The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-04-08
The RAILROAD MEETING
CONFERENCE WITH MIR. BETTS
WITHOUT DEFINITE RESULT.
me Meeting Was, However, Enconr.
aging and There is Reason to BE.
lieve That the Road Will Be i:rousI.t
to This City.
From the Daily Item. April 3.

Inc betts Railroad meeting Of tho
'hamber Of Commerce, held in the
council chamber las: night. wes
convincing evidence that the business
men OF Sumter are deeply int.re.ted
IN the possibility Of securing another
railroad that will bring business 1.
'his city. The meeting was ,arsel,
attended and those present repre-
sented the community as we'll as. Il
could be represented. Every lima OF
business had representatives. present
President r. I. Manning, being un-
Rvoidably absent. Vice President H L.
scarborough presided over the meet
Ing. At the request OF the Chairman
Secretary Reardon stated the object O..
the meeting in general terms, viz: T.
confer with Mr.. B. F.. Belts, o fthe G.
II. Belts Lumber Co.. in reference
to extending their logging road from.
the mill. three miles sest of the city
&c the city. and opening It up for reg
liar freight and passenger business
Mr. Reardon stated also that from in
formation received he knc Wa that the
PEOPLE living in the section, which the
road traverses are anxious for the
read to be extended to this city so that
they may be put in closer touch with
It's.
Mr.. B. F. Belts, who was present
was requested BY the chairman to lay
before the meeting any proposition
or suggestion that he might desire to
make.
Mr.. Belts said that his firm is no.
engaged In the railroad busines,
and. in fact, knows little about the
business. This railroA Ad had been built
for logging purposes and without
thought Of utilizing II for freight and
passenger business. Hc had not given
the matter much thought and was no.
prepared to make a definite picposi-
ton. He understood that the meet
Ing. which ne was glad to attend. was
| to be fr the nature OF a conference
and that he would be glad to receive a
proposition from the business men Ct
Sumter or to receive any suggestion
whit h he could take up with the other
members Of his firm.
The matter was discussed in a gen.
| eral way. Messrs. Ntill O'Donnel, r.
D. Lee, Thcs. Wilson, c. G.. Rowland.
j. w. Allen. s H. Edmurds and 1. A.
Rytrenberg participating.
1t was brought out quite plainly in
the free and informal canvass Of the
subject that the extension Of the road
would be Of great benefit to this city
and TO the Shiloh section and that the
Ieople who would patrsnize the road
are anxious for 1t tc be operated as :,
regular freight and passenger road.
The comparative advantages of
building the road into the city and
making 4 trackage agree ment With
the Atlantic Coast Line TO enter the
o;ty over its tracks and use it's terni
lals were discussed
During the general discussion Mr..
Belts stated that il an agreement
could be reached and II the people Of
sumter would dc their part he fel:
satisfied his company would be will.
ing u extend the read to the clty
On me tion of Mr.. S. H. EdmundS
the president Of the Chamber Of
commerce WAS authorized ANIL re.
auect,d to appoint a comm ittee Of Ave.
consisting Of himself and four other
business men, to make a full inveStiga-
tlon OF the whole matter