were short Of arguments showing
why outsiders should vote for William
ston County, but I did not think they
would invent so foolish q statement
as this. With Anderson on Il side,
Bolton on another, Greenville again
on another, and the Pelzer cotton market
kept higher than either Of the three, we
have nothing to fear from a cotton market
at Williamson, unless our William ston
friends can pay more for cotton than.
either Anderson, Greenville or Piedmont
Finally, if we are forced into the new
County, give >us some other name than
Williamson. We already have Will
liamsburg County in this State, and the
names are so. alike confusion will arise.
Call the new County Lee or Davis or
Jackson, and By so doing honor u Con-
federate heroes. But where are the adj
vantages in all this new County scheme
to those who own NJ real estate in Will
liamston? It will cost a good deal of
money and higher taxes and where are
the benefits? Yours truly,
ELLISON A. SMYTH.
Call for Conference.