The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1911-07-27
ROAD BOUND FOR CHARLESTON
Mr.. Bonsal Submits Plan to Sumter
and BishopviIIe.

L.
w. ii. Bonsal, who has promoted
and built within the past few years
several branch lines connecting
with the Seaboard Air Line, was in !
the city yesterday and at a con-
ference with Mr.. r. |. Manning,
chairman of the railroad committee
or the Chamber of Commerce. sub
mltted proposition to build a road
from McBee, on the main line or
She Seaboard, via Bishopville, to
The proposition was as follows.
Mr.. Bonsal and the parties he rem
resents will agree to enter into a
contract to build and euuip a
standard railroad from McBee tqE
sumter and have it in operafS IN
WITHIN one year, on conditioySp3at
the people of Sumter oblSsT y to
provide the rights of ,wSy for the
road from point tEo miles south
OF or, 6ishopVille to Hd through the
s,, Guy, and to a Yoint two miles
terminal @ sito oT, and to furnish
ionntin t,ai SeH OF size and
Tba r;il-e re approved by them
in ancfof way is TO be fifty feet
and the terminal site is
80 IpLpproXimately three to four
IS. The road is to be construct
ed in the most approved manner
and laid with heavy rails, and the
equipment is all to be new and
firSt-claSs
A similar proposition has been
submitted to Bishopville, viz: That
Bishopville furnish the rights of
way from McBee to and through
B1shopyllle to a point two miles
south of that town, and to provide
suitable and acceptable terminal
site in that town.
In the event that Bishopville de-
clines or fails to comply with con-
ditions and Sumter accepts and
complies with the conditions of the
offer, then the road will be built to
sumter by an alternative route
from McBee, leaving Bishopville off
the line, and Sumter will be re-
quired to furnish the rights of way
Tor distance no greater than
specified in the proposition, based
upon the supposition that Bishop
vile accepts the offer of Mr.. Bonsal
to build the road through that
town.
Mr.. Bonsal stated that he would
be ready to begin work on the road
Immediately upon notification that
his proposition had been accepted
and that he and his associates
were prepared to push the work of
construction from the start. If the
proposition is accepted without de-
lay, 1t may be possible to build the
road and have it in operation
shortly after January l.
Mr.. Bonsal would make no state
ment as to the ultimate destina-
ton of the road after leaving Sum-
ter, going southwark, but there are
reasons for the belief that this
road is projected for the purpose of
giving the Seaboard the shortest
and most advantageous route pos
Slble to Charleston. This, how
ever, is mere supposition at pres
ent, and future development alone
will disclose the real objective
point of the road.
Mr.. Manning and other represen-I
tatives of the Chamber of Com
merce have been negotiating with
the Seaboard directly, and with Mr..
Bonsal, also, for several years look
ing to the construction of a road
connecting the Seaboard with sum-
ter, and on several occasions it
seemed that the effort to secure an
other railroad outlet 10 the North
and West would succeed. but each
time obstacles that could not be
overcome intervened
About the first part of Febru-
airy, or this year, survey was made
from McBee, or some nearby point,
through Bishopville to Sumter At
the time the surveyors would
make no statements as to what the
survey was intended for stating
to those who asked that an airship
line was to be constructed from
Bishopville to Sumter but it
was later learned that it was made
by SeaboaFd surveyors No state
ment was made at the time by the
Seaboard officials as to whether or
not the Seaboard would make any
offer to Sumter for a right OF way
and site here, but it is supposed
this is the outcome OF the survey.
e,r.x.,r ~, rvnA.n ~ rEArD.