Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1838-12-05

.ous and enterprising hand. Her prosperity |
IS involved in 1t: her honor is bound to it {:
her character is slaked upon it, before the
word.
Tho measures which have been adopted,
and,he progress made in the prosecution
Of his enterprise, with full information OF
thepresent condition and prospects OF the
Company, will be found in the second An
mud Report ofthe President and Directors,
which is herewith transmitted. In addition
to this interesting paper, | have the honor
to invite your attention to Letter OF inc
Chef Engineer of the work, Maj. w. u.
MeNE1IL, in reply to inquiries addressed to
hin, on several important points, ln regard
to which his ability and professional skill are
entitled TO the highest authority: With the
confidence offull knowledge and experience,
he pronounces on the practcab'I'ty OF the
scheme, in shorter tins, at cost more
moderate, and with more abundant profits,
than many even OF its well wlshers have ven'
,ued to anticipate. But whatever might
be the expense or difficulty, We have gone
too far, we have promised too much to the
world. TO retreat with dignity. Our ques.
ton should now be, not vhefher we shall
60 on, but how.
Since the publication of the Annual Re-
port Of the Direction of the Rail Road Com
pany. the South Western Rail Road Bank
has been organized, and will 60 into imme'
diate operation, under the most favorable
auspices, and with every prospect Of pro.
moting the success of the great enterprise
to which it is intended to be auxiliary. Inc
Bank must be of inestlmable value, rs well
to the stockholders, as to the country. Act
ing under this impression, and desrous that
the Safe might not lose her privilege OF
participating in the Revenues OF the Bank
if tina. policy should be approved OF, con-
ceived it to be my duly, in concurrence VIII"
such Of the Commissioners representing the
State, as could be conveniently consulted
before the closing Of The Books, on tho eth
instant, to make conditional subscription.
on behalf Of the State, for Ten Thousand
Shares in the Bank, subjectto the approoa'
ton of the Legislature.
Following in the same spirit ofdomest'c,
improvement, which you have wisely led'
venture to suggest to your consideration q
measure fer the developement OF our re-
sources which does not appear to have been
so much appreciated by US. as by other
States of equal intelligence. Extensive
Geological Surveys have been Instituted,
under legislative sanction. in most OF the
New England States, in New York, Penn
sylvania, and Virginia. Besides the con.
tribut,on to Science, the direct advantage
of these Investigations, has been so obvious
as to diminish The expense, by comparison
into almost no'hing.-The Mineral res
ources of each section Of country have
been brought o light, and made available.
Mines of buried wealth, ofevery description
have been expored, their, qualities ascer'
tanned, ard their uses pointed out. The
exhausted soil ofLower Virgiaia has found
an elixir of new life in her long neglected
beds of Lime and M RI. Even the Gran
i:e Rocks of Massachusetts have been clas.
sed, and each variety examined, and pre-
ciscly located. The fruit Of this enlight-
ened labor is seen in the blocks ofmasonry
which have been brought over thousand
miles Of ocean, to adorn even the streets
of Charleston. But, as | propose rather to
advise with you, than to direct your coun-
sells, l leave this bare suggestion to your
better intelligence. / will only remark, that
the survey instituted some years since un.
der the charge of Professor Van Uxem,
was rather neurological than OF a general
geological character, and therefore tended
rather to entertain the curious, than to en-.
Tighten the steps of practical industry.
Upon the general CONDITION ofour COM
mon highways, it is hardly necessary to re.
mark. That it cannot possibly be muc!:
worse is believe generally acknowledged.
Our Road Laws are very imPefectly en-
forced, and the system appears 10 be very
imperfec: in itself: The unequal distrlbu-
tion Of the labour, the unskilfulness OF the
superintendents, and the manifest interest Of
all who are subject 10 road duty to do as
little Of it as possible, are defects very suffi.
cient TO account for Its miserable success. |
But, as the Legislature has more than once
its dlslnclination to attempt any
general reform in this matter, will only
sug ,est the propriely Of encouraging the
,rganza OF of private turnpike companies
as well by the gran, of liberal charters, as
~ participating in their expenses and
profits, in such proportion as 10 secure their
'ctive cooperation.
The condition of our navigabe water
courses naturally suggests itself in this con:
lection. Large sums have been expended
n their improvement, but heretofore with.
'ut an adequate return ;-Perhaps, because
t.l \