Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-07-05
RALEIGH AND GAsToN RAIL ROAD.

week, the thlrd annuai report OF Inc CON-
pany for constructing this road, together
with the report of the Chief Engineer. The
road it is expected will be completed to
Raleigh by or before the close of the pres
en-, year. The income, per month on the
part ofthe road now completed, and in use'
AZ niles in length, is ss,lss. The engi.
neer estimates the profits of the road when
completed to Raleigh, even if it should ex-
tend no farther, at 6 per cent per annum
upon the capital invested. The following
is the part Of his report which relates to the
extension of the road TO Columbia.
Ifthe Road should ever be extended to
Columbia, Souh Carolina, the stock would
certainly be one ofthe best in the Union.-
There is scarcely man who entertains a
doubt oflhis. The friends of the work know
it, and are anxiously endeavorng TO find
some means of prosecuting this extension.
We see every day evidences Of the opinions
of those whose local interests are opposed
to this project.
In a Report recently made on an exam
NATION for an Inland communication be ween
Wilmington and Charleston, by Mr.. W'Ite,
Civil Engineer, he says: "Let US tor mo.
nent reflect what will be the consequences
ofneglecting or delaying the execution OF
this project. The line of Rail Road wh'ch
is now completed to Raleigh, would be
pushed on to Columbia ond Augusta, and
then our already languish'ng portion ofthe
State would be laid PROSTATE" This shows
Mr.. Whites opinion Of the merits of the
Metropolitan line OF travel. The same Re-
port mentions q fact which would be
strong argument in favor ofthe Raleigh and
Columbia Road, even if the inland COM
munication between Charleston and Will.
mington were effected. He says 'ehat dur.
ing The sickly season, passen gels must be
North of Wilmington before shutdown. ~
In short, it is almost too evident to argue.
chat if Raleigh and Columbia were joined
by Rail Road, the whole Southern and
South western travel would be brought over
,3.Raleigh and CASTOR Rail Road.
Let US, for moment, examine into the
chances OF this most desirable connection
being formed. Surely each S ockholder
10 the Raleigh and GasoG Rail Road has
the deepest possible interest in promoting
it Every Stockholder in any flhe Roads
between Raleigh and Baltimore has deep
interest in this project. But no Rail Road
Company, not even the Raleigh and CASTOR,
has deeper interest in promoting this
work than the Charleston, Louisville and
Cincinnati Rail Road Companies. There
are two Roads now constructing which
threaten TO take the Southwestern travel
from them. One is the Macon and Savan.
nah, and the other is the Bru rswick City
and Appalachicola Road. !feither of these
Roads is finished, it will take large portion
Of the travel from the Charleston and Ham.
burg Road. The only thing which can Sc.
cure them the travel will be the connection
of Columbia and Raleigh by Rail Read.
Nor has the Georgia Rail Road Com.
pany less to fear than the Charleston and
Hamburg Road. The completion of the
Macon and Savannah Road would draw off
the greater part of this travel; and the
Brunswick and Florida Road would deprive
them all of the travel from New Orleans.
These views are so plain, that the
Charleston and Hamburg and the Georgia
Rail Road Company, cannot avoid seeing
their danger, and they will certainly do any
thine in their power to obvlate 1t.
Ifthere Is Rail Road made from Co.
iumbia TO Raleigh, the Georgia Rail Road
from Decatur to Augusta. the South Caro-.
lima Road from Augusta via Branchvllle to
Columbia, the Raleigh and Columbia Road,
the Raleigh and CASTOR Road, &c. would
form line which would defy all competi.
ton.
This route would be the shortest that
could be travelled. I,would pass through
perfectly healthy country, and it would
avoid the danger Of Steam Boat navigation
at open sea.
The City of Charleston would be very
iniuriously effected by the travel going
through Savannah or Brunswick, for it
would then pass Charleston in Steam
Beat, without stopping, so that neither the
City of Charleston, nor the Rail Road in
which that City is so deeply interested, could
be affected otherwise than injuriously, by
the completion of this inland route from
Charleston to Wilmington, and these other
Roads in Georgia.
lffhe Raleigh and Columbia Road were
completed, the traveller from Charleston it.
SELF instead of going out to sea, would 60
North through Columbia, and pay tribute
to the Charleston and Cincinnati Rail Road
Company.
In reviewing the whole subject. we see
that such vast amount of capital is
dependent for its value ON Ihe cononletion