Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1837-09-06


it. .;
We proceed ,c present briefly, III views
which have occurred to us in relation TO Il c
,uucs.ous which You required us 10 inveStl.
gate and report ON.
On the comparative advantages OF the
two modes of transportation, by water ana
bv Rail Roads, a single observation is suitl-
Gent. 1t IS vcrv common to read aud 10
hear of general rules, and universal expert
: cnce. Oh this subject, but amolhenl, 5 reliec-
ton will show that is preposerous 20 assert
that any rule derived from experience ~
one case. can be necessarily true when APP
piled to all.
The facility of transportation coAs;s IN
rapid tv and chcapness with which IT'S c';
i,clcsl: and comparison OF the faculties OF
different methods of transportation is very
much modified, by the local circumstances
ofthc country o which it is intended to re-
fer. The idea is easily illustrated by An
example. Two inland towns. arc equally
remote from the seaport which furnishes
merchandise, land is The outlet to fhc expor:a:
tons of boh: the one communicates with
the seaport through the medium ofa navl:
gable stream. in ten days. the other IN five:
bo'h are competitors for the trade oil an IN
terror country equally convenient TO them;
the latter Of course has the advantage in the
faciIi,ics of transportation and must ousTIp
the o,her in trade. but by this one, by the
cons.ruc ion of a Rail Road, mayeommu.
nicate da;lv with the sea- port, thoagh at an
increased expense, and must necessarily
draw 10 It's market thc'larger portion OF the
produce of the interior, and. sell proper
tionatelv increased quantity Of merchan.
die: il becomes Il cues ion, whether the
beneficial results of this improved method
oftransportation will remuncrate the great
er expense with which it is attended; and in
general. the dehberation will not be long,
nor its conclusion doubtful.
The profit derived from. the additional
QUANTITY of merchandise sold, will 10 found
amply sufficient to cover this enlarged eX.
pcnse of getting it: while, from the facilities
of rapid and immediate expectation, the
merchant will be enabled to buy the staple
productions of the country with more Ilbcr.
aE,v 10 the producer, and less danger to him
SELF from the fluctuations in the foreign mar.
kct. Water transportation may be IN
general, tin. cheapcs', but it often happens,
,ha, cheapnesS is not SO desirable as rapidlty.
|, is obvious, therefore, that any abstract
comparison must be extremely laHacious.
and the inquiry must, in all cases, refer TO
the expediency of the Improvement under
lbe circumstances in which it is proposed.
We believe, that whatever may be the rude
and hasy opinions Of the ignorant and un-
rejecting, as to the expcdiency Of Our pro-
icc,ed Rail Road, there can be no doubt in
nc miads of intelligent persons who have
given the subject very slight consldera-
lion. 1t is true thai nature has Afforded the
facilities of atoleraby nayigabc stream 10
a portion of the country interested in Our
undertaking. but it is becoming daily more
apparent. that the Pecdee is an inadequate
channel for the commerce of OF our grow
ing inland towns. and particularly Of the
ilourishing town of Cheraw,, which stands
a, the head o! is navigation, and whose
prosperity should be regarded with soci-
tude bv every citizen Of the adjacent Dis
trctS.
Every step taken to improve the methods
OF travel and transport, is decided advance
in civilization. The frequent and rapid in.
Recommendation ofthe people Of different
countries. or Of various and distant sections
fthc same country, tends not only to the
cultivation oithc sncial sympathes Of man.
kind, to the enlightment Of the mind, by the
mutual exchange and comparison of the
new ideas in the arts and sciences which
each is continually originating. In the one
case, INTO al p eu(s are disaplled; and
a sense of kindness and mutual dependence
created BY the perception ofthc wants which
they rcciprocaIly supply to each other. In
the second case, the same result is obtain
cd and enhanced by the greater necessity
which requires that the members Of the same
political society should be ccmea:ed by the
closest ties Of interest and friendship.
The impression of uniform features Of
national character, which will always be
constituted Of the most perfect attributes Of
each portion; and the dissemination into all
the otherparts ofthe highest intelligence Of
the most enllgh,ned-for it is the natural
tendency of knowledge to diftuse and equal.
izc itsel,-may be numbered among the
necessary and most desirable consequences.
These.may be said, are ends desirable it
it is true, but too abstract and contingent to
Justify the means which they cos. What,
then, arc the pratical benefits which may
be appreciated By every one, and rated in
dollars and cents? The most obvious and
impor;an, is that which has been already
intima.ed--thc great accession to the trade
nf the towns. lhe reduced price at which