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

The increasing facilities Of transporta-
ton and intercourse in this section Of tho
state will have the effect Of conc centratifg
atcertain places the trade Of the districts
through which such facilities pass. The
Camden Branch Rail Road SIS now con.
structed to the main lind on this side Of,
the w Wateree river, and the expected COM
:pletionl of the road during this year will
necessarily draw certain portion Of
the trade of Sumter District toit' and Its
depots within our reach. Ii is. then
our interest 10 concentrate at the capital
of the district as much ofitsstrude sas we
Gun and in particulartha Of the country
lying more Immediately south and east Of.
US. Some of our planters and farmers
would be us willing to sell their cotton
and produce in Sumteryille asto send it
to Charleston, if proportionable prizes
could here be obtained after allowing for.
the circumstance that BY selling here the
seller does not bear the cost oftransporta-
tion. How then can Sumterville be made
a depot oftrade for this dictrict before the
building of the Wilmington and Manohes-
ter road? aRe 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.
ginfa and Georgia 10 assist the enterprise
to the amount Of four hundred thousand
moro being considered, besides the deter
mination of the people Of Wilmington TO
buifd tho road 10 the South Carolina line
and the desire of our people 10 carry
through the connecting link, rendcrsit
moral certainty that the road will be built,
and that before the lapse Of much time.
Resting thenon this reasonable certainty,
the benefits ofthc proposed road might be
secured to this district at once blythe con.
struction from Sumtcryillc to the Man.,
chester; depot, along tho line, of the pro-
posed road, of track of unrailcd timbers,
properly graded and lcyeled, on which
cars carrying q varying number of bales
of cotton or quantity of3proeluce might
run without much difficulty and 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 q road to this place as a depot. The
mails also could be thus carried, and even
passengers. During the'last full We tray.
eled al the north on few miles of road
ofthia kind in cars drawn by horse pow-
er. Could use be made Of fiat rails the
expense would be very greatly incrcascd,
but the facilities Of passage BY suoh use
would be much more increased, These
remarks are made on tho supposition that
the present subscribed funds oftho road
could be made use Of by permission Of
the company, or, if this is inexpcdient 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
stions, Thus, or by similar means suited
70 the end, might Sumteryille be. made a
place of much greater trade than at pre-.
sent, We arc,unablea at present to give
.-s gss
q statement ofthc probable cost Of such
an enterprise; but it is evident that tho
non-usc of iron rails would much lessen,
It, and that the work thus done would be
a certain quantity executed and ready for.
the proposed Wilmington road. These
suggestions are made with the intention of
calling the attention Of fousreflecting men
totse consideration Of the subject and Of
setting In motion whatever may be deem.
ed advisable, should it bo thought cxpedi-
ent to take any action thereon, Should
tho 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 unfavorabe circumstances not be-
built, the benefits of this cheap horse.car
road would remain, while The cost and
conduct of such a means Of conveyance
and transportation could be well borne
and would not be much felt. From the
execution OF such a measure, It appears
to us that the prosperity Of Sumterville
will be increased and that the district
through her cnnnot fail TO be heneGtted