The Journal of the Commons House of Assembly

MAY 2, 1760545Days continuance) as the adjacent Causey of about 100 Yards in length issubject to be over-flow’d, How are Travellers to pass the Causey (if they dothe Creek) on such an Emergency? Seeing if a Bridge be established theFerry Boat (highly necessary on these Occasions) will be laid aside.The Memorialist rejoins, That as he has a Flat and Hands, for his privateBusiness, so will he (for the future as hitherto) be ever ready with hisFlat and Negroes (under a Penalty) to put over, gratis, from Bluff to Bluff,in time of a Fresh (for three Years to come) all Persons, Horses and Carriageswhatsoever as may want Transportation over the said Creek, provided it bebetween Sun and Sun.As Objections to the best Measures as well as best Men, may be multipliedby Snarlers, ad infinitum, it may be further asked; “That at the expirationof this Licence of three Years, or should the Bridge be removed or whenit goes to decay, or if a framed Bridge should be built by the Commissionersand again be carried away as before: Who will reassume the Ferry? Whowill put over Travellers? Be it answer’d, Numbers would offer in six Hours,and the present Conductors of the Ferry, particularly (without sollicitation)who have already made an Estate from it, and think it so valuable a Nest Egg,that it’s natural to expect they will exert their utmost Efforts to oppose andobstruct a Bridge over this Creek (of any kind whatever) as injurious to theirprivate Interest, tho’ the said Ferry is only of a private Nature, andunestablished by the Legislature.Such being the State of this Affair, Whether the private Interest of oneIndividual and the public benefit of the whole Community is to be preferred,is humbly submitted to the Judgment of the Legislature.Whatever Arguments may be urg’d against a Bridge over this Creek, maybe brought with tenfold the force against Goose-Creek, Biggon and otherBridges already constructed and established by the Assembly, as the Causeysleading to these Bridges are very long and more frequently overflow’d thanBlack-Mingo Creek, which is about the breadth of Goose-Creek, but the Causeynot above 200 Yards in length from the Bluff down to the Bridge.Were present advantages to be rejected thro’ apprehensions of remoteand uncertain Contingencies, not a Merchant-Ship would ever cross theOcean; South Carolina would have been now uncultivated: This Creek hasbeen impassable four Days in three Years during the Memorialist’s residenceon it; This will be allowed to be an Inco[n]venience; but which the beingdebarred crossing at pleasure the other One thousand ninety one Days doesnot in the least remedy.On the whole the Memorialist flatters himself that as his Intentions arefounded on the Base of Public Spirit, the Legislature will support him, in hisDesigns, as far as is consistent for the Public Good. He begs pardon for the