The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-29

4
| We learn that the claims oi The Anderson
ouble-track Black diamond Railroad from
| now here by ASbeville. through ,'udse0nS lille.
Pumpkin town, sEd over Pen Ridge To- Port
| Royal In 10 he pressed before the Legislature
This winter. Abbevttie has special reason To
| he interested In his success A. n candidate for
| the Judgeship. II our memory serves ns right
| that came smiE,ntiy qunlih-d iAw'eT came
down 10 Abbeviile Iew years ago with n
beautiful rchetne To reviv'fy and warm the
old care Of that defunct, dead and buried.
| body a; the Carolina Cumberl land Gsp, Snd
the Chicago Railroad. He had the same
doubir.irnck and the same ninety pound
| rails. that did business twenty years ago. and
he detailed the same accounts Of the coal
| trains Hs they tumbled over esch other In
their haste 10 the sea. Great clouds Of dust
would All the air an they went flying back to
the mountains. The business would be NO
great that The sun In It's course might stand
| still In amusement, even an u did 10 give
Joan "a time 10 whip hiS Adversariea.
All this magnificent accomplishment could
be had for little more than the sskiug. The
same twenty six million dOllsrs that were to
build Cumberland Gap rDsd were stlii walt
Ing an opporiuniIy 70 invest. All they want
rd was N survey and map OF the country.
They didn't want local buripess between
must have . map. with a road marked out on
it. They wanted TO be sure thA: the land vas
there. They couldn't bridge the intervening
space bot " the !and vas there and the
survey was mNuc, tuc uOucy oU tpt VI
coming. The London capitalists wanted to
buy y few mOuntainS. II would then be
necessary for them 10 lay the road with
ninety pound rails, Tn carry OF the wealth d
timber. coal aud marble that lay along
the line. and another track would be needed
10 bring back the empty cars.
The great company OF gndgeons VINO had
assembled 10 hear the promoter "f The Black
Diamond diiaIs on the feasibility Os his
impossible, visionary and Intangible alluring
scheme we're delighted. For fear Of spelling
gossd story, no hereto was allowed 10 Ask
provoking or embarrassing questions. six
thousand dollars was Immediately and en-
thusinsticaiiy pledged. aud aitsrward tne
Ths survey wss .oou made, but no item
ICED report OF the expenses has yet been made
public We do not know ~ there was enough
To pay the bills. or II there was n deficiency.
But ws DO know that We have a. G heard % very s nt-
II the promoter OF the scheme by which
this confidtng people were touched ior
5000 could be elected Judge he might order
an Investigation. The vouchers and the
itemixsd statements would make interesting
reading for one and all the folk hereabout
man with sufficient magnetism TO induce
this poverty stricken people 10 part Win
IS 600 ON account OF the most visionary aud
Intangible scheme must possess ability OF rare
merit. Abbevilie, at least hss reasoE 70 watch
the career Of her railroad promoters To see
where be will 10 when The bubble oursts Our
representatives shouid not forget this promo
toiof great railroad schemes.
Note--We quote from memory. aud may be
little inaccurate an the Black Diamond was
10 run along the line ofthe Cumberland Gap,
aud N the Black Diamonds promoters story
was along the line of the Cumberland Gap
hiatory, we may have woboled q little, oy
mixirg the two siorles-sometiIneH leaving
ouI part of the promotera story, or adding
something oI the history Of the former scheme
which shonid revoluiionize things, and cause
The earth to tip over little ar It's trains pass
ed this way.
III We have erred iu any statement BY omis.
a,on or commission, We are glad 10 set the
public in bis own words. Assisted by others
hia effort Ia getting our mouey was 10 easily
successfui that he found Il unnecessary to
terry with ~, but hurried away by the nrst
train AFTER he got here sunday night. IL he In
10 be Associate Justice, or Chief Justice, II
would 81 interesting 70 know his position op
the subject OF relieving citita, towns, and
Townships Of the burdeos OF railroad taxation
which they may have been Ted 10 vote upon
themselves. Win bis experience 10 railroad
money he might NJ once become recognized
legal authority on railroad scnemes.