The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-11-11

tue country rom Oreenvlllc 10 f1am-
burg or Columbia, would be absurd.
All we want then to develope the re-
sources of the back country, is rail
road connecting Charleston with Green
ville." We then come to the question as
proposed by the citizens of this district
in late meeting, whether or not, we
shall construct rail road from Aiken,
passing through the districts of Edge
field, Abbeville, Anderson: and crossing
the Saluda river at some convenient
point to Grcenville. The first question
then, that presents itself is, I" is it practl-
cable" in other words, will the proposed
route be the means, of giving new
stimulus to agriculture, and industry?
Will it enhance the value of real estate
develope the mineral resources of the
mountain districts, and increase the
number of our manufactures? We an
swer, that it is highly practicable. If
you will for moment cast your eyes
over the map of South Carolina, you
will find that the route will pass through
the finest regions in the State, commen
cling at Aiken. it will pass directly to
Edgefeld G. H., from thence it will
strike the deviding ridge between the
waters of Saluda and Savannah river,
on by Greenwood, Cokesbury, Due
West, Calhoun in Anderson, and to
Greenville c. H. This route will en-
brace some of the weal,hiest portions Of
the State. Compare for moment the
present population and value of real
estate in the above Villages, with what
it will be in the course of ten years.
Where Lots are now selling for twenty
five end fifty dollars, they will sell from
three to FIVE hundred dollars. Where
the population is from two hundred to
three hundred souls, you will see from
five hundred to u thousand. Where
land is worth from one to three dollars
per acre, you will see it selling from five
to fifteen dollars. Why all this magic
work? We answer, that its brought
about by the means of quick and
cheap transportation of one surplus pro-
duce. A new stimulus will be given to
agriculture and industry; the farmer,
the mechanic, the merchant, the manu-
facturer; in a word, all classes will
share in the general prosperity which
such an enterprise will produce, indie
pendent of the large amount of money
that would be disbursed by the Compa-
ny in the several Districts. But some Of
us are like the unbelieving Thomos,"
must thrust our fingers first. If so, we
refer you to the magic work the Erie
rail road and canal have produced upon
western New York Those rich Genssee
lands were so far from market before the
construction of the road and canal, that
they were OF little value, and was sold
by the State of Massachusetts to Phelps
and Goshen for three cents per acre !;
now they cannot be purchased for less
than fifty to one hundred dollars per
acre. Go to the pine barrens in this
State on the Charleston and Columbia
road, where land could be purchased by
the thousands of acres at fifty cents per
acre; you cannot purchase them now
for less than five dollars per acre. Go
TO the Central rail road in Georgia, and
and ask the price of lands there now,
and what it was before the construction
of the road: see at the increase of popu-
lation in the old town, which have now
become at the North cities, such as
Buffalo and Chicago, and behold the
number of towns and villages springing
up all along the route. When you have
seen and heard all this: can any one
doubt for moment, whether this route
is practicable. What then we would
ask every well-wisher ofhis country, are
the obstacles in the way of such an en-
terprise2 We have no mountains to
tunpel; no stupendous hills to excavate,
and but one small river to cross; these
are no obstacles; the mystery is soon
solved, 1t Is q aoa,1 q energy and enter
prise. We are too prone to look upon
all such schemes as 1" Utopeo,s Chimeros
obscuras," and "great humbugs." The
good people of this and adjoining dis.
tricts have not forgotten how much mo.