The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-07-12
TROLLEY PRPJECT
FINALLY CLOSED

]
posed II Fed Years Ago, a Thing OF
the Past.
Ihe Carolina Rapid Transit Com
pany, a trolley line surveyed Just prio,
10 the World War in which Laurens
clinton, Cross Anchor, Woodruff, Spar
tanburg and other places were inter
ested, is a thing of the past and funds
left over when the project was aban-
doned have been divided among towns
subscribing to the promotion fund. ac-
cording to letter sent out to the
press by j. f. Jacobs, chairman of tho
finance committee, as follows:
Just prior to the outbreak of the
great war an Europe subscriptions
were made by various communities in
Union, Spartanburg and Laurens conn
Ties Tor the survey Of what was called
the Carolina Rapid Transit Company.
the plan having in view the construc-
ton of an electric railroad connecting
up the cities Of Spartanburg, Union,
lAaurens and Clinton. The survey was
made very thoroughly, in most sec
tions over two, and in some cases over
three routes.
"A commercial survey was also
made, with a view to discovering about
what the prospect Of success would be
for such line.
AT the time OF the completion of
the survey it appeared practicable to
build the Inc and operate it without
loss, and with the possibility of a small
net return to stockholders, Very
shortly after the survey was completed
and before any steps could be made to-
wards financing the road, conditions
changed by reason of the outbreak of
uhe war in Europe, so that it became
impossible to construct such a road.
and to operate it without having it
80 into bankruptcy. 1t would never
have been possible to finance it owing
to the changed conditions whereby
steel rails, copper, cross ties, labor,
electric motors, and general equip
ment went to two and three prices.
Since that time there has never been
a time when the electric traction busi-
ness has been profitable. Many roads
have gone out Of existence, and bank
ruptcies have been the rule. The de-
Velopment Of the motor car business
and the Improvement Of the highways
has made 1t apparent that the con-
struction Of such an electric road
would be nothing short of folly under
present conditions, and these condi-
tions are likely to become still more
adverse rather than more favorable to
inter-urban traction lines.
Under these conditions, cash bal
ance Of something over $4,000 re-
manning in the treasury, the finance
committee was called together on
July 9Th to make disposition of the
cash balance. This balance amounted
to something over 100000 at the time
OF the finishing Of the survey, but by
accumulation of interest amounts now
to fractionally over $4,000. The fin
ance committee decided to divide this
between public bodies in Clinton and
In Laurens, on the ground that the
full subscriptions from those towns
having been paid in, and only about
rs per cent Of the subscriptions of
Spartanburg and less than SO per cent
of the subscriptions Of Union county
having been paid in, it was proper to
return the surplus to the county which
had overpaid In ratio to the other two
counties. Hence the fund is being di-
vided equally between the Library AS
sociation in daurens and the Civic
Association in Clinton, the finance
committee members voting unanimous
ly In favor of this decision.
The material Of the survey is boxed
up and remains in the vault of Jacobs
&c Company. Clinton. S. c., subject to
the call OF the people Of the three
counties whenever the material may
be used to advantage, 1t Is quite pos
sible that In the future this survey,
which cost nearly $4,000, will be of
service to the highway departments OF
the three counties, even If 1t never be-
comes of value from the standpoint of
construction OF a railroad.
This statement is made to the pub
lie in order that the final distribution
of the funds may be known to those