Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-06-05
NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA RAIL

We perceive that the people of Charleston
are alive to the interests of that city, as con.
nected with the extension of our Rail Road 10
the South Carolina line. The following arti.
Gle, from the Mercury of the LIST, will shew
the reader that the Charlestonians do not REL
ish the idea Of connecting Wilmington with
! the interior OF South Carolina, and thus cat.
ting off their city from the great thoroughfats
between New Orleans and New York. There
are good reasons, however, why we should
not connect with Charleston; reasons, too,
which we think will carry the day. Blu, 70
/ the article -
Alta recent Meeting ia Wilmington, reso.
buttons were adopted in favor Of speedy er.
tension of the Wilmington Rail Road TO tho
South Carolina line for junction with our
own roads The cause was not indicated, but
it is understood that :hey looked to a connec-
ton with projected Camden branch, through
Sumter District. The people of that part of
the State are supposed to favor 1t, and the at
tention of Charleston must now be called to
the matter. We trust that the interests Of the
city will be watched over by those who hav6
full means of understanding them, and that
the diplomatic mystery which has yelled the
proceedings so far will not be allowed, through
surprise, TO deliver over Charleston 10 her own
ruin.
The Wilmington Meeting appointed dele
gates TO a convention TO be held to-day at
! Sumterviiie, which so far implies supposed
identity of interest between Wilmington and
that district. lfso, it is merely because we APP
pear determined not 10 move in project far
tmore important to Wilmington and of vital in
terest to this city. We allude to a direct Rail
, Road connection between the two places. If
the the people of Charleston could see fairly
, all the advantages of this connection, and all
the inevitable consequences of complete
chain of Rail Roads from Augusta through the
interior of this State to New York, we cannot
doubt they would be moved to some decisive
action. One Of these consequences evidently
would be to place Charleston ont of the great
Lthoroughfare of North and South travel. An
other equally certain would be the loss of all
that custom and trade which depends on the
visits Of the country merchants to this city on
: their way to New York, which is no insisnih-
cant item in our resources. ,
On the other hand, a Rail Road direct to
Wilmington would be equally for the benefit
of the city md The State, and is believed 10 ec
entirely practicable. The grading of this road
would cost almost nothing. and it wonld prob
ably be constructed as cheap as any road OF
the same length in the Union. For its imme-
3 diate resources it would have the whole Of the
income of the Wilmington boats, with all the
intermediate local custom. We know from
experience how this increases.
1t seems inevitable that one or other Of these
e projects shall be speedily acted on, and i
rests with Charleston to determine which
: Let us decide wisely and with full knowledge
of the consequences of what We do. it's d
very old proverb that it is easy to go 10 Il {
: devil, but it is the devil to get back again, and
!, we shah illustrate it miserably, it at a mo-
! ment's warning we decide to shu, ou, Charles
ton from the interior, by so solid and Enduring
e an embankmeDt as Rail Road.