The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-11-26
.RAlLROADlNG in LAURENS
MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO.
An Interesting Letter of DR.. John
W.. Simpson Published i'm the
Herald in I85I--Some Mar
riage Notices.

oooo oNSh Vic CbrS tndU were OH inc
track, except the two aft wheels of
a freight car, had righted them.
selves before the occurrence was
discovered by those on board, and in
less than twenty minutes these two
wheels were replaced by the contriv-
ance Of an old traveller and we were
again under way. After this occur
renee the whole train was conducted in
safety and in gallant style to the Co.
lumbia depot. Being led, by the To-
oality of the house, principally, through
having some recollection of the adapt
edness OF the landlord to his business,
we all safely landed, by the Calhoun
Omnibus, at the American, truly a
pleasant agreeable retreat, q house
where all u wants need only to be
intimated to be gratiied-where there
Is good cheer, good servants, good food,
good lodging, and q reasonable bill by
way of latter piece"
Here we spent a few days, in the
meantime disposing Of u charges at
the respective schools assigned them,
and on the Sabbath, hearing some Of
the great truths of the Bible e%xpounded
by that gifted man OF God, the Rev. B.
M. Palmer. There are other distingu-
ished Divines In that highly favored
floral town OF Carolina, and among
them, the Rev. Whiteford Smith oc-
cupies an elevated position. 1 have had
the high qualification of hearing him
in the pulpit, when fired up by the re-
sponsibilities of his station as a minis
ter, his mastery %eloquence would riyet
the attention of the most careless. 1
have seen him again, around his own
hearthstone, where he exhibits, In all
the simplicity and unadornedness of his
nature, the sweetness of the Christian
character.
BY six on Monday morning, the Goth
inst, we were on board a freight train
bound for the head of the road, with
freight also for intermediate stations.
1t may be thought by those who have
not tried this mode of conveyance, as
affording anything but q pleasant ride;
but let me advise those, L mean the
gentlemen, for 1 would not advise the
ladies into such a scrape, but any gen.
tleman who is anxious to reach home
OF any other point not to wait six or
ten hours for a cushioned seat, but take
a seat on o box of merchandise in q
open lumber car, and IL he does not en-
JOY the ride with the more open and
extended view Of the scenery on the
way, then ] shall be disappointed
Though travelling up this way, un-
knowing and unknown. L was on reach
ing the Newberry depot, kindly &C
costed by the conductor, stating that l
had been recognized as a Director Of
the LaGrens Railroad, and that he had
been directed to refund the amount
Of fare which L had paid him on the
way up. So you see that the courte-
| sizes of the Greenville and Columbia
road are extended even to an humble
Director of our ~oad.
From the Newberry depot, after
waiting a short time for the necessary
arrangements Of the freight, we were
conveyed to the junction OF the Green
Vile and Columbia and the Laurens
roads, where we found that spirited lit
tie engine, the LaureDs, Especially
when manned by her efficient engineer,
Mr.. Miles, not particularly employed,
and WITHOUT q word of hesitation, after
hearing the request of u resident ens
gineer in chief, I mounted the Laurens
and was again at Jalappa in about 20
minutes the distance of six miles, where
1 met my own conveyance, and reached
Laurensville by z Z. NJ, making the
trip from Columbia from 6 A. M. to Z
P. M. the same day, after meeting with
considerable detention on the way. So
! you see that 1t is no mean argument in
favor of railroads that they almost
annihilate space. AS a~n.earnest advo-
cate of the rapid completion OF our road
it is just and proper that we should re-
mark that, although it was Court week
Mt Newberry, where many men like to
while away a few hours IN social glee,
we found u chief engineer, j. G..
Gibbs, Esq, industriously employed, at
the head OF our road, In leveling the
grade for the timbers, and our other
/ offices, Messrs. Miles and Warren, at
their posts. The length of my commu-
nication admonisbes me that 1 must
close, it having been extended far be-
yond the limits 1 had assigned myself
at the beginning. 1t Is at your dis
posal.
Respectfully,
j. w. SIMPSON.