University of South Carolina Libraries
* The Charleston Itacos. Our reader* will, \?c lliiuk, excuse us for pub lishing ao long a description of a lioi.su race when \vc tell them that the winning horse is iiol only owned but was, born and raised in this county ! UOVKKNoK IIAMI'CON SI ftl'KISKS TIIK "IxNOWIXt O.NKS." The second rare, llani|itoti stakes, for I'oui year olds, two mile heals, was regarded as 11 settled thing, everybody wanting to bet on Judge Hancock at any odds, lie sold slowly in :lie pools at 1(H? to S-H against (lovernor llainpton, the slowness being caused by the backwardness of the latter * backers. Thete were ouly two entries. J?y W. 1'. c. It. Ilureh, (Sovvrnor Hampton, by I'lancl, dani Merry Wave. Jty 15. A. Itray, Judged Hancock, by bulletin, dam by I'rown Hick. When here last year the Judge distinguished himself, while Hampton almost invariably loafed somewhere back iu the lield, switching Ins tail, tossing his head, and wearing the general air ot not caring a cent about the tiling anyway. Ail who had money were anxious to pile it on the favorite at any odds, and most of the takers wcrd of that large class of persons who cnniioi lor 111o nil' ui mem uiiun to by on anything. Tln-re wns a sort of tut pprcescd tnpatliy lor the Coventor, which was due to Itia name, his good looks, his being a native Carolinian and a general feeling that lie was fearfully overmatched. The sporting men and "knowing ones" managed to get a good deal of their change out on the favorite on account ol these feelings, those who bet against them having little hope of winning, unless by an accident. A number ot outside bets were made at the rate of live to one on Hancock, even ill these there being a marked contrast between the eagerness of his friends and the timidity of his opponents. The two got off well together, Hancock swinging ahead immediately, and both til a gallop.? lie led by two lengths at the liist igiartcr, and the same at the .second. Only n languid s ?rl ol interest was taken in the (wo hoi?cs by the -pcetators; remarks on the Coventor's backwardness being answered by the lau.it tic t he would be Kliil further behind before the other got through with him. ThC prophecy war verified, Ibr the two maintained their relative positions tinti: nearly the conclusion of the lir-t mile, when the spend was increase I, and the.lodge increased iiis lead, being four lengths ahead n? they passed the grand stand. 'I Iiis relieved the iimmnninpi iiiii..w!iiiw4 ..I' bis friends at the l.crsis tcncy with which Hampton li:i<I held his position Mini thoy laughed derisively and confidently, saluting Ilicit* favorite with encouraging shouts, lie still led at the fifth quarter hy the same distance, the pace having heoit slackened somewhat. Just before reaching Ih'e sixth, an enthusiast shouted Fifty to ten 011 11 uncock !" "Iioiic !" shouted sotnebo'ly, and alinost before the words were uttered, there was a stt Ideti stir, and a shower of suppressed exclamations. Hampton was drawing up. The stir and exclamations increased; and as the horses swung into the hist quarter the crowd rose with one accord, and began to get wild. The horses were even. So they came up the quarter stretch, and Hampton suddenly showed ahead, the other getting the whip savagely. All the tlovernor's carelessness an I indifference was gone, and although he toll no whip, the reins were loose, and he was evidently hent on business. Neek and neck almost, the favorite hanging to his shoulder, they dashed Sr..:r,: !.,\,,.',,.y..>xikhu> seventy five yards of tin String it been in ( OliVlutm mirt mr hill, ing his best. Amid a storm of yells that wa: heard away oil' ill the city, Hampton passed tin stand, winner hy a neck. Time, d.-b?. As soot as the cheering eeased, a general visit was tnu b to the pool stand, where a great eh inge had ia ken place, Hampton was the favorite, althuiigl the Judge's backers were still maintaining a stii upper lip. After a few wild and cntlitisinslii bids the selling settled down to about even, be ing: (iov. Hampton ?70 Judge Hancock iff (!ov. Hampton $'?" Judge Hancock .. C.s The prices fluctuated considerably, remaining, however, generally within those tales.? old turfmen looked at the horses, an 1 opinions seemed to he largely in favor of Hampton, who was as frisky as ever. 11 is opponents were determine 1 and defiant, however, and professed to have lost little of their eottlide.iee in the ex-favorite, although no more live to om talk could he heard in the land. The horses started about as before, both tak ing it easy, the Judge leading at the first iptar ter hy four lengths, and maintaining the sam? distance at the second. The third showed in change, and it becatnc evident as they passe 1 the Stand at the end of the fir.-t mile that Hump Ion was trying his oM tactics nf keeping within reach ainl rushing in at the close, .Imlgc linn cock easel up a little just after ( asking the fifth quartcr. It was aj.|unently im| - il.lo lor hiin to shake oil'the other, who ran with the regularity ati'l seemingly the tir. 1. --m.of a machine, ami he was ]>rol>aMy saving wiiol f i the filial rush. Unm|'to;i came within Iw. lengths, an 1 kept so past the sixth, ami to tin seventh quarter. Here hath horses got theii ltcails, ami they hurst into the quarter stretel very close together. Hancock in fr- t. As hi got the whiji, ami llatn;iton wa< cvi !cnt!y get ting closer ami closer, t lie crowd r.-so ami cheer oil again, ami for the next few sceomls it walieantifiil, the racer-' el -sing 11 j> all the littte. Ilaneoek showed ahead very near the string getting the whig heavily. His inexoral !e oppnncnt, however, whose akin never felt the lasli for a seeoml, leapt nlteail, ami eatne in winnei with apparent ease hy a scant length. Time. .'h4 1. Hampton's time in the first heat is among the best ever mn<lc over the Washington Course, only two or three horses who have ran over it ever iloing better. 1 In -c ami they were many ? who took large stakes on this race with small investments were, as may he supposed, a- much elate I as surprise.1 at their goo.J luck, while Hit losers ruuiinutcii over the uncertainty of tlie horse business. Sikoiiivi, Arr vtit.? \ ilitlieulty occured Tut": lay lii'irnin/ !:i-t in Mr. rk I'. Ilairlx bar room, which resulted in Mr. Il.iird s In in ' shot in the thiph l>y ;i pistol in the hands of Air. W. I. l!nr|>. It appear- tlmt Mr. I laird interposed to prevent a euli-ion between Mr. Ilarp an I n strolling negro who represonttd hin.-clf a- l?r. Payne from Atlanta <>a., and wa- aecidentally shot ns ahovc stated. The wound tiioiiph painfnl its not coiisi lerc 1 dangerous. A. ? ' / Arte*. 3* Tin. 1*1.\i.t i: is' I't msi\. ? !...ndon. r(.'binary 10. ? lU'jxirts from Hussion villages Continue tn give alarming statements of tin- j lovalcucc ; the plague and oilier epidemic disorder-. licrlin, rohriiary 1". It is olhcialiy st:xtcl that the (J reek rSovcrnmeut has receive.I a re port from the (ireek consul at I,avail on tin .Kgenn Sen, confirming the rumor* of tlie . at break of the plague there. * Thai's tiii: Tei rn. A gentleman from ('hi engo last Sniid iv remarked that | .: Ic were fools who won! 1 go ir> ihe .Northwest in preference to the I'ie Inioiil region, and that then would not be so many .-"in-/ out the col-l re t'i . It - j| !o e i 'I :i'y \i- * fhi -tti' i \ ? - - - --L J1-L..1JI 1 111 j (The (i'jlfcklii (Union (Eimc::. ' It. U. STORKS, Editor. j I'NlON, FRIDAY, FKIttU'AKY 11, IST'J. TERMS OF SUBSCUIi'TION.' I ' "py, one year, is .vuvam'L) S2.00 > 2 Cpjiles one year," " 3.73 I') " " " " " 15.00 ADVERTISING. or otii-iiicli, lir>( in.-i'rilull, - - $1.00 Eiirli .siiltsi 'iiit'i.i iu.M'rlioii, ------- 75 I ilu-rrililj.-roiinl intuit* lo ini'rrliants ;uul other* adver? I i.viu,: loi -i\ mouth.-. or l>y tin- year. Dliilu.trj Notice. of ion linos or le..<, iiivrlfl free. " " over ten liue.*, charged us Advertisei tut nl?. We arn re.pleated to state that the School Commissioner will lie at his oliice every Saturday, unless providentially | si-evented. Save Your Life, l!y pmchasing one of those never-failing safety Valves for your lamp. Irwin x Co., will sell you one lor ~j eents. It may save life and property. ? - ? Congressional Favors. Senator Duller and Congressman Evius will accept our in:\itivS tor tucir attentions lit scuuuig us regularly the Congressional Record. We value the Record very highly and appreciate the favor. To Brick Makers. Wc understand that the llrick Machine to be sold by Mr. Idler on Saturday, the 22d, is one of the best now made and would be a good investment for any one wishing to go into the brickmaking business. An Opening for Literary Talent. The Proprietors of the Charleston .Y<u~3 and I'ourur, are otl'ering $100 in gold for the best Renal Story, written by a resident of South Carolina, illustrative of .Southern life, before,during or since the war. A Farmers' Society in Chester. The farmers and mechanics of Chester have determined upon having a first class Agricultural and Mechanical Society. In their organization they have wisely placed such men of iutluencc in adjoining Counties as Conceal 1'. rut ton and Capt. 11. C. Clowney, of Fairfield, John S. llrallou, F.sq,, tmd Capt. Iredell Jones, o York, upon their hoard of I'ircetors. Some years ago we suggested a similar move to our Society, thereby securing a strong membership and itillucucc in other Counties to secure its success. Protect Your Fruit. The depredations of birds upon the Cherries and Strawberries is a great annoyance, particularly to those who are trying to produce tine , <|ualities of those fruits, ami many expedients have liceu resorted to to prevent it, but the most otlectnal .<< '//( that we have ever seen tried is to kill a hawk, slulf him and them fasten him to a limb of a cherry tree or upon a pole in the centre of the Strawberry bed?moving the hawk ' every day or two to dilfcrent parts of the tree \s soon as Spring Chickens begin to s chirp the hawks will he after tnem ami ...... can get tip a first rate scare. If yon can catch 1 a haw k alive and put him to guarding your fruit it would be better, I Fifteen Cents for Weighing. 1 hiring last Fall wc were told by many Union Farmers who sold their Cotton at Spartanburg that no charge was made for weighing in that market. We don't know how those good farmers were so awfully deceiveJ, hut there is no doubt they were, which caused them to grumble loudly at paying 10 cents a bale for weighing at Union. A writer in the last issue of I lie Spur,'tin now iiil' iiii* us that the charge for weighing in that market has been and is now lb cents?live cent more than in Union. The ditt'crcnce i-'? the foe tbr weighing at Spartanburg goes into the e >!lers of the railroads and their employees, while in Union it goot to support the family of a weigher, elected by tlie Town Council, and , subject to removal for misconduct. From the Department of Agriculture. Hon. W. (!. I,el'nc, the energetic Commissioner of Agriculture lias sent us packages of Cabin r<\ Tomato, Lettuce, Melon and Sugar Corn Seeds, li is the first we have received since the laic unpleasantness," although we known of large (Uantities of seed having been sent to individuals in this County annually, i'liring Hadieal mi-rule I into Mobhy was the vehicle through which those seed were dc cmiuated in Union, and, id' emrsc, but few if any white persons ever saw any of them and, as a natural result, the collection ami distribution was a waste of tiIik' and money. Since that lime we are not , aware of I lie department scudin^ seeds to tliis County. I To our noble Kcproscntative J. II. Kvins, are wc in.lel>iel for this departure from Radical custom. I - - o , i School Apportionments. | School Commissioner, W. II. Norman, has , pro\i led us willi (he following as (lie amount 1 apporii o.ed to llie several School Iti-iricts of ! this County. According to the law now of force Teachers cannot claim for any year's services, j more than the apporiioineni made for that year, ! so that there will he no deficiencies to be made 11(1 hereafter. No I. .JoiH'svillc $ S00 (id " 'J. liruytonville, T7o (H> ' (ioudeysville sb> 00 " 1. i'itiekney T'J"? ("I I'nioti 1020 I i " ti. Saiituc, odd (:<) | 7. rishdatn Hi 10 mi i ' S. r.ooansvillc Tin Oil I ' Cosl.cn Hill, 2::o Oil Cross Keys *100 00 I S?ti,7l!o oo The above is a little le s tlian the full amount if ail the taxes arc c Heele l. ( .M i M.il> \\ i::\ia<i\s.- A recent act ol the 1 he rislnlure imposes a line of not le>s than ?>l00 ami inipris inmeiit I'.r m>t less than i\ tnonlhs on any one > n\ieicl of c n ryin.r c..nci ale-1 v.> >poie. i nil. men who are in the ha'it . t l.i in . i i * i * . ..ii .ii tor the 'I'- I |.reW?Mt ion, ? i ' 1 \.? M ' in ike r. n t*' I this I % II - -4 - \frhat ia tha Beasoa 1 We are nCvor very anxious to complain of our County Officials ; on tlie contrary #e have cttcu leaned too far the other way, cviu when wo thought they deserved censure, fyt licularly has this b?^A the case with the County CoinuiisHio'to^Tky tried to cheer uud assist in the fftf>per discharge of thoir often difficult duties. The present Hoard is composed of honest and good men, in whom we have every confidence, bur they, like other folk, are liable to be remiss in their duties, often to the inconvenience and expense of a large number of citizens. The uncertainty of their meetings is the greatest source of ll ;s inconvenience. For iustauce, last Tuesday was the day appointed for their monthly meeting, and a number of persons who had business with the Hoard came long distances in a cold drenching rain to meet them, and when they arrived were informed that the Hoard would not meet. They had their journey for nothing. Those same persons hold claims against Ike county and came i....... >i... i... i .i ......... ii...,. informed that the Board could draw 110 orders 011 (lie Treasurer on that day. This news was cold comfort, but the chill was taken off by the liopo tJiAU in February they would fare better. Naturally enough these disappointments eause much complaining, and we speak of it more to tell the Commissioners that they are complained of and why than to complain oursclf. We see no reason why the Board did not 110tiliy the people that there would he no meetiugon the second Tuesday m February, in consequence of urgent public duty requiring them to he on the Fence line between Union and Spartanburg. Such a notice would have been satisfactory and could have been made through the Times without costing the County a cent, and saved many persons much inconvenience. ? Tlio Fence Law a Blessing. A correspondent of the Columbia /'ijis/cr, from Abbeville, thus speaks of the adoption of the Fence haw in thai County : Farmers arc going regularly to work in this vicinity and preparing for the new orucr of things, brought about by the recent act of the Legislature, which abolished the old fence law in this county. The pastures of our most energetic farmers are near completion, and the sound of the plowman is heard in the land. Of course, we have chronic grumblers who croaked extensively about the new order of affairs. Some of them delayed making pasture fences, doubtless indulging a vain hope that the public meeting, called by some "sore-head," to meet at Abbeville C. 11., would adopt some measures to alleviate (heir imagined grievances; but the meeting?if indeed there was any?failed to bring about the desired end. fcm far as I have been able to ascertain, influential men arc delighted with the law. They lltink it *\ K1iw?iti?r In tin* must skciil As a result oft lie law, 1 notice fertile spots being prepared for cultivation. It is not a very ditlicult job, as no fence is to be made to keep out the neighbor's vagrant sow. - o A Falso fit port. In the Greenville AVtr.v of last Saturday we Deputy Collector Jills..n received a telegram yesterday from Collector Drayton, ordering him to report at Spartanburg at once, stating that a Dev.-nue Officer had been sh.it near i'inkney's Ferry in Union County. The particulars of the nil'air could not be ascertained. .Mr. .lillsuii left for Spartanburg last night. We have been diligent in making enipiiries of persons living in the vicinity of ' I'inckney's Ferry," as to "the particulars of the allair," and caiinut find a person who knows anything about it, or ever heard of such an occurrence anywhere near there. .No doubt there was plenty of blockade whiskey sold in Greenville while the ollicors were oil" chasing phantom murderers of Devenue ofiiecrs in Union. ? ? ? Gov- Hampton's Condition. The report was rife in this community a few days ago that Governor Hampton had sutVcreda relapse and was again dangerously sick, which caused intense anxiety. We arc happy in being able to remove the fears of our people l>y the following which we take from the Charles' ton Xrtct it ml Courier: There is no foundation for the report that Governor Hampton has suffered a relapse, or is in any danger. The wound lie received at Gettysburg gives ltisi intense pain, hi . nervous system is sadly shattered, and he makes little progress in regaining the bodily strength lie sorely needs. This we believe to be his exact condition. A Caustic Truth. The edit ?r of the Columbia ll'/irler, in commenting on Judge Mackcy's order to have the prisoner's dock removed, says : Now, it is a mawkish sentiment, a puling objection. which talks about this dock ns at offense. Wiiat is there in it. so far as tlie dock itself is concerned, to bring shame or accusal ion on any man? Many an innocent man lias sat in the dock and many a t'ln/rtl on l/i. In itr/i. It is not (tie poor dock, a thing of wood, that can make a man hold down his head in shame. It is the crime which brands his soul deeper tiian iron in the i|iiivcriiig flesh. It is the guilt that enters the precincts of conscience which is sharper than the incisive knife that cuts away the rogue's ears. W.i.-.- \. \ I.........I i 1 .? Illllll v ,v 1 I l" pie arn soon lo l>c made happy by (lie receipt of their arrears of pensions provided for by ilie laic neI just passed hy Congress. Ii is calciilu led thai probably over a hundred thousand dollars will be distributed in lie.in fort and ilie surrounding country. We know of several who will receive ? 1,-(H) or 1, In'), and some even more. The above is irotn the Mean fort Cri.*mit, 1 tit the act alluded to has entirely escaped our notice. Violation ui rut; (!\mi: Law. The IvigefirM A'/ccrti.*' r calls attention to a law of the State which imposes a penally on the destruction of insectivorous and other birds therein named.? The law forbids any one to take, kill, sell oxnose for sale, ur export bevoud (lie limits of the State any mocking i?if?!, hcu ' ir< 1. woi'l|>eckcr, thrush, etc., or t<? r?>l? tlieir ne*ts ; tlie penalty (o he reeovercl he!'.re any Trial Justice?onehall' to go to the informer: the violator, in ?lcfault of payment, to he connnitte'l to jail. Tiib I'ahmkih I>i:ti:iiviimi?.?The action of the guano manufacturers ha* ?tirre<l u|> the farmer.* all over the State, an 1 the sentiment of the meetings ltehl is strong an 1 unite*! anion on their part will re-uli in a n fusal to pureh i " tny fertilizer* when theiaiee is over |.Mt | oip. 1- of eoiloii I'-r lirst < 'a*s aintn 'iii'ite I in 1 ':"M t 'ft- |.? i ! j li i j I a' ? ? . For the Tittles. Tho Stock Law in Chostor?How it Works. Fiukno iSroKiis:?1 made ti tiding visit to your Town, one day last week, and was ntei by a number of your most excellent farmers; ulf enquiring: how the "Fence-Law," worked in Chester ? My reply was this: "piose, who were uiost opposed to it al first, are its strongest advocates now. They would be (he vcri/ Jirat to raise their voices against its repeal. There arc farmers in Chester who make more 011 the land where old, useless fences stood, than many of your red-hot anti-fence law men make on their whole farms. We have better stock, niul hs.i litigation than you have. Are not these advantages worth striving for? The time we used to spend in making rails mid fences, we now employ in making fertilizers and improving our lands, Another advantage in favor of the fence-law system, or iu other words the no fence system, is : The I'realnun are well pleased with it, for it is they who build the fences. They now only build pasture fences, and pasture their Stock without jt-ii/inj it r, nt for pasturage !'' .My advice to your anti-fencedaw people is this : Go to work and try the system before you condemu it ; give it a fair trial, and if you are not advocates of the system iu less than two years, then you may write to me aud say that 1 have told a falsehood. There is not a matt in Chester County, with an ounce of intelligence, that would have the old system back again, for any consideration. Now Mr. Editor, these facts go much farther to couvince than the most elaborate argument. Respectfully, W. G. AUSTIN. Chester S. C., Feb. Oth 1S79. A Fooi.-iiaudy Fkat.?On the 21th ultimo one Andrew Wallace thrilled all lookers-on at Niagara Falls by riding his horse across the icebridge. Not satisfied with this, he ascended to (lie summit ol the ho mountain at the base ut the American Fall. Slowly the horse toiled up the steep, slippery side of the great ice cone, winding round the foot path till the summit was reached. Here, envelope I in a cloud of mist which concealed the w hite cone itself, horse and riilcr looked like a weird apparition suspended in mid-air. For some time the horse went careering over the crest of the cone, where one false step might have hurled both him and his rider into the fathomless foaming gulf full seventy feet below. Presently the daring horseman to le slowly down the path, and crossing tiic ice-bridge, regained the Canadian side.? Hoth he and his horse were drenched with spray. An act to punish assault or assault and battery with any lire arms committed on streets or places of public resort. lit it emic'i I by the Senate and House of Hep resentatives of the State of .South Carolina, nowmet and silting in General Assembly, and bv the authority of the same; That any person hereafter convicted of any assault or assault and battery, committed by shooting with any firearm on the street of any incorporate 1 city or town, or in any place ot public resort, shall he punished by tine of not ? 1 ?? ? thousand dollars, or by imprisonment for nut more than twelve months, or by both at the discretion of the Court. Approved December 1-1, 1870. - - ? DlSASTKIl Til A liltITIS1I Col.lWIS IN ArUlr.V.? Cape Town, January 27, via St. Vincent, February lo.?<?ii the 21st of January a liri.ish col umo consisting of a portion of the Twentyfourth Hcgiuicnt, a battery of artillery and six hundred native auxiliaries, was utterly annihilated near Tugclar Uiver by 200,(MM) Zulus, who captured a valuable convoy, It?2 wagons, 1,000 oxen, two cannon, -100 shot and shell, 1,000 rifles, 2*>0,000 pounds of ammunition, (10,000 pounds weight of provisions, and the colors of the Twenty-foiirtli llcgimcnt. it is estimated that *>,000 Zulus were killed and wounded in the battle. Sai> Aitiiiknt risuM lluvs with Fiukaums.? flits Mcl.cos, son of the Hcv. John Mcl.ees, of Greenwood, while out hunting with a party of boys last Saturday, was most seriously, perhaps fatally, injured l.y the accidental discharge of a shot-guti in tin- hands of Hubert Tarrant, a sou Trii 1 Justice Tarrant. The entire load entered tlie young 111:111 s lace, putting out I >(li eyes and wounding lii 111 so badly licit lie may not recover at all. Young Mcl.ees is about fourteen years oM an 1 <|iiile a promidng lad. His uiisforluiio is one ol' cs| ecial hardship. Two Mr.s lliiou.n to 1>i:.atii.?Now Oileans, FVIirimry "?.?A (i'rfnston .Vacs special from (iuliad, Texas, says licit two men, Henderson and l.ockharl, piarrcllcd. Uutli drew revolvers. I.ockharl caught iIenderson's urm fired six shots into him, Killiii<r him instanly. Henderson's brother rushed at l.ockharl with a pistol. They closed in the struggle, an 1 Henderson emptied six chambers of his revolver into Lockl.urt's body, causing instant death - Mi ttkkit ami I.ym iiini;.?Cincinnati Fehrttary ">.?A special dispatch says that at \V right svilli*, tireen County, 111., 011 Monday. Dr. Charles MoAtilillu and .lames Havener, his uncle. had a dispute about, family matters aud Havener was shot and killed. On Tuesday night a constable started with the doctor for Carrollton jail. an I when half a mile from the town a limb overpowered (ho constable and hanged Mc- J A tiliHe. a* Sam l.tx's I't.nutr.?Sumter, S. ('., February II.?At 1'J M. to-day I lie grand jury found a true . bill against Sam f.ee for official misconduct as Judge of Probate. lie immediately tied, and diligent search all over town tailed to iind him. hue had recently complimented Judge M ickey on his imparti ility. hut when his own trial was imminent, lie adopted his usual tactics and litis run away. I.cc is a model postmaster for the reform President to appoint. o ? Jvwt Iji:r .>i n i im r.n.?t liarlrston, leliruary , I 11Sam l.ee's counsel ill Sumter niove'l lorn j new 11 i ki nil ! iirroil of juil^niciil on technical j groumls. i'-iili motions wetc I,cc was | | calif I to receive sentence, hut failc 1 to ii|>|>etir, mill the .bulge state 1 I hut lie w.uhl |>lnee llic sentence tin ier sea! in the hauls of tliet'lerk : of the ("otirt. o IxniciMi.M of I'.. W. M. M u Kt.v.- The graml jury of I hsrlcslon County lo-ilay fouti'l a true i hill again *1 I! IV. M. Maekev. l!e|uih]ican, for' liliel in ] uhli-liing charges ao:iii;<t W. |, hag i ^elt, heinoertil, of slulhn;; the Inllot ho\ at the ! Palmetto Undine House at I lie late election. . e Motrins to II wr \ llrcnvrtt. Metrj.liis, February i". \n arjfuui-'iii on eneral er? lit >rs* hills rrjiros'oitin city h >n l : to tlie amount of !?.? ?lit >\ is ti?ii | thi- o. on':i. I v .In i.-r l> i \ i it, t nile 1 Stii '<1 . i i hi The bulge aiuioiiueeil his .|ei..| ini>> o >..>, |., ,, i oiui I i i I a i eeen < i ni n r . . % l-'or the Times. Building Bridges. From a school boy to the present, 1 have been quite ibud ol' the study of nature's laws, uud when 1 began mechanics 1 made it a point ( study the science us well us practice of mechanics, uud read, more or less, several American works on the subject. 1 think it a very mutoriul deficiency in a worhmun to know but little of the science involved in his profession ; for the luck of which he is more or less liable to &. make serious blunders. With my general read- ?. ' *? ing in uicchauics, long practice, extensive cb- * servation, North and South, and conversation * with the ablest American workmen, and making bridges a sort of specialty for twenty years, and seeing so vert/ clear as 1 do that progressive bridge work is no small want of our country, I feet to some extent tliat I owe the benel.t of this experience to this want, ami offer uiy services to this county in any way to extend the greatest good to the greatest number. 1 have had very considerable amount of stone work done for myself, at Clrindle and Trough Shoals, for various uses, by several of the vory best masons in the two Counties, and the more 1 had done of it the more 1 liked it, as it proved to be less costly than 1 anticipated and made the work so permanent. When one is prepared with a good Derrick and other proper implements, with good workmeu the stone work goes on fast. On l'acolet, Tiger and Knorcc, the granite #au ho boated to the bridge places, as it can be found in many places near to or on the side or bluffs of the streams. llcforc the war 1 went before the Hoard of Commissioners of roads and bridges of this County, and got them to favor building a cov- * ercd bridge at (Jriudlc Shoals. They advertised ' for bids, and no doubt it would have been built but for the war. Two of the Commissioners examined a very fine quarry six miles up the river on its banks, which can be shipped down without very great cost, by having one lXwrick to lay the stone in the boats, and another to hoist it out of the boats on the abutments. I got an experienced stone mason, Mr. Pctrcc, to examine the situation ami surroundings, who , said a quarry on the river hank a short milo above the bridge, would do. The North sido there is a very deep sand bar, at least I'd feet below water to the rock, the other side a gently rising granite hill. One span 140 feet long will cross the river; all the rest of the bridge Ironi that cut should he built of stone and dirt embankment. Much of the dirt embankment could be used safely on the sand bar side, tl.o slow current admitting it ; that being the concave side of the stream. It was at this deep sand bar side my attention was called 'JO years ago, to make a thorough investigation us to tho ^1 practicability of building heavy stone abutments on wooden foundations. 1 decided that it was, and all sub equcnt research to? the present time confirms that decision. A bridge built on this improved plan, covered over with tin, could be well put up for ?4,000 at most aud I believe, could be built for ?d,o00. The cost of covered bridges in Georgia wero about from 7 to 10 dollars per running loot.? The latter price would make tlie wood work cost $1,400, and 1 do think the abutments and dirt embankment, can be done for $2,000, at furthest, which would make a bridge last oil years with tin roof, while the cost of the present bridge was $1,800 in '72, calling for several repairs since. The tlov. tiist bridge cost $2,800, about llio same time ami will soon need a new bridge. 1 will mention that where a river makes a sudden bend against a granite hill, having a wido bottom on the other side, is generally a cheap place for a bridge, and is well adopted to stone abutments and spanning entirely across, as those places arc rather narrow, and with our largest 1'ii-MactA iiiuuh of tis vr<?tcrts ytfiuu ovor the bottoms. The wood work, without ranch cost, can *" be strongly fastened down to the stone abutments, to protect them in case of such freshets as ">2. This freshet rose some live feet up on the Maxwell covered bridge ou Tugaio without damage. llefore closing I will say that I introduced the llowc truss at Trough Shoals in '70, and tint well pleased with it, believing it hotter than the Ully, even after 1 had improved the Lily by lightening many of its dead weight parts.? Must further say that 1 never saw, until very recently, the Minter bridges across Tygcr and Knoree rivers, that nature has done much for those places as cheap crossings, peculiarly adapted for covered bridges spanning the streams?Tygcr calling for a 'JO feet span only, Knoree for 7"> l'ect only?hotli of which can ho Imilt on stone abutments covered with tin roofs, for less than $o,000 each, that will last lifty years. My plan of introducing permanent bridges, would be to cheaply patch the old ones, to keep them safe, and in the mean time mature the best permanent plans as the circumstances of the ditfercnt places will suggest. Most of old bridges can be patched up cheaply and made to last much longer by frequently examining them carefully by one of experience?patching in t... ?...! ....... I ,l: i ii. ? % i^nv II1IIV iwpt i 'IIU nil's at lUllHlHJ ami Trough Shoals, ami have a<lvocntc<l this f policy, to better utilize the ol?l bridges. l?y pursuing this course tlie County Commissioners can have time to school themselves up to a safe progressive step in the introduction of the above suggested permanent plan, or approximating it, step by step. In several places I think it would be best to first, build the abutments, preparatory to the span bridge, keeping up the old one across the water one two, three or nioro years. 1 n Spartanburg County, there are many places on streams not measuring more than forty feet across the water and less, that are very well adapted to low bridges on stone abutments, which makes a very great saving in cost rather than have -1 or "> times that length from hill to hill standing on wooden trussels. This plan there, gives, as 1 learn, universal satisfaction, but met with opposition until peoplo learned its ~~ utility by experience. This County, however, is much less adapted to low bridge economy, but , yet in some places on Thiekety and Kairforesl it will work well. I f the Commissioners will bring to their aid the best mechanical experience of ihe country, in stone, wood, and iron, and move cautiously, so as to make as few errors as possible, an improvement cm be made in bridge ecor.! omy that would surprise nearly all. P.y this course less than half the cost of running the bridges will suffice, or in other words the cost for ilie next thirty years would be less than half of the last thirty years, at the same bridgo * places. It would bo well especially for abutmonts to be let on guarantee, as it is so easy and common for the contractor to slight such work, deserve n certain per cent, of the pay untill tlio work is tested by a good freshet. In connection I with bridge improvement, is a want in road improvement, which two wants, if nronerl v worked iij>, lie nc lit i lie hi my beyond reasona'dc culciilni ion ; its n<lvantages would permeate every class. lU.ml mi|>1*0vomcnt lias been another one of my 1 >n^ studies, Init as it would lie very difficult to make much progress in this, I will i>nly say that fj our wise men tell us that good roads and bridges are the best indexes of civilization. ' "v"s" I respectfully propose that the thinking mechanics of the country, or others, may contribute their thought and infliieiiee in an effort to bring about a suceessfnl bridge revolution.? We may differ on many points more or less, but thorough, holiest, logical research, deliberation, debate and thought, will pretty clearly point tiio \v iy to make vile -top, in Ibis much needed w nit. iglarit g hie it been before mo fir no.re than twenty years, and I, being unengaged t ^ oiler inv < Njcricneo to the cause, and ic-pcetI ,'lv -olic',1 nt :al -pit i'i it I he ning