The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-07-19
Jake and the State.

! Our neighbor, the Columbia State
in it's issue of the 7th inst with its
usual very elegant English, reads
your correspondent "Jake" an elabor.
, ate lesson.
"Jake" bows and gratefully accepts
the compliment, and appreciates it
the more on account of the source
from which it came, coming as it
does from q paper that never speaks
unless it fully understands and knows
what it is talking about.
We have no quarrel with our neig b.
Dor over the river, nor with any one
else, nor will We, and Notwithstanding
the States great learning in yersif-
cation and prose poetry, We do not
care the snap of finger about its
attempted disparaeing criticism.
Our purpose is, as much as in our
power lies, to uncover and develop
all future possibilities for the future
Development, enlargement and en-
richment of Brookland and all The
towns of LIE exington county, making
accrued ,bene6ts reciprocal with The
farmers, mechanics and laborers of
Lexington county, and for this we
shall stand square up TO neighbor-
ing counties, towns and cities de-
manding of them all that may be
justly and legitimately due US. This
we want and no more. Saluda river
divides Lexington county into two
sections, and the county seat is on
the south side. The river and it's
toll ferries are barrier to the free
intercourse of the citizens of the
county for mutual benefit and pleas
ure, and in great measure blocks the
wheels of trade and hinders tie &C
emulation of the material wants Of
it's citizens. This should not be so.
There should be free ferries across
the river at convenient places up al d
down the river and over the old sa-
luda bridge pillars now st' n ling in
the river, there should be a free
bridge built. The river at this point
is very narrow and requires but two
spans to unite the two banks of the
river. The granite abutments ard
the strong pillars in the centre of the
river are standing as firm as the
Rock of Gilbralter, and an iron
bridge over these pillars could be
cheaply built, and this, with the free
ferries, would firmly and forever unite
the two sections of Lexington county
as one, and marked development of
her resources would be the result.
The Columbia, Newberry and Lau-
rens Railroad passes the northern
abutment about 100 feet, and the
bridge over these pillars could be
made wide enough on which to run
a railroad track and foot and
wagon way. This railroad track
would pass through Brookland, CIV
ing her depot and making junction
at Cayce with the other roads. This
uniting link from the Saluda bridge
to Cayce would be about two miles
long and would require but little
grading, and could lie quickly and
cbeaply bnilt and by this route cars
could come into Brookland from Co.
lumbia, Newberry and Cayce. These
with the opening of the liver to
steamboat navigation would make it
possible for Brookland to be great
trading centre, where shipments to
and from all parts Of the world could
be made. The old Salada factory
site is over a mile along the river
bank from Brookland, with just fall
enough to develop fifty or more great
water powers sufficient to run any
number of mills desired, and to build
a great city of operatives. This
railroad link would pass directly
through the place and would greatly
facilitate the building Of these mills,
dwellings, stores, etc. All these end
much more are possibilities, and
wise is be who now secures a cheap
home here.
We are not and never will fight
the dear old city Of Columbia. We
have always been her friend and
would be pleased 10 see her bounda
ries widen so as to make her one Of the
greatest cities of the world. She is
a beautiful city and her citizens are
kind and generous, and Brookland