The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1908-10-29

DAY, OCTOBER 20, 1908
OLD SAND BAR FERRY.
In Its Time Has Been Valuable Piece
of Property.
The action of the Beech Island
Club at their last meeting in appoint
ing a committee to investigate and
report on the subject Of building
bridge across the Savannah river at
the point where now the Sand Bar
Ferry plies between Georgia and
South Carolina and the general dis
cussion ofthe desirability of modern
bridge taking the place Of the anti
quated ferry method Of communica-
tion, created an interest in the his
tory as well as in the present status
of the ferry.
| That a bridge will, in the not re-
mote future, span the river at that
point, replacing the fiat boat propell-
ed by the current and cable-the
present method which has been In
use for considerable over century,
is now more than probability.
The well to do community OF Beech
Island have taken hold of the matter
and seem to be in earnest about sub
stituting the present inadequate and
uncertain means of communication
by an up-to-date bridge.
| On thte other side of the river, too,
the sentiment is strong and pro-
nounced in favor of permanent
structure connecting Richmond and
Aiken counties.
The only valuable place for build
ing a bridge in that neighborhood
being the points between which the
| ferryboat now plies, the project nat
urally involves an arrangement with,
and a purchase from, the present
owner of the ferry as well as the
charter, rights and parcels of land on
both sides Of, and adjacent to the
river.
1t is learned that the present own
er is not unwilling to sell his holdings
for a stipulated sum, provided the
purchasers hold out the positive as.
surance of erecting bridge In that
place at an early time. The cash
consideration asked for the ferry and
rights by the present owner, 1T Is un-
derstood is $4,000.
/ AS a revenue proposition Sand Bar
Ferry is held to be very fair invest
ment, though the rates are only hall
of what they used to be 20 years ago
before the opening of the road along
/ the South Carolina side of the river
between Sand Bar Ferry and Ham
burg, known as the Hamburg road.
Before the Hamburg road was
built the rates charged for crossing
the river on the ferryboat were: pas
sengers on foot, cents; on horse
back, 121s cents; in buggy, rs cents;
two-horse carriage or four horse Wag'
on, so cents. These rates were
charged for crossing each way. Al:
ter the opening of the dirt road about
I20 years ago these rates were cut IN
half, or rather, one fare for crossing
the river both ways.
At one period in it's history the
ferry was regarded as an extremely
valuable and profitable property
commanding q purchase price as high
as $4,000 On the other hand II
changed hands once for considera-
i ton as low as $500. At present Its
value fluctuates between $1,000 and
| $4,000.
The first owner of the ferry was
Governor Bull, who in 1899, while al
Fort Moore Bluff, the emtnence over
I looking the river on the South caro-
lima side, obtained charter and per
mission to introduce ferryboat from
the Colonial Government. Governor
Bull later transferred the charter and
1.-THE property to Colonel Pepper, who
in turn transmitted to the Lamar
family.
| The Lamars> conducted the ferry
business for a number OF years and
sold it to Colonel Abner Watley. Il
i remained a Watley property until
the close of the Civil War when Mr.
Jonathan Miller, who, by the way, Is
!. still in the land of the living and with
faculties unimpaired, at an age close
to a century, purchased 1t from n
In. Hickman, administrator, for $2O,'
900. Mr.. Miller held it for about ter
years and sold it to Warren Fair
who a little over two years ago Solo
it to Mr.. Paul Dunbar for $1,000
In course of a year the ferry again
changed hands and is now the prop
erty once more of Mr.. Warren Fair
For a number Of years before and
after the war the annual income o1
the ferry reached to a sum as high P:
$4,000. The annual income at pres
ent is said to be between $4,000 and
$4,000.
The ferry ownership includes par
GELS Of land, 10 to Is acres, on each
side of the river, taxes on which are
paid to Richmond county and Aike1
county respectively.-Aiken Journa
and Review.
/ The Open Season for Game.