Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1912-10-04
APPEAL FOR FAIRNESS.
A Noble Woman, True to
Her County and State
Pleads Eloquently For
Justice.
Editor The Advertiser:

One of the greatest outragcs ever
perpetrated in our county or in our
state, is being enacted against us on
this side of the county by the par
ty of Northern capitalists who wish
to develop ter-power on the Sa-
yannah river, at the mouth of Ste
yens creek, and it is time the whole
county knew about it. These men
are trying to take our valuable Wa
ter Power frontage along the river
and creek from US for practically
nothing. They are threatening to
Hcondemn our lands and carry US to
court in their campaign of intiml-
dating men and women OF small
means, including widows with
small children to support with no
male protection. They are constantly
being threater ed directly or Indirect
ly with being carried to Edge
fi,ld," with being carried to court" j"
made to go to court" etc, if they
do not accept the trifling sums
| these men offer for our lands.
Many have been talked or frighten-
ed into selling to them at the trlf-
ling figures, rather than endure
court cost, which they are not able
4 to pay against the army of lawyers,
\ which this wealthy northern cor
4 porate company employ.
l appeal to the brave men OF
l| Edgefeld county, not to allow us
TO be mistreated in this manner. 1t
4 is seldom that our southern men
threaten to carry we women to
Edgefeld, or to the court house,
and it is unbearable that it should
4 be left to these capitalists to come
here and do this, especiallyln IN an
4 effort to defraud us of our proper
a ty, the source of our food and
8clothing for our children, andgwhat
sought to be sourceof wealth too,
as it is to these capitalists.
The water power frontages along
8he Savannah river, and our other
arge streams are very valuable,
4 worth it is estimated $4,000 to
lis, 900 per mile on this river. 1t
jhould be source of great wealth
% US. 1t is to be used by the COM
oany to sell to the people of Au-
Gnsta for lights, to run their rail
road system, and to sell to facto-
skies at enormous profit. to the own
ers of the power, Il say owners,
we are the owners of the power,
which they are trying to take from
as.) A lot of these factories use coal
how, they will stop using coal and
ase this electric power, the same as
eoal. 1t is said that one electric
horse power will save 26 tons OF
soal year. Our river lands are
he same as rich coal lands.
We have something that should
8nrich us, and our children's chill
rem, if handled rightly but we are
eing forced to give it away to
s sese people, none of whom live in
lis county, by their constant cry du-
ng rany weary months of con
mn! condemn! and court!
& art"!
As an illustration to the men of
hgefeld, will give my own case.
bwn a farm of 800 acres about
10 acres of which is rich Savannah
Ter bottoms, worth for farming
rposes alone 5000 per acre or
er, very rich land as every one
ows, on which we frequently
Ike so and so bushels of corn per
" Re withou: fertilizer or 9 to 8
hs of hay per acre. Hay usually
sngs sl4.OO to $500 per ton,
it year it broug bit as high as $50. 90
ton. These people propose to
ok water into the midst of this
10 acres, covering about 80 or 40
res of the land and running the
st, yet they threaten to condemn
is land unless we take a mere
ttance, counting the water power
ontage as nothing. This land under
oper cultivation will bring s per
mt or 10 per cent on large farm
bd worth at least $500 per acre.
ancestors and the ancestors of
Y children helped to drive the In.
ans off this land and later the
~ ritish and have fought in all the
ars since, including the civil war,
r their country and to leave a
;ritage to their children. Are
ey going to be deprived of 1t at
is late day and in this manner?
b! I don't believe it, that with the
b-operation of Edgefeld men and
onth Carolinians. We don't want