Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1909-04-28
PINE GROVE TOWNSHIP.
The Railroad Bonds Must be
Paid, Although the People
Received Not One Cent
of Benefit.

1t is easy to vote bonds, but pay
ing them is an entirely differen.
matter. Through unbusinesslikt
methods and management, severa
townships in Edgefeld, Saluda
Greenwood and Laurens counties
voted bonds in the eight ties to aid
in the building of several railroads
The roads have never been built but
the bonds are in existence and must
be paid. The taxpayers have lost
every suit that has been brought
the courts declaring the bonds to be
a valid debt. Most of the townships
in the counties above mentioned
have arranged settlements by issuing
new bonds, but Pine Grove town.
ships, two-thirds of which is located
in Saluda and one-third in Edgefeld,
is one of the few townships in which
the suit upon the bonds of one road
is still pending.
.
The United States supreme court
has decided that the bonds must be
paid, and the attorney for the bond
holders notified B. E. Nicholson,
ESQ.,, that he would appear before
Judge Brawley in Greenville this
week and obtain an order requiring
the treasurers of Sainiia and Edge
field to levy sufficient taxes on the
property in Pine Grove township to
liquidate the debt. If sufficient
amount should be levied in one
year. it would amount in many in
stances almost to confscation. The
total amount of the debt is equal to
one-tenth of the assessed value of
the property in Pine Grove. There
fore, if it all is ordered paid in one
year, a person owning $1,000 worth
of property would have to pay 500
above the usual tax. One owning
50, 900 worth would have to pay
5000, and so on.
Knowing the situation to be grave,
Mr.. Nicholson wrote letters to many
of the taxpayers urging them to meet
in his Office Saturday to decide
upon some action. The following
citizens, property owners in Pine
Grove township, met: j. K. Allen,
J. f. Payne, DR.. B. L. Allen, G. w.
Davis, o. w. Allen, J. B. Davis,
E. j. fMims, j. G. Bushardt, w.
B. Cogburn, w. S. Logue and J,
Minis. After a full discussion Of
sshe nat atseea,= =lks iicholsen- was sens
ployed by the committee to repre-
sent the taxpayers of the township,
and directed to obtain the best set
tlement possible. He will effect a
compromise if possible and have the
order passed making the amount
payable in five or ten annual in
stallments, instead of having it all
demanded in one year. Mr.. Nichol-
son left Monday morning for Green
vile, and will meet with the tax
payers of Pine Grove at Meeting
Street Saturday afternoon, May sth,
at three o'clock, to report the re-
suit of his efforts.
1t will be remembered that two
years ago the bond holders accept
ed a compromise of this debt at
IS cents on the dollars, but the
township, through Mr.. Nicholson,
has been unable to sell new bonds
to raise this IS per cent. Having
waited so long, the bond holders
have now withdrawn the offer of
compromise and demand the full
amount, which with interest ap-
proximates $4,000.
1t is reported that some property
owners in both Saluda and Edge
field have not been paying taxes on
the new railroad bonds issued
several years ago. At the meeting
of the citizens at Meeting Street
committee will be appointed to look
into the matter. If they have not
been paying their portion of this
unjust burden, steps will be taken
to collect back taxes.