The Anderson intelligencer. (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, June 08, 1871, Image 1
"S?YT & GO., Proprietors.
ANDERSON 0. H., S. O., THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 8, 1871,
VOLUME 0?NO; 49.
Mr. Smalby's Letter? to the New York Tri
... ?-. bone, i
The annexed report of a conversation with a
prominent citizen of Abbeville, whom Mr. E.
Y. Smalley, correspondent of the New York
Jr?ntne, recently met in Charleston, will be
rf^nid quite interesting:
: CHAi;LE8TOir, May 19,1871.
X met yesterday t. good specimen of the old
school South. Carolina gentleman?* nan, of
about sixty, tall and well built, dressed with
scrupulous care, and having a dignified bearing
and a courtesy of speech. .This gentleman en?
tertained-me for ar. hour with : a conversation,
trpoh the condition of afiairs in this;' State that
wowed a freedom ilrom prejudice, and a dfapo-'
sttion to forget the past and make the best of
things as they exist, 'that is seldom evinced by
people of his class. He was lbr ten years , a
member of Congress, and formerly owned what
was called a model plantation upon the Savan?
nah River, in Abbeville District. His planta
tiou was one. of that kind that used to be shown]
to Northern traveller as a proof of the benign ]
cSi?racter of the institution of slavery, where j
all the slaves were robust and healthy, well- ]
dad, wefcVfed, comfortably sheltered, and ap- J
parently enjoying a high degree of happiness. J
He sai(l tliat since"~the surrender he had -be- J
come pooi j and had taken to the practice of tie I
law to earn a living. My acquaintance, whom I
I shall call the colonel, gave me ah account of
the poverty of-'most of the proud old families I
hrmtfTirtiiatggnd:Trpper districts of the Sta ;e, -j
mentioning them 311 by name, with a descrip
... tion of their former afMaenco and their present
indigence. One of his illustrations of their. (
changed circumstances was particularly strik-I
ing. 'These gentlemen," he said."in the old J!
time would never drink, brandy that was less
than.thirty years old, and now they can afford
nothing better than the meanest corn whiskey."
"But how can they be so poor when they still
own large tracts of land? Why don't they
seil a portion of their estates ?" I-aaked. "Be- ;
cause nobody wants to buy. The land is abur- j
den to them. They cannot get accustomed to
the new labor system, and many of them, when
their cotton fa sold at the end of the year, find
themselves poorer than when they began, and
only deeper in debt after a year's hard work. J
The planters havo been rained by cultivating I
cotton exclusively and neglecting all the food
crops. Limy district I am well acquainted I
with all the planters.. I do not know one who jj
has made anything the past year, and I can call J
to mind 8 number, who have each.lost several j
hundred dollars. They planted with the ex- j
pectation th atrcot ton would sell for 25 cents a
pound, and when they had brought their crops
to market they could only obtain 12 to 13 cents,
and could not pay their expenses with the pro- j
coeds." The colonel said that, previous to I860,
it was considered discreditable fora planter not j
to raise all the corn he needed for use on his
place, but how there were many whe did not
plant'an acre. The cause of this mistaken ji
policy, he thought, was the great need of mourrr
eyj fard$ra ^expectations raised' by ? the high j
price that cotton brought after the war. This
year he had observed that a much larger area
' of corn had been planted. He did not think j
that the corn was stolen in the fields to so great
an extent as to deter the planters from cuitiva- j.
ting it, as others had represented to me. j
Three systems of labor prevail. One is for j
the planter to biro his workmen, paying them }
monthly wages of from $6 to $$, and ghirigj
them an allowance of corn meal and bacon, a
cabin, and a garden patch. Another is to giro
the laborer one-third of the crop, the planter j
providing Jseed, fertilizers, tools and animals, j
The .third system fa for the laborer to furnish 1
everythiDg*fix?p^ one-!
~ half the crop, rhe lasfc'twd systema are, much j
preferred by the negroes/ ami -are. the". most j
used iapractice; but even these* systems, the
Colo?efrsait^Si? not afiord 'sufilcient incentive I
to theqiegroes to be indm^ous> and, as a con- j
?equtfo'i?,the result often-Troves unprofitable j
to the planter and to the laborer. He declared
that this negroes arc, as a class, lazy and thrift- {
' less,'working only when driven to it by neces- j
elty.- "Yon draw - false conclusions," he said, j
"about the industry of the negro from; the j
"amouni; of tho cotteh^ crop produced to-the j
South last year. ? I have shown yon how this
was doby an almost total neglecLof the pro-1
_ vision .'irons, and that the result has been dfa- [
as trans. > 1 do n o t believe that the total value of I
the agricultural productions of the South for I
1870 will equal the average value of tho pro- j
ductious during the. ten -years.preceding the
war. In other words, I am confident that the.
" negro fa not producing as much now as he did
under the slave system. He fa not industrious
by nature. He will work hard for one day, [,
"and then spend two in hunting, fishing or I
idling about tho nearest town, planting thus I
but one acre; where, with constant .industry, he I
' might plant three."-, I told the Colonel that I
Had observed in Columbia, Anderson and
Greenville that a number of colored men hadl
bought lots and built comfortable houses, thus (
giving evidence of habits of industry and econ- j
omy. These, he thought, were exceptional in- I
stances. They were the mechanics of the!
towns, trained to steady labor from boyhood.
The vast majority of the colored people of the
State barely lived from hand to mouth, he said. [
The colonel thought that the African race f
would soon become extinct in all the country,
with tho exception, perhaps, of the hot, marshy I
' seaboard, where the white race would not come f
into competition with it. According to his ob
serration, tho mortality among the negroes had
greatly increased since they were emancipated. I
and this increase resulted from insufficient food
-and clothing, poor shelter and carelessness and
lack of judgment in tending the young and nurs?
ing the sick. Pulmonary complaints, formerly
almost unknown, had become prevalent and!
fatal. He discussed Darwin 's theory of the strug?
gle for life, and maintained that its truth would
be strikingly illustrated, on this continent by I
the gradual disappearance of the negroes, who,
now that they are brought into active compe-1
tition with the whites, must inevitably perish l
according to the law of nature, which preserves- f
only the strong and vigorous races. "In the
days of sbiTcry," he said, "It was for the inter?
est of the white men that the negroes should I
increase in numbers. There was, therefore, no j
struggle between the two races; tho stronger, J
on the contrary, aided and protected the weak?
er. Now the case is changed; and, with all tho
feeling of kindness we have for the negroes, and I
eur unwillingness to see them sutler, tho ag?
gressive energy of the Anglo Saxon race wilt I
push them out of existence."
The Colonel thought that, as the negro race
disappeared, a new and vigorous civilization
would spring up in the South that would lead I
. the world. He believed that all the elements
of such a civilization exist in the Southern ]
character, the remarkable power and energy of
which' were fully proved by the war, "We are f
not an indolent, enervated, people, as- many at
the North imagine," he said,, "and we demon?
strated during the war tho immense exertions
of which we are capable. When this energy,
industry and intelligence which we possess are
brought into full play in developing our indus- J
trial resources, we will majce the South the gar?
den of the world. Mark my prophesy." The
colonel's grey eyeushone with enthusiasm while I
making this prediction. He fjave me an inter?
esting but sad account of the decay of the old
proud families that once lorded it on the sea is?
lands, spending the summers at the .Virginia
3>rings and the Northern watering-places, and
ving the rest of the year upon their estates in
princely style, eating the finest game, drinking
the rarest wines, and dispensing at all times a
magnificent hospitality. Many of these fami?
lies have entirely disappeared, and nearly all1
are reduced to poverty. They lost both slaves
and lands. Their fine mansions have been de?
stroyed or are ruined and deiierted, rank weeds
obscure all traces of their once beautiful gar?
dens, and they themselves are outcasts and
wanderers, reduced-in many cases to tho station
of common laborers. They were an enervated
and effeminate race, these sei island planters,
he said, not intelligent although highly educa?
ted, and when they lost thar property they
gave up in despair, made no attempt to maintain
their social position, and tank out of sight
among the lower classes. It was different with
the first families of the tip-country. Although
great losers by the war, they are hard at work,
under great discouragements and embarrass?
ments, they try to retrieve their fortunes, and
Btill maintain much of their former position
and influence.
A Good Iiivestment.?We heard some of
the Stockholders in the Air Line Railroad, at
the meeting last week, express the opinion that
tho Road would, soon after its completion, pay a
dividend of at least 8 per cent. And the Stock?
holders, by a unanimous vote, passed a. resolu?
tion limiting the issue of stock to a certain
amount. New Stockholders arc not particular?
ly solicited.
Mecklenburg County has -$200,000 of stock
in the Road, .and wo think it will, at some day,
be a source of profitable revenue to the tax
pavers of the County. For a few years, taxes
will be pretty heavy to pay the interest on the
Bonds issued to the Company, but wnen the
whole line from. Atlanta, Ga.,- to Richmond,
Va., (over five hundred miles,) is in complete
running order, the dividends received by the
County of Mecklenburg will hot only pay the
interest on her Eonds, but put additional reve?
nue into the County Treasury.
Charlotte will certainly be the Railroad cen?
tre South of Mason & Dixon's line, and of
course not only the citizens of the City but of
the County and the surrounding coantry will
be. greatly benefitted. Business, will be so
largely increased that the old lines of Road, as
well as the new, will have as much work as
they can do.
. The Air Line Railway has a sc ffici en t amount
of money not only to build the Road from At?
lanta to Charlotte, bat to build a new Road
from Charlotte to Danville, Va. Individuals
who are willing to furnish money to build Rail?
roads must be allowed to build them wherever
they please.?Charlotte [N. C.) Democrat.
*'How Shall the F ahm er grow Rich??
The Southern planter secjns slow to. compre?
hend the fact that farmers, all the world over,
grow rich, not so much by the annual market
value of their ;rops, as by the enhancement of
the value of their land. In old countries, this,
enhancement is effected by the amelioration, of
the soil. In the new States, by projecting rail?
roads, etc., and inviting settlement. But the
role is universal, that toe fanner who expects
to grow rich must depend mainly upon raising
the market value of his kind. It is a mistake
for a cotton planter with all his advantages
over the Northern farmer, to base his calcula?
tions for a fortune upon his crops alone. No
matter how successful he may be, It is the same
old story of "the goose and the golden egg*."
Desponding men may say, "If this is true, it
is better to go to a new country." No; it is a
great mistake for a poor man to leave this old
country, where its lands, once rich, aro now
cheap, and only begging a little attention, and
patience to become rich again, and its healthy
climate, its adaption to all the staple crops,
and its geographical position, its convenience
to sea and mountains, schools and colleges, will
surely draw attention and enterprise. It is a
cheaper arid safer, and altogether better, to
bring your old land np to a market value of
|20 per acre by your own' energy and enter?
prise, than to pay out $20 per aero for lands in
the West or Southwesk-^iZttra/ Ottrolvnan,
June, 1871.
Important to Land Purchasers.?-The
following is an extract from an Act passed at
the last session of tho Legislature, in which it
will bo seen it is -made obligatory upon all pur?
chasers of Real Estate to have their purchases
recorded in the Auditor's office:
"Amend Section 90 by adding: 'And provi?
ded, further, That each County Auditor shall
keep a .record of all sales or conveyances of
real property made in his County, in which he
shall enter, in columns, the names of the pur?
chaser and seller, the quality of land conveyed,
the location and price of the same, and there?
from correct the County duplicates annually;
and for tho purpose of carrying out this pro?
vision, the Clerks of courts and Registers of
Mesne Conveyance of each County aro hereby
required to have the endorsement of the Coun?
ty Auditor on each and every deed of convey?
ance for real property, that the same is on re?
cord in his office, before the same can be placed
on record in the offices of said Clerks of Courts
or Registers of Mesne Conveyances, and the
said County Auditor shall be entitled to collect
a fee of twenty-five cents, for his own uso, for
making such entry and endorsement."
Strawberry tb?Es.?-People fond of straw?
berries had better go straightway to Minnesota,
if they can credit a writer in the St Raul Press,
who asserts that he has seen scores of miles of
country, a degree of latitude north of Fort
Totten, which was an almost continuous plan?
tation of wild strawberries, growing, in many
of the richer spaces, not on horizontal vines,
but on bushes, many of them three and four
feet high, on which the clusters of this delicious
fruit attained a size rarely reached by the most
assiduous cultivation. So profuse, he says, was
this native prodactfon of strawberries on what
is called the Pembina mountain?whore the
plant takes the upright form in tho very pride
of its exuberant fruitful ness, as if it disdained
to creep along the earth with its scarlet crown
of glory?that the cart-wheels, crushing the
berries as thoy revolved, were red with this
wild vintage of the plains, and left long crim?
son trails behind them. .
? A gentleman of experience has discovered
one good thing in sea voyaging. He savs: 'You
can get as tight as you please every day, aud
everybody will thick you are sea sick."
? The citizens of "Winthrop. Me;, celebrated
the-100th auniverssry of the incorporation of
that town on Saturday. The principal features
of the procession wero a representation of the
industries of tho place at the present time and
those of one hundred years ago, and to contrast
with the costumes_in vogue in 1871 were ladies,
gentlemen and children arrayed in the prevail- j
ing styles of 1771. Ex-Governor Chamberlain
delivered the oration, followed by ^addresses'
from Governor Perkam and others. 1
The Flan of Cnmilafivo Toting and Oppo?
sition Thereto*
The Marion Crctteent is the only newspaper,
we believe, that has raised its voice against the
introduction of cumulative voting into oar sys?
tem of saffrage in this State, Oar. cotempor
ary looks foward to other measures of relief, j
when the State will be controlled by intelli
gent white men, and the political millenian j
will be reached. As we want our readers to
see both aides of this question of proportional |
representation, we give the remarks of the j
Orescent;
L "As the question of cumulative voting or ml
j noritv representation will be a prominent fea?
ture in the local politics of this State, we pro?
pose, in this issue of our paper, to discuss the
subject at length. It will be recollected by our
[ readers that tho Tax-Payers' Convention which
recently sat in Colombia gave this subject an
early and deliberate consideration, and after
i discussing it through its branches declared in
its favor By an overwhelming majority. The
j Governor and Attorney General not only advo
l cated the doctrine, but pledged their influence
with the Legislature to nave it adopted. This
is a new principle that is sought to be ingrafted
on the election laws of this State, and has been
tried to a very limited extent on this continent.
It has been tried in Illinois only, of the States
as a general thing, and to a very limited e xtent
in Pennsylvania.- -Where the electors com
{)rising the body politic and the different po
itical parties are of the same race, and of equal
capacity to govern, there can be no Question as
to the justice and propriety of the adoption of
this principle of representation, and where the
minority of electors is composed of the most
intelligent, experienced and wealthy citizens, j
the good of society imperatively demands some
provision in the laws of representation whereby j
the State would have the benefit of their ad
vi ce and direction, j It is claimed by the friends I
of this measure that the Democrats of this j
State would have forty or fifty representatives j
in the Legislature, whereas they now have not
half that number, and that a great check would j
be put upon the extravagant and reckless Leg- J
islature of the irresponsible.majority now rut-1
ing the commonwealth to its. ruin. Whatever j
would be the general result, should the plan of j
minority representation be carried into effect,
the Democrats of this County would lose one I
or more of their representatives and the Badi
cals would reap a corresponding benefit, and]
tins would be the result in all the Counties of
the State where the Democracy have majorities
and more than one representative.
* * * * * . "The question J
now is whether the people of this State will
sustain the action of then* representatives inj
the late Columbia Convention, and commit I
themselves for all time to come to this new doc- j
trine of cumulative voting. ?
((The leaders of the Radical party, by prompt-1
Iy endorsing the measure, have shown a mag-1
nanimity and disinterested patriotism to which j
they have heretofore been strangers; are pur
suing a deep laid scheme to loll into repose the J
excited passion of the tax-payers, and to post
pone to a more distant day the extermination
of their power which this excitement seemed to I
threaten in the near future.
"But, however this may be, it behooves the f
tax-payers and property-holders of this State!
to weigh well this matter, and consider whether [
owning as they do nearly all the land in the I
State, and possessing as they do' the capacity
within a given and limited time, by pursuing
an intelligent and common sense policy, to con- j
trol the State and government, it would be bet-1
ter to compromise their entire future control
for a limited and minor present influence. We
opine that the 30,000 negro majority claimed j
by the Radicals will disappear as soon as we
have a fair and impartial election law. and we I
incline to tho belief that in th us will be found I
the secret of the extreme anxiety of the Radi-1
cal leaders for the adoption of minority repre?
sentation."
In reply to tho foregoing article' of tho Ma-1
rion Crescent, we find a clear and able exposi-1
tion of the merits of cumulative voting, as a j
just and equitable system of suffrage, in the I
last number of the Keouce Courier, which is I
herewith copied for tho benefit of our readers: J
The question whether the tax payers of this j
State will sustain the action of their delegates
in this matter is a very important one, and I
merits serious cone [deration. After a thorough
discussion of the system, the convention, with
but few dissenting votes, expressed its approval I
of the scheme, and appointed a committee to j
press upon the attention of the Legislature the
passage of such a law, so that it might operate I
in the next general election. According to the
relative strength of the two parties in this I
county, as gathered from the last election, we
would lose one member, and such would bo the
result in nearly all the coon ties, polling Dem- j
ocratic majorities. On the other hand, it is I
equally sure that in many Radical counties we J
would gain one or more members, and by proper I
management in the State, we could at once put j
fifty members in the lower House? against I
twenty under the majority principle. But the
Orescent says, it would behoove the tax-payers I
to consider whether, with a fair prospect of an I
entire future control, they are willing to com- j
promise this for a present minor influence, j
We would be willing to accept the system from I
its intrinsic merits, without regard to its prom- i
is es of present or future influence for or against I
us. It is fair, just and equitable that every de-1
partment of industry, and every class of citi- j
zens should obtain representation- in the law
making body. It is more, for such a system
would promote general good feeling, wise laws
and universal prosperity. Many regulations j
essential to the development of important in- [
dust rial pursuits aro neglected for the want of I
some one to present the claims and necessities
of such laws. Nor do we claim that perfect j
honesty and perfect wisdom is the heritage j
solely of Democrats. Wo may, and even do j
err, and in many instances the class or race op?
pressed by such errors, if represented, could
dispel prejudice and prevent tho bad conse-1
quonces. All men see, more or less, selfishly
in every day affairs. Much moro is this true of
political parties, and we are not willing to ad
mit that a minority curb would not be ad van-1
tageous to tho wholo country, even if the Dem-1
> ccracy had that coveted entire control. If we
had the majority in the Legislature and in tho
State, what more could we desire ? We would I
enjoy full power to* pass wise laws, and to de
feat unwise laws.. Are we unwilling tor learn ? J
or are we all wise and just in every particular?
or do we prefer complete party ascendency to
the public good? The minority system applies
to no case where but one person is to bo chosen
to office, and will hence affect official aspirants
in counties but little. We have no hesitation
in recommending the system, and entertain.no
fears of the consequences of its adoption. In
addition to representation, it places the minor?
ity in a better position to discover, expose and
defeat tho wrongs of the ruling majority, and
thus checks the evils of bitter party spirit. Its J
immediate effect will ho to increase and diffuse
our representation, so that at least one intelli-'
gent, honest tax-paying member can be elected
from nearly every county in the State, who by
! his presence and facilities to communicate with
the voters of the county will prov* a terror to
any thievish and evil acting colleague. Its
permanent and better result will -be, by opposi?
tion to doubtful measures of legislation, to in*
vite discussion and a clear view of tho truth.
No one will deny, but many plausible propoei
, tions after ventilation are round unwise, unpo
I litic and corrupt, nor will any one deny but the
Eresentvenal Legislature has passed several
iws worthy of better mem We believe the
system is the only, though partial remedy for
bitter partisanship ever discovered, and that its
adoption will prove beneficial to both political
parties.
Ex'Iresident Datls.
This distinguished citizen has been warmly
and enthusiastically received during his recent,
tour through North and South Carolina, and
Georgia. In the latter State, the acknowledg?
ment of respect and kind feeling has been pub-1
liclv testified at Augusta and Atlanta, and on
} both occasions Mr. Davis has responded in elo
Siuent and appropriate terms. His appearance
n Atlanta was the occasion of a large public
demonstration at the Kimball Ho ase, where two
thousand persons assembled to honor the illts
trious Confederate leader. Gen. A. C. Garling
ton delivered the welcoming address, to which
Mr. Davis responded substantially as follows:
"Looking down upon the honest faces before
him, he experienced a peculiar pleasure as he j
realized the fact that the complimentary tribute J
paid to him was an expression of sentiment on
the part of the people of Georgia. Georgia
had a proud record. Beginning with Ogte
thorpe, and glancing rapidly at the old Colonial
times, the speaker remarked that the principles
for which Georgians fought in the late war be?
tween the States were the same they contended
for in the revolution of 1776, and in the war of
1812. He felt animated and sustained by the
conviction that Georgia would yet recover her
ancient liberties and be a great, prosperous and
sovereign State. When first he saw Atlanta it
was simply an old field of stubble. Again he j
saw it just after the Federal army had swept I
over it, marking their course by a vandalism far j
blacker than anything that had ever stained j
the fair fame of Turenne as a soldier. A third j
time he saw it, and then the blackened ruins j
had disappeared; the evidences of desolation
had been swept away to make room for the
stately structures which now ornament the city.
Dwelling at some length upon the enterprise
and energy displayed ey the people Of Georgia,
under so many adverse circumstance, the
speaker alluded to the important work which
the young men of the State had before them.
He did not propose to discuss politics. He had
shaken hands with polities, and. had done with
them forever. He trusted that every one in
the audience would agree with him on that
point But while he did not care to make a
political speech, be felt that he ought to express
one of two opinions in reference to the best
policy to be pursued by the Sou th, He referred
only to the present?the future might take care
of itself. He dared not say all that he would.
It would be used against the Southern people,
and they would be compelled to bear the re?
sponsibility of his utterances. There was a
good deal of talk about "accepting the situa?
tion," bat, as far as he was concerned, he would
"accept nothing I" These mlserablo phrases
about "accepting the situation" because our
rights had been submitted to the arbitrament
of the sword and k?t, were the excuses of |
dunces'and cowards. No ore has a right to j
submit the liberties of a people to the arbitra?
ment of the sword. The representatives of the
Southern people had never bee n authorized to
do anything of the kind. As their chief exec?
utive, he had never been so authorized, nor did
he ever claim to be. He did not like to be un?
derstood as advocating resistat ce. On tho con?
trary, he counselled submission to existing laws.
He knew very well that the cenquerer was too
powerful to be successfully resisted by the
South. It was the duty of Georgia, and of tho
other Southern States, to keep aloof from poli?
tics, and to attend to the development of their
j internal resources. This was all that could be
' done at present. It was useless for the South
to attempt to take a controlling part in the
! politics of the country. As matters now stand
such action would only delay the day of deliv?
erance. He was firmly convinced, and intend
I ed to live and die believing that Georg; a and
her sister States would again bo prosperous,
free and sovereign. Unless this was again the
case, the Republic was a failure. But there
were great numbers of freemen in tho North
who sympathized with us. They would never
submit to be deprived of their liberties, and
when they felt the danger at home they would
then need the aid or the South. Thus, by
quietly holding aloof, the South could become
apolitical balance of power on this continent.
This desirable result would be accomplished by
waiting until they divided at the North, and
j then it would be the policy of the South to act
I with the party having the best candidate and
best platform.
In conclusion, Mr. Davis made a few humor?
ous remarks about the lifo insurance business.
. He preferred to discuss that instead of politics.
; It would afford him pleasure to insure the life
of every man present, and guarantee one hun
I dred years existence. Again expressing to his
audience his heartfelt appreciation of the de?
monstration in his honor. Mr. Davis bade them
'good night,' and retired amidst enthusiastic
cheering*"
<???.? m? ?
The Value of Gypsum.?Wc are frequent?
ly asked?"Has Gypsum or land plaster any in?
herent fertilizing properties 1 Wc do not be?
lieve that it has, and that it is only because it
is a powerful absorbent of atmospheric ammo?
nia that its applications is beneficial to land.
We are not all aware how much plant food
is contained in tho atmosphere*. The showers j
of rain which refresh and invigorate Vegeta?
tion, and the heavy night dews, bring down
this plant food?ammonia?from tho atmos?
phere and supply it to the plants, tvnd hence
; their beneficial effect upon the growth of plants.
Atmospheric ammonia is produced by the
exhalation of every manure heap and every
barn yards Plaster attracts this ammonia and
fixes it in tho soil. This is its value- both as a
top dressing and as a component part of a com?
post heap.?>Exchangt.
A Lost Wedding-Party.?From Gloucester,
Massachusetts, comes tho story of a sailing
boat, merry with a bridal party, that went out
to sea and came not back again. The wedding
had been celebrated in tho morning, and the
party wore to loave for New York at night, so
to fill the measure of the dar went roaming j
over beach and scar, and finally gathered in the J
boat for a short sail upon a sea that scarcely
rippled. It was the last that was heard of
them. Whether upset by a Burden squall, or
borne out to miA-ocearr by counter-gales, is un?
known. No one is left to toll the story of tho I
death, and through the lonely casements of the
mansion, eyes that are dry and tearless took
down over the waste of waters, searching for a
sail that does not come..
Prom the Charlotte {N. C.) Democrat.
The Air line Itallread.
The Annual Meeting of the Stockholders of
the-Atlanta & Bichmond Air Line Railway
[ Company waa held in Ghnrlotte, N. 0., on the
24th mat
r A considerable amount of business was trans?
acted and all necessary anangements made to
push the work ofouildirig the road with ensrgy
and promptness. The following officers were
elected:
Preeident^Ckni A S. Biford*
Vice Presidents?At Aiastell and1 R. Y. Mc
Aden. -
Directors?A. Atistell, 8. B. H?rt and R. J.
Lowery, of Atlanta, Ga.; R Y. McAden and
?Wm. J. Yates, of Charlotte, N. 0.; Gabriel
Cannon, of Spartanburg, 8. 0.'; W. K. Easley,
of Greenville, 8. C.; J. P. Reed, and J. W.
Harrison, of Anderson, B.C.; E.M. Johnson,
of Gainesville, Ga.; TV. T. Southerlin, of Dan?
ville, Va.; P. A. Welfore., of Richmond, Va,
B. Y. Sage, Chief Engineer and Superinten?
dent: Larkin Smith, Auditor and Secretary;
E. W. Howell,. Treasurer.
The road is under contract from Charlotte to
Atlanta, and will bo in running order at an
early day.'
The next Annual Mooting will be held in
Spartanburg, 8. C.
The following is the President's Report as
submitted to the meeting of Stockholders, which
the papers of this city and along the line of
the Road were respectfully requested to copy:
lb the Stockholders of the Atlanta and Richmond
Air Line Railway Company.
Gentlemen?The President and Directors
respectfully submit their report of the opera?
tions of the Company during the past year as
follows:
Since the meeting of the Stockholders in
June, 1870j the work then in progress on the
western division, between Atlanta and Gaines?
ville, Ga., has been prosecuted by the contract?
ors engaged in its execution with energy, and
satisfactory despatch, completing the excava?
tion, masonry and bridging up to the point last
named about 30th April, Ult
The placing of the superstructure, under di?
rection of the Chief Engineer, has been fol?
lowed up as successive sections were opened, as
actively as practicable. Heavy and protracted
rains have somewhat retarded operations; but
a. few hundred feet only of rails remain to be
placed at the Gainesville end of the division
to complete the continuous track to that point
This will be effected during the present week,
giving fifty-three miles of lino opened and op?
erating.
The track has Been laid with a first-class T.
rail, 66 pounds to the yard, coupled with the
fish bar joint, making, as fast as surfaced up, a
substantial, safe and well built roadway. |
Depot buildings sufficient for the present I
wants of the Company have been provided at {
Atlanta and other points on the line. Others I
will soon be required at Gainesville and at least |
two other intermediate Stations.
An equipment of four first-class locomotives,' J
two passenger and twenty-seven burthen cars j
have been purchased and put to work on this |
Sart of the line, Ten other flats and dump ears
ave been engaged to be delivered at an early I
day. This outfit is deemed fully sufficient for!
the immediate wants of the Company, and has I
already enabled it to open a profitable traffic I
on the line now operating that promises an early j
development of operations unusually large for i
a local road of limited extent ;
Reference,is made to the Report of the Chief J
Engineer and Superintendent, herewith sub- [
mitted. for a detailed statement of tho entire I
expenditures of this division, from this it ap- j
pears that the work on this division, deducting
the cost of equipment amounts to less than an j
average of nineteen tf.ousand dollars, per mile, j
The work on the eastern division, under the j
contract with Mr. P. P. Dickinson, of. New
York, for the construction of the line between 1
Charlotte, N. C, and Gainesville/ Ga., was put j
under way between Charlotte and Spartanburg j
during the summer of 1870, as early as com- j
plete and satisfactory surveys could determine ]
definitely the most eligible location, and has I
been prosecuted with uniform activity and in j
the most satisfactory manner, entitling the con- ]
tractor to the highest confidence and respect of j
the Company. A large force has been kept j
constantly employed in the construction, and I
a large proportion of the line, of about seven
ty miles, between Charlotte and Spartanburg I
complete.
The line of about thirty miles in extent, be- j
tween Spartanburg and Greenville, has also!
been put under active work, with considerable
force, during the last sixty days.
Tho continued prosecution of the work in I
like manner during the present year will secure j
the completion of the lino for use to Spartan
burg, and probably much or moat of that to j
Greenville, on or before, the 1st of January, (
1872. j
Arrangements have been made for the deliv- j
ery of about 2,500 tons of iron rails in the]
month of. June, soon thereafter to be placed \
upon the track; it being the purpose and de- j
sire of the management to open the line in I
successive divisions?first to Spartanburg, j
thence to Greenville; at each of which points, j
as reached, contributions of business are ex- j
pected, valuable and important to the income j
of the Company.- '. : ;
Surveys throughout the' nne narre been pros- J
ecu ted with all the di ligence and energy prac- J
ticable, and at considerable expense, with a I
view to the proper and necessary economy in
the cost of construction and the future main-1
tenanee and ope ration of the road. Much of
the line though practicable, has been found j
difficult in.affording such locations as were]
deemed judicious with reference to the availa- I
ble means of the Company and the important f
considerations of grade, curvature and saving
of distance. I
Especially in regard to the line from Gaines- f
ville, eastward!)-, reference is made to the state- [
ments of the Chief Engineer in his report |
herewith submitted, any disposition of ques- j
tions suggested or arising thereon, which the I
Stockholders may desire or prefer, should be [
indicated now to the management I
In pursuance of authority conferred by the
Stockholders at their last meeting, the Board
of Directors in June last authorized and in?
structed the President to have prepared and
executed at an ear ly day a proper Deed of
Trust or Mortgage convoying the Company's
entire line, franchise and property, to secure
an issue of Bonds at the rate of '$16,000 per
mile of tho line to bo used for the necessary
purposes of the Company in the construction,
equipment and operation of its line; said bonds
to run thirty years from their date, bearing' iff- .
terest at the rate of 8 per cent per annum, pay?
able semi-annually. and be in other respects in
euch form and with Bn'ch usual stipulation as
the President should prescribe, and the Presi?
dent was instructed to have said bonds prepared
as soon as convenient This resolution has
been carried into effect as contemplated, and
the securities thoreon authorized securely pro?
vided for by the due execution and rettraBtibn1
of the proper deed therefor.
This plan of a single mortgage having been
determined on as best for the interest of the
Company, of course] it became necessary t? je
tire b? many of the bonds endorsed by the
State of. Georgia at the rate of $12,000 per
mile of the line in that State; as had been her**
to-fore isshed;. This his been done, and said
endorsed bonds. $240,000 in amountJiate been
cancelled" In the hands of the Auditor of the*
Company;
The fad Of the present high credit of the
Compatiy'a 1st Mortgage Bonds, and their val?
uable tide in aiding the Company to pnsh for-.
Ward its worki fully vindicate the wisdom of
adopting the present form Of security in pref?
erence to such as the Company would have1
been required to employ in connection with the
endorsed bonds referred to. The encouraging
progress of the work, its assured early comple?
tion and its equal certain value as a public
highway and carrier when completed, having
already fixed the confidence of capital in the
safety and certainty of the Companies securi?
ties as an investment.,
In conclusion, the Board in regard to the
important and responsible though difficut du?
ties committed to them in the care of the great
work represented by the Company, will be al?
lowed to congratulate the Stockholders upon
what has been accomplished already, and the'
enconiagements that are now afforded of the
speedy realization of their most cherished hopes
of successful completion.
The considerations tc?t distinguished your
enterprise as one not only Of great local value
. and importance, but also as a Commanding and
essential element in the organization of a great
Piedmont Atlantic thoroughfare, has at length
strongly impressed the intelligent sentiment of
the cotlntry North and (South of your line.
All interests are looking with marked at"
?tention to your progress, ana hail with satisfac?
tion the broad clear dawn of your assured suc?
cess, recognizing as it does, the power of your
completed line when properly organised as a
grand and potent instrument in the restoration
and development of the immense domain which
it penetrates and serves by its connections and
inquence, to that prosperity, beauty and value
which nature has designed it to afford to the*
present as well as the generations to come.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the
Board.
L 8 . BUFORD, PresidW;
Interesting Correspondence.?Horace
Greeley has been asked by friends in Kansas to'
allow the use of his name before the National
Republican Convention* ih 1872 for President,
ana without any disrespect to Gen. Grant, these
friends express the belief that "no living Amer"
lean statesman has the claim" of Horace to
that elevated position. In reply, the sage and
philosopher Says:'
I trust never henceforth to be an aspirant for
any office or political position whatever; but I
freely purpose also never to decline any duty
or responsibility which my political friends
shall see fit to devolve upon me, and of which
I shall be able to fulfill the obligations without
neglecting none of its imperative duties. X
have not yet formed a decided opinion as to the*
man who Ought to be* tittr next Republican
candidate' for. President.- but it seems to me ad?
visable that he should be a steadfast, constant
believer in the good <M Whig dot-trine of one1
Presidential term.
j--m -f-s~r.
A Secebt.?William Wirtfs letter to hi*
daughter, On the "small sweet courtesies of life/.
contains a passage from Which ajrreat deal of
happiness might be learned: "1 Want to tell
you a secret. The way to make yourself pleas?
ant to others is to show attention. The whole
world is like the miller at Mansfield, 'who cared
for nobody?no, not he, because nobody cared
for him.' And the whole world would serve
you so if you gave them the cause. Let every
one see that yod do care for them by showing;
them what Sterne so happily called the small
courtesies, in which there is no parade, whose
voice is too still to tease,-, ana which manifest
themselves by tender and affectionate looks and
little acts of attention/ giving otfierey tie pref?
erence id every little employment, at the ntbley
in the field, walking, sitting and standing."
i Found the Right Road at Last.?Wash?
ington journals state that Governor Qcott. of
South Carolina, represented to the President
that no necessity existed, which' would call
forth a proclamation of martial law, but that
there was a good stats of feeling among the?
better classes of citizens, which would be quite
sufficieat to put down the Ku Klux. We con-.
gratulate the Governor. He has found the'
right road at last, through the influence of pub?
lic opinion, instead of by the power of the Win?
chester Rifle as the best law. It is a great pity
that he did hot make this discovery sooner.*
Such a policy would have been faf better for"
the people and infinitely better both for (his)
Republican party and for the Government.'
Now we can discern the dawn of a new era for
South Carotin*.?Augusta Chronicle and Sen?
tinel;
? To Cure toothache, you should hold ? cer?
tain root in the hand-?the root of the toothy
you know.
? The three things most difficult are. to keen'
a secret, to forget an injury, and to make good
use of leisure.
? What is the difference between rf farmer
and a bottle of whiskey ? One husbands the.
corn, and the other corns the htfsbfsnd.
? A farmer Who' ntfbs his faraS wJlh?uft a re?
cord of expenses and the coet of Afferent crops,
is like a ship without a compass or a log book.
? A paper which had been mailed tx> a fair
subscriber, was lately returned to'the.pMSsh
er, with the endorsement: "Not taken out;
she's run away and- got married.?'
? An attorney observed to ab'rotherin court
that he thought whiskers very unprofessional.
"You are' right," replied his friend, "a lawyer
cannot be too barefaced."
? Work is essential to'success fn any busi?
ness ; but brains, calculation, are equally im?
portant. The successful men' ate the thinkers
always?not the men who can do the 'biggest
day's work.'
? A New Hampshire editor having stated in1
a paragraph that there was a man in the place
who had been drunk thirty-five years, was called1
upon by twenty different pernois, who demand
ea a retraction, each Visitor insisting that it was
a personal attack.
? An exchange says "the people are want?
ing confidence in the honesty of the Adminis?
tration." Yes, but the people are not to blame
for wanting the confidence. It is the Adminis?
tration that is fo blame for wafetinr^.fjhe hony
e8-^ SbmO people ma4e-their religion go a long
Way. A good woman' bqught a lottery ticket
the other day, accompanying the purchase with
the s?ffloquy, "The Lord knows how if will
turn put. ft's all in the hands of the Almighty,*
I s'poee." *
? Here to the last of a shoemaker beyond1
which let no cobbler go. A lady complaining
that the soles of her shoes were too'thick, the
artful manufacturer said to her, "is that yonr
onlv objection to them, madame f' "It is, the
lady , replied. "Well, then, madame, if you*
take them I think I can assure you -that yot>
will find that objection gradually. Utar away-"''