The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1904-02-24

Wllcl are still lQCacG ana cOuiu De
easily repaired. Now right here I
want to be fully understood. [ am
in full sympathy with Lexington vii
lage and all the upper portion OF the
county. They need bridge and !
am heartily in favor of putting an
other bridge higher up for the &C.
commodstion of those people. What
I wish 10 show is that the bridge /
suggest would be of untold benefit
financially to the county, and to tell
the people that if some OF them
never crossed it does not enter into
the consideration of my proposition.
Now, by putting in this bridge and
opening up road about two miles
above the Broad river bridge which
will open into the Bush river and
Spring Hill or Newberry roads in
such manner as to allow the people
going to Columbia to cross the pro-
posed Saluda bridge and enter the
city through the town Of Brookland
and the Congaree bridge at about
the same or a shorter distance than
they now cross the Broad river
bridge and enter Main street. When
this done we hold the key to the sit
uation. Competition is open be-
tween the Broad River Bridge com.
papy and the Congaree bridge COM
pany and We ask in reason for what we
want. Common sense and business
judgment both say We will get it.
We don't propose to run either
bridge out of business, but We do
want to cross at reasonable rates and
We fully believe that 121 cents for a
one horse vehicle or 25 cents for a
two-Eorse one will allow these COM
panies fair profit on their invest
ments and leave enough money to
the travelling public to doubly pay
them for putting in this bridge. But
I hear some one say, suppose one
company should buy in both these
bridges then in that case there would
be no competition. That question
I will leave for the wise heads Of the
members of the Legislature to an
swer whether or not the State, which
grants these companies their char
ters cannot regulate and restrict such
a monopoly if shown to be detri-
mental to the financial welfare of
her citizenship. And even if We
should gain nothing in the way of
reduction in bridge tolls from
these bridges there are other reas-
ons-yes, greater reasons for putting
in this bridge. Let us for a moment
take a birds eye view of the town
of Brookland. What do we see!
Well. for one thing, the best taxable
property in the county, growing,
growing, growing-not only growing
but We find the city of Colnmtis try.
ing to marry her before she has on
long skirts and if We don't watch
after her close and give her more at
tention and more room to spread out
and better railroad facilities, why We
are going to wake up some morning
to find that she has eloped with
Columbia and gone to Richland.
Now, I am of the opinion that Lex
ington county is small enough as she
now stands and I don't think we
have any territory to lose, but there
seems to be an undercurrent of IN.
rest and spirit of division through.
out her borders, as the old darkey
said while describing the promise
land from Abraham to Zebulan;
why, if all the slopes and slips were
cut off of this county that We have
heard about in the last few years I
am afraid the village of Lexington
would have to stand on it's end to
remain inside of what was left, and
her county officers would have to in
vest in statute books and go
barefooted in order to pick and
scratch with chickens for q living.
Now, Mr.. Editor, by putting in this