Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1906-08-15
SOUTH CAROLINA, AUGUST is, 1906.
|0WNV|LLE and WESTMINSTER R. R.
THE PEOPLE SEEMED DETERMINED TO
BUILD lT.
[Anderson Mail, August III

~~~>--o SSaN esSeooh tuSo yOoVCIo0J WhOu ~
large gathering Of folks at Townville
raised Jhe proper amount necessary Tor
the construction of the railroad. On
July 4th, year ago, the question of a
railroad between these two points began
to be agitated. A large railroad meeting
was held at Oakway ON that day and
much enthusiasm was aroused. Every
body knows that it requires lot Of
time to really raise the capital for rail-
road, and so the people along the pro-
posed route have been figuring almost
continuously since the Oakway meeting,
and it was decided that meeting at
Townville would be the proper way to
oulminate all the enthusiasm and make
some definite stops toward the actual
construction of the road. The gentlemen
interested in the enterprise advertised
far and wide that August 10th would be
red letter day at Townville aud every
body was invited, whether interested in
the proposed railway or whether opposed
to 1t.
Yesterday was beautiful clear day
and very early during the morning great
crowds of folks began collecting at Town.
Vile and at 10 O'Clock in the morning
fully five thousand representative people
had gathered to hear more about the
railroad. j. p. Ledbetter, a very promi-
nent and prosperous gen eptlemep of Town
vile, called the meeting 10 order, and he
introduced Solicitor Julius K. Boggs, of
Pickens, as the first speaker. Now, Mr..
Boggs has had experience in building
railroads, and he was just the proper
person to tell his experience. He was,
In a large measure, responsible for the
construction of the Pickeus railroad be-
tween Easley and Pickens, distance of
nine miles. Mr.. Boggs aroused quite a
great deal of enthusiasm during his
speech when he cited SO many instarces
where the Pickens railway had helped
Pickens and incidentally all the property
along the line. He told how property
had increased in value since the railroad
had been built. He compared the town
of Pickens before the road reached there
and the town of Pickens as il is at pres
ent. Marvellous changes have taken
place, and the main thing that is respon-
sibla for the changes is the Pickens rail-
way company. This company has not
only been an incentive for more business,
but the stock in the railroad company is
a paying stock and the stockholders have
therefore earned money on the money
invested, besides having their property
enhanced In value. Solicitor Boggs,
although candidate for Congress, did
not mix one word of politics In his
speech. 1t was ont and out q railroad
speech-the kind that goes long way
and helps materially in the construction
of a railroad.
After Solicitor Boggs had closed his
address Chairman Ledbetter introduced
Judge George e. Prince, and for many
minutes the Judge held the close atten-
tion of the large audience. Judge Prince
reviewed conditions in the country now
with conditions years ago and he showed
the crowd that the time had come and
that the people were now ready to take
on the responsibilit-f building rail-
road. The JUDI &7B an entertaining
speaker and he furnished much amuse-
ment with his anecdotes.
The next and last speaker was Joseph
j. Fretwell, president of the proposed
railway company, and also the president
of the Peoples Bank of Anderson. Mr..
Fretwell is exactly the man to take hold
of big undertakings and push them
through to success. 2 he first thing he
did was to let the au( ience know that a
survey of the propos ed road had been
made and that the engineer in charge
had made most favorable report. He
then read the report in full, which in
deed, points out most clearly that the
route is an ideal one and that the actual
cost of constructing will be rather nomi-
nal.
After arousing much enthusiasm with
his earnest appeals to the folks by citing
instances where the road would be the
best thing possible in the way of enter
prise, and showing them that railroad
would be necessary before other onter-
prises could be induced to locate, he
called for subscriptions of stock, and the
audience came forward in numbers
enough to subscribe the necessary stock
for construction. Mr.. Fretwell said
that the history of railroads la that they
are bonded for two and three times their
proper value and the preferred stock is
rated at two times the value, and there
fore common stock is worth practi-
cally nothing.
ENaINEER's REPORT.
q. G.. Savra of Andarso,, q. A. o...