The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-11-18
ELECTRIC RAILWAY FRANCHISE.
Application Made to City Council
for Forty Years Exclusive Right.

Matter Referred to Committee for Mature
Consideration---Lengthy Session Held
and Much Business Transacted.
Council met at S D. M. Wednesday
in regular session with Mayor Stuckey
and Aldermen Chandler, Dick, ". H.
Epperson, Finn, and Hurst present.
Aldermen Boyle, Schwerin and G. F..
Epperson were absent. A number OF
citizens we're also present.
Hon. T. G. Mcleod was present as
spokesman for citizens who are opposed
to the railroad track across Harvin
sreet and made a strong protest
against adoption of the ordinance
granting the privilege.
He said this is not a public enter
prise but privilege to corporation
for the personal benefit of its members
and the individual rights of citizens
should be considered. Only for public
purpose can property be taken, and
the owners must he adequately COM
pensated, while in this instance pro-
perty will be deprecated in value by
a nuisance without hope of redress.
Sumter has reached that stage where
it does not have to offer inducements
to business enterprises They will
come to Sumter because it is a good
town without special inducement, and
because it is profitable to come. Citi-
zens had built their homes, under
standing that they would be permitted
to enjoy them undisturbed for all time,
and to raise their children in safety
not jeopardized by railroads running
without schedule time. They appeal
to Council for protection. If choice
must be made between corporate power
and substantial citizenship the matter
ought to be easy of settlement The
growth of business and increase of
values are speculative and there is no
assurance of their realization. Can
these people sell their homes for suff-
cient money to rebuild in as good style
as they now have? Nobody will want
homes from which the present owners
have been driven by such conditions.
1t is unjust to allow conditions
to obtain which will render these
homes undesirable and then say to the
occupants move out if you can't stand
it. God forbid the day will ever come
in South Carolina when sentiment
will not attach to the homes, where
our children are reared; from whence
our dead are taken; and which are
made sacred by tender associations.
Then again if this privilege be grant
ed, what is to prevent others Of the
same kind as there should be no dis
elimination in such matters. This is
a serious step, members of council
should put themselves in the place of
these citizens and do as they would
desire should be done to themselves.
A trolley line is no parallel to this
enterprise. There are few trolley
accidents, while railroad accidents are
of, every day occurrence. The life of
one little child is of more value than
a $4,000 Business. The citizens are
here and business will come as the
railroads have done. You could not
drive men away who have been making
money here 10 Or Is years. The
passenger station was removed to get
away from network of tracks, and
now if this track be allowed the same
condition will again result, and all
citizens have ali interet in keeping
streets unobstructed.
Opposition speeches were also made
by DR.. A. J. China and Mr.. j. R.
Ligon, the latter declaring that Mr..
Bowman had stated that the ware
house would be built whether the
track privilege was granted or Eot.
The ordinance granting to ". A.
Bowman and associates the privilege
of laying a railroad track across
Harvin street was then read for the
first time.
DR.. Van Telberg Holman from the
Board of Health, asked for an appro-
priation of $50 for disinfecting
apparatus, and the appropriation was
granted.
L. D. Jennings, Esq, appeared to
request the privilege of building an
electric street car line through certain
streets and presented an ordinance
granting certain exclusive rights and
privileges. The following sections of
the proposed ordinance contain all the
information relative to the franchise
asked for that is Of general interest,
the other sections dealing with mat
ters relating to police powers and the
use of streets under regulations there
in prescribed.
Section l. Be it ordained by the
Beard of Aldermen of the city of Sum
ter, in the county of Sumter, in the
State of South Carolina in council as
sembled and by authority of same in
manner following;
That is to say, that the exclusive
privilege is hereby granted D. A.