The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-06-07

Manager of the Southern Railroad Com
pany. Yours very truly,
j. 81. EARLE,
Commissioner.
Columbia, s. c., May 31st, 1905
Mr.. b. B. Spencer, General Manager
Southern Railway Company, Washing
ton, D. G.
Dear Sir
On October 31st, 1906, your freigh,
house at Bamberg was destroyed by fire
and on January 4th, 1906, the Commis-
sion notified your Superintendent, Mr.
J. A. Heether, concerning the matter, and
asked that steps be taken to have this de-
pot rebuilt.
There was considerable correspondence
between the Commission and your Super
intendent until April 5th, '06, at which
time Superintendent Heether wrote the
following letter to this Commission:
"Beg to acknowledge receipt Of yours
of March 30th, relative to the rebuilding
of freight house at Bamberg, s. c., also
to advise that the contract for this build
ing with other improvements at Bamberg
was let, but owing to few dissenting
patrons, the matter was held up until the
morning of the 4th inst. We have now
instructed our contractor to proceed with
the work. Yours very truly,
J. A. HEETHER, Supt."
This Board having been Informed moth
ing was being done, again wrote Mr.
Heether, who on April 30th, wrote as
follows:
"Replying to your favor of 25th, I beg
to advise that we expect to let the con
tract within a few days, covering the
construction of the Bamberg depot. The
matter is being delayed owing to our in
ability to get prompt bids from the con-
tractors, owing to contractors being very
busy with other work.
Yours very truly,
j. A. HEETHER, Supt."
Having numerous complaints from tht
people of this city, on May 25th, this Com
mission issued an order to Mr.. Heethe,
as follows: -
"You are hereby notified that it is tn.
order of this Board that the freight depot
at Bamberg, South Carolina, shall be
completed within the next sixty (6W days
By order of the Board, ETC."
On May 26th, your Superintendent
answered this order as follows:
"Beg to acknowledge receipt of yours
May 25th enclosing notice to erect depot
at Bamberg within sixty days. The facts
are as stated to you, that the contract
had been let and that material was being
assembled at Bamberg for that purpose
Very sorry that it was necessary TOR your
Commission to take action; however, we
will hurry the matter on as fast as posi-
BILE. Yours very truly,
J. A. HEETHER, Supt."
The Commission visited Bamberg on
yesterday at the request of the Mayor and
citizens of the town, and find that abso
lutely nothing has been done, and if there
are any preparations in any way being
made for the erection of this freight
house, we could not see it, and due to the
fact that on April 5th your Superintend-
ent wrote US that the contract had been
let, we paid no more attention to the mat
ter until we received his letter on April
3Oth which denies his former statement,
aud says he will let the contract. He
now says. that material is being assem-
bled and the contract is let again, and
still we see no preparations for the erec'
ton of this depot.
It appears to this Board if We were be-
ing trifled with in the matter, and that
the people Of this prosperous town have
been receiving absolutely no attention,
this depot having been burned last Octo-
Der, and there being no place whatever
for people to receive their freight or ship
the same.
We have issued an order on May 25th,
that this depot must be completed within
sixty (6O) days, and we will expect this
order to be carried out. I beg to call
your attention to the statute passed by
the Legislature in this matter.
Our connection with this matter has
now ceased, and after July 25th CORE
spondence will be conducted by the At
torney General of South Carolina. l
think it due you that send you this cor
respondence. Yours very truly,
j. 81. EARLE,
Commissioner.