The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-05-25
RAILROAD WILL BE BUILT
WORK BEGUN ON LINE FROM
BAMBERG TO EHRHARDT.
After Years of Work the Efforts OF
Bamberg's Citizens is
Successful

In the Columbia State of last
Thursday Mr.. NJ. w. Brabham wrote
the following in regard to the con-
struction of the railroad from this
place to Enrhardt 1t is such a COM
prehensive history of the enterprise,
that we feel we cannot prepare a
better article, and therefore repro
duce it in full:
Bamberg, May 1.-THE work on
the Bamberg, Ehrhardt & Walter
boro railway was commenced to-day
at 3:15 p. m.
This tells the tale of perseverance,
determination and progressiveness on
the part of Bamberg citizens; that
the work will be completed will show
the doubtful ones whatever is need
ed to convince them that the railway
is to be fact.
There has been a great deal talked
and written in the past five years
about the railway from Bamberg to
Ehrhardt; a number of towns have
announced their intention to build
such line, realizing that Ehrhardt
is situated in one of the best parts
of the county and that the opportu-
nifty for opening up good territory
is great Bamberg took the lead
about five years ago, when number
of it's citizens, together with some
from Denmark and Walterboro and
Ehrhardt, applied for a charter and
received the same. Senator j. b.
Black was instrumental in getting
the charter through the legislature.
Bamberg at Work.
Following this action humber OF
meetings were held in Bamberg;
citizens assembled in mass meetings
and discussed the matter. Always
the question uppermost in the minds
of the people was "How will the
money be secured for the work?"
The question was asked, and then the
answer was wanting for long time.
Again and again schemes were de-
yolved for working out the plan.
Finally the citizens determined to
build the road themselves. Under the
leadership of such citizens as w. ID.
,Rhoad, Thomas Black, J. A. Wyman,
J. F. Carter and others equally in
terested, the plans were perfected.
They secured subscriptions from the
citizens amounting to about $4,000,
and also rights of way and terminal
sites. When this was in sight, two
prominent and wealthy citizens OF
Bamberg, Jones A. Williams and E.
c.. Hays, together with William c..
Wolfe, of Orangeburg, announced
that they would form a construction
company and take the contract to
begin and fully complete the road
This contract has been worked upon
for a period of several months, and
to-day was finally approved by all
parties. The work was begun as
stated above this afternoon. 1t is
the intention Of the promoters to
carry the work forward to the end.
Work will be entered upon more
fully on next Monday. A number OF
citizens were present with the Off
cials of the railroad company and
construction company to-day to have
a part in beginning the work, which
is to mean a great deal to Bamberg
and to all the neighboring country. 1t
is the purpose of the company to ex-
tend the road to Denmark when the
line has been completed from Bam-
berg to Ehrhardt:; The road will be,
according to the contract, about II
miles in length; is to be of standard
guage; is to have rails not lighter
than Sc pounds; is to meet all re-
uuirements of the railroad commits
sion; work is to commence in three
months and the road shall be COM
pleted in not more than three years.
It is taken as an evidence of the
earnestness of the construction COM
pany that work did not commence in
three months, but in three hours, it
having been practically assured that
the agreement would be completed
to-day.
The Directors.
The directors of the Bamberg, Ehr-
hardt & Walterboro Railway COM
pany are as follows: J. A. Wyman,
prominent attorney, president of the
company; W. M. Brabham, president
of the Cotton Oil company, and vice
president of the road; Thomas Black,
dealer in live stock, and vice presi-
dent of the road; w. D. Rhoad, a
merchant, and treasurer and secre-
tary of the road; Aaron Rice, A. M.