The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-05

Mr.. w. II. Bonsal. who has pro-
noted and built within the past few
years several branch lines connect
ing with the Seaboard Air Line. was
in the city Friday and at a confer
ence with Mr.. r. /. Manning, Chair
man of the Railroad Committee of the
Chamber of Commerce, submitted a
proposition to build a road from Nc
Bee on the main line of the Seahoard,
via Bishopville, to Sumter.
The proposition was as follows
Mr.. Bonsal and the parties he rep
resent will agree to enter into a con-
tract to build and equip standard
railroad from McBee to Sumter and
have 1t in operation within one year.
on condition that the people Of Sum-
ter obligate to provide the rights of
way for the road from a point two
miles south of Bishopville to and
through this city, and to a point two
miles south Of the city, and to fur
nish terminal site of a size and To-
cation to be approved by them. The
right Of way is to be fifty feet in
width and the terminal site is to be
approximately three to four acres.
The road is to be constructed in the
most approved manner and laid with
heavy rails, and the equipment Is all
to be new and first class. 49,
A similar proposition has been
submitted to Bishopville. viz. That
Bishopville furnish the rights Of way
from McBee to and through Bishop
Vile to a point two miles south Of
that town and to provide a suitable
and acceptable terminal site in that
town.
In the event that Bishopville de-
clines or fails to comply with the con-
ditions and Sumter accepts and COM
plies 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 required to furnish
rights Of way for a distance no great
er than specified in the proposition
based upon the suppo sition that Bish-
opville accepts the offer of Mr.. Bon
sal to build the road through that
town.
Mr.. Bonsal stated that he would be
ready to begin work on the road i'm
mediately upon notification that his
proposition had been accepted and
that he and his associates were pre-
ton from the start. If the PROPOSE
tion is accepted without delay, it
may be possible to build the road and
have it in operation shortly after
January 1st.
Mr.. Bonsal would make no state
ment as to the ultimate destination Of
the road after leaving SUMTER going
southwark, but there are reasons for
the belief that this road is rejected
for the purpose of giving the Sea-
board the shortest and most advan-
tageOus route possible to Charles
ton. This, however. is mere sup
position at present and future de-
velopn nts alone will disclose the
real oil jective point of the road.
Mr.. Manning and other representa-
tives Of the Chamber of Commerce
have been negotiating with the Sea-
board directly. and with Mr.. Bonsal,
also, for several years looking 10 the
construction of a road connecting the
Seaboard with Sumter, and on several
occasions it seemed that the effort to
secure another railroad outlet to the
north and west would succeed, but
each time obstacles that could not be
overcome interviewed. But now Mr.
Bonsal and associates are ready to
40 bbSH eSS ana nave made deti-
mite proposition that Sumter is left to
either accept or reject. Acceptance
means the immediate construction of
the road that Sumter has been want
ing for many years; rejection Of the
proposition will be notice to the Sea-
board that Sumter does not want the
connection bad enough to make the
effort and spend the money requisite
to securing the rights Of way and
terminal site. That is the situation in
nut shell. Does Sumter really want
a connection with the Seaboard and
a direct route To a territory we do not
now reach?