The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1848-02-23
"a SUGGESTION.

%s,aA He IHCIeaSlHS idctilleS OIL StiuIlSpOgtd.
ton and: intercourse in this section of, the
state will have the effect of conc ncentrating
at certain places the trade Of tile districts
through which such facilities pass. The
Camden Branch Rail Road is now CON.
structed to the main land on this side Of,
the The. Wateree river, and the expected COM.
3p!leiion !l of the road during this year will
necessarily draw certain portion ofl
the trade of Sumter District toit and lie
depots within our reach. It is then
our interest TO concentrate ut the capital,
Of the district as muchAof itstruI lis We
can and inparticular that Of The country
lying more Immediately south and east Of
US. Some of our planters and farmers
would be as willing to sell their cotton
and produce in Sumterville as send it
to Charleston, if propoftionable prices
could here be obtained after allowing for
the circumstance that BY selling here the
seller does not bear the cost oftransporta-
.ion. How then can Sumterville be made
a depot oftrade for this dictrict before the
building of the Wilmington and Manches-
ter road? aVe suggest the following
means, after the recollection Of one or two
preliminary remarks. The amount Of
seven hundred thousand dollars being
subscribed to the Manchester road and
the evident and strong disposition Of the
roads to the north and south Of us in Vir-
ginia and Georgia TO assist tho enterprise
to the amount Of four hundred thousand
moro being considered, besides the deter
mination of the people Of Wilmington TO
build the road 10 the South Carolina line
and the desire of our people To- carry
through the connecting link, render ii 4
moral certainty TINT the road will be built,
and that before the lapse of much lime.
Resting then on this reasonable certainty,
the benefits Of the proposed road might be
secured to this district nj once by the con.
struction from Sumtcrvillc 70 the Man.
chester depot, along tho iines of the pro-
posed road, of a track of unrailed tiinbcrs,
properly graded and lcyeled, on which
cars carrying q varying number of bales
Of cotton or quantity of;pro.Iucc might
run without much difficulty md be drawn
by horse power. All freight, too, destin-
ed for the greater part Of the district bo-
low'and east of us might be brought on
such road to this place us depot. The
mails also could be thus carried, and even
passengers. During tle'last full we trav-
eled at the north on few miles Of road
of this kind in oars drawn by horse pow.
er. Could use be made of fiat rails the
expense would be very greatly Increased,
but the facilities Of passage by such use
would be much more increased, These
remarks are made on tho supposition that
the present subscribed funds ofthe road
could be made use of, by permission Of
the company, or, ifthis is inexpedient or
impossible, that funds might be subscribed
for the purpose and that the work done
might be sold to- the rail road company
when they were able TO commence opera.
iions, Thus, or b.. similar means suited
to the end, might Sum,eryille bo made a
place OF much greater trade thun at pre-.
sent We are unable at present to give
statement ofthe probable cost Of such
an enterprise; but it is evident that the
non-usc Of iron rails would much lessen,
It, and that the work thus done would he
q certain quantity executed and ready for
The proposed Wilmington road. These
suggestions are made with the intention of
calling the attention of ourreAecting men
to the consideration Of the subject and Of
setting In motion whatever may be deem
ed advisable, should it be thought expedi-
ent to take any action thereon. Should
the Wilmington road be built, Of which
we have no doubt, this measure would
only hasten an expected result; and should
it from the occurrence of any unforeseen
and unfavorable circumstances not be
built, the benefits of this cheap horsc-car
road would remain, while the cost and
conduct Of such a means Of conveyance
and transportation could be we'll borne
and would not be much fell. From the
execution Of such a measure, It appears
to us that the prosperity Of Snmterville
will be increased and that the district
through her cannot fail to be benefited.