Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-07-06
From the Hamburg Republican.

pose OF receiving subscriptions for The cousruc-
tiou Of the Savannah Valley Railroad and as
Tie success of that project is of the most vital
Importance TO our town, and to our friends up
the river, it may not be amiss to talk the matter
over and familiarize ourselves with the great
results that will inevitably flow from it. There
is degree of opposition existing, in certain
quarter, against this enterprise, an opposition
which first exhibited itself in the committee
room where the Charter was discussed and
prepared for the action of the General Assem-
bly,. There 1t made its appearance in the most
malignant form, and the project was denounced
in unmeasurcd terurs as being conceived in pre-
judice and hostile opposition to the Greenvillc
and Colombia road. Bitter indeed were the
-Yrn11rks made on that occasion by the distin-
guiShed gentleman who descended from the
dignity Of high functionary, and who dis
mantled himself of the silken gown, wherein
Justice was wont to hold her sway TO raise his
voice in opposition to 4 great enterprise, and to
hurl his wrath and indignation at a people for
daring to interfere with his interests in asking
the pririlege of constructing railroad that
might, in some future contingency, rival the
one whose "head and front" he has the honor
to be. That this opposition extended, and still
cxteGds farther than tic contracted seliishness
of this notable functionary, there can be no sort
Of doubt, for have conversed with number
of gentlemen who are largely interested in that
great work, the Greenvilc and Columbia road,
md not one of them have heard express theni-
selves favorable to our proposed road, the bare
mention of the Savannah road invariably calls
up smile of derision and contempt, which is
followed by arguments, unfavorablc to the pro-
ject, as weak as the motive is selfish. We are
told by these gentlemen that road up the
Savannah river will be dead weight upon the
stockholders; that it can never declare 4 dlri-
dend and that it cannot even receive business
enough 10 keep the track in repair and cars
upon it. And | confess have been surpriSep
20 hear some men, who have some little claims
to intelligence, and who should have some pride
in advancing the greatness and glory Of their
State, rcsorting TO these low, sordid: selfish
means TO cripple an enterprise of so much pro-
mise, and Of so much Importance to the western
boundary Of the State Such an opposition is
not only ungenerous and ilIibcral but it is at
variance with the true spirit of tie times. We
want communication with every point, and tncili-
ties for transporting produce 10 every market
and this is true system OF progress 1t IS i'm
polite, unwise and injudciuus in any section Of
u country or Statg TO attempta monopoly by
cripling the energies and supprcssing the re-
sources Of sister sections. Railroad enterprise
has higher and nobler end to attain. Its mis-
sion is 10. open the mast Of the world, and to
afford to each and every individual Il way--as
he most assuredly has the right to go when and
where he pleases, and 10 buy and.scll in that
market which best suits his taste and convc-
niencc.
Iwould not be understood as saying that the
Grcenve and Columbia railroad company are
unanimously opposed to our road, far be it, for
know there are many hightoncd gentlemen be-
longing to that company, and men who have
more extended and more liberal views whose
souls, unliks others, could not be encompassed
in the shell of q cabbage seed. And from
many such we expect to receive t. material aid
for the accomplishment Of our purpose.
The lime has been when opposition could
find argument to sustain short sighted policy
and to prove the non paying diriaenduga OF
Railroads. 1t WIS time when this system OF
improvement was in its iuflncy, and when the
minds OF th"se who embarked in it were clog
ged with ignorance and the widest notions Of
{ fanry and extravaganza. lis novelty rendered
itimposs..: ss!!or human wisdom TO guard against
:lcsSpess and extravaganza, but that time
- ,,S pissed and VIC now. have the full benefit OF
S,aithe experience WHICH it has cost hundreds
ofsmillions to acquire.
===s4t.- system OF enterprise and improvement
which has attracted the attention of the world
for quarter Of century, and has called forth
the genius, the skill and The energy Of mankind,
and which ias become All interest more pro-
missing than anr other, cannot be the mere spec
ulation of chnr,cal mindS. 1t can no longer
DC doubted that railroads are the realization OF
the practical common sense of. the age. 1t is
TO longer Il subject Of derisire laughter that
men should set down and calmly calculate an
iron track from the shores of the Atlantic to
the sands OF the Pacific, of bridging the great
father of waters, and of cXc:vating i subtara-
mean thoroughtare through the giant hills OF
The west. Nor is il matter of astonishment
that the 10000 miles Of railroad now in opera
tion in the world length more than sufficient
TO belt the globe, is actually paying an average
annual dividend OF 5 per cent. Railroad enter
prise has grown up TO goodly stature, and the
advancement Of civilization, and the wealth of
nations, which has crowned her glorious mis-
sions, attess the great truth Of the bcniticent
Influence which she excrts over the whole hui
man family.
Il propose, Mr.. Editor, 10 discuss two propo-
si!lon5 in relation to our projected enterprise,
First, that The road will Increase the value OF
reaf estate sufficiently to make the stock 4 pro-
vitablc in; estment 10 the planters along the
line, and secondly, that the stock will pay Il
liberal per ccntagc the capital invested. |
shall argue the affirmative and endearer TO es-
tabish both points.
The history of railroads is 4 history of ap-
probation of landed property, and wherever 4
road has yet been constructed the value OF
real property has been raised sufficiently to pay
the entire cost of the road. And this fact is
familiar 10 almost every ole, for here ut our
own doors upon the line of the South Carolina
road, We have Witnessed the gradual apprccia-
tioa OF Lands from twenty five cents per acre, =
price ut which thousands of acres could have
been purchased before the building Of that road,
TO $3 so 10 S5 per acre the present value. And
on the GreenviIle and Columbia road we have
witnessed the same results but in q greater
degree-s.A very Intelligent planter recently
t9ld'4Rg.that lands in many places along that
rGadSssd advanced from So to S5 per acre, and
III some instances double that amount. Were
to 60 farther, could introduce an hundred
instances of 4 similar character Lands upon
the Georgia Road, that were once a worthless
wilde: Immediately upon the construction Of
that road sprang up one, two and three hundred
per cent. In Tennessee the same results have
followed the track Of the iron horse. And in
many Of the western States fevcred specua-
ton has sprung up all along the lines Of propo-
sed roads. In Illinois, the sale of land has
been suspended, so great is the demand, and so
rapid is the rise in value. The Central Road
of that State, one of the greatest and best en-
terprises Of the times reachins as it does from