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

"eiC eApeHueo Ill uSeleSS surveys,
stump speaking and negotiating with
other States. If the agents, instead Of
this great ado in preparation, had direc-
ted the surveys TO some convenient point,
sny Greenville or Spartanburg, the road
could have been built for the same
amount of money. and in the same time
that was consumed in the mammoth
road, which ended just when the patrio.
tic citizens of Columbia wished But
great as has been this mammoth failure,
as is said by the opponents of rail roads,
let us compare the cost Of its construction
with other rail roads, and we will find
that j, cost by one half and one third less
than other rail. roads which are not
clearing more neat profit than the
branch TO Columbia is now doing.
To satisfy the skeptic, hereto is annex
ed schedule of the cost of some of the
most important railways in other States,
and also the comparative difference be-
tween them and the South Carolina rail
road from branchville to Columbia.
So Ca. rail road from Branchville to
Columbia, cost per mile S24,242 AZ !;
Boston & Lowell, cost per mile, 500, 900,
excess over S G. r r., S35,757 So; Bal
timore and Washington, cost per mile,
S53, $50, excess over S G. r r, 50 1877
5S; Providence and Stonington, cost
per mile, 545, 1000, excess over S G r R,
S2l, 1888; Boston and Worchcster,
cost per mile, $4,000, excess over S G.
r r, SlS,757 SO; Boston and Povi.
dcnce, cost per mile, $4,000, excess
over G r R, Sl8,757 So; Phi!adel-
phia and Providence, cost per mile, S4O,-
900, excess over S @ R R,Si6,757 So;
New Jersey, cost per mile, $4,000, ex-
cess over S G Il r, S1l,757 81.
We think the above comparison. will
convince the skeptic, that rail roads
can be built cheaper in the Southern,
than Northen States f." for when figures
are placed right, they cannot lie." We
must also bear in mind, that the S. 9.
rail raod was constructed for a double
tract; great deal of heavy and exp an
sive masonry, and bridges were con-
structed and done when wages We're We
ry high: that most of the contracts were
given TO stock holders, and land owners
through whose possession the road ran,
and in many instances on most extra va
giant terms. But with all these obsta-
cles, the road according to the last report
of the President, is in fourishing con-
dition, and yielding handsome dividends;
| and we hazard the assertion, that under
its present. directors, it will be in the
course of few years, one of the safest
and most profitable investments in the
State: the stock having risen from a.
cents in the dollar, to IS cents~
1t does not appear from the above
schedule, that the public spirited citizens
Of the North stopped to count the cost of
thier road in dollars and cents, when fifty
and sixty thousand dollars per mile did
not check for a moment their energy
and enterprise. Their vision aus not
crcumscribed by the present; it was to
the future they looked for their reward,
and in every instance, their highest ex.
pectations have been realized. They
subscribed the money and went to work
We not only think that the contem-
plated road is practicable, but that u aoil
be a profitable investment: Open quick
and cheap transport to our markets, and
then we will see the hidden resources of
the back country develope themselves
Thousands of things now not thought of,
(that would be consumed by time, wear
and tear, that would take to carry them
to market, would find its way to this
road. North Carolina, Tennesse and
Kentucky, would pour through this
channel all their surplus produce, which
is now in great measure pent up for the
want of transportation to market. The
merchants of Tennessee and western
part of North Carlina, instead of ship
ping their goods by Northern routs, will
be induced to direct them over this road.
Hundreds Of men who now stay at home,
will travel abroad, and thousands OF
dollars will be expended in our midst,
| I. a. a.. A. L