Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1853-03-09
For the Advertiser.
RAILROAD ENTERPRISE.

owes 10 the State in which he lives. Now, we are
not about TO lecture the people Of Edscicld District
on their manifold duties to the world their country
and their Stare. We leave this for the Divine The
NIorast and the Statesman. Neither arc We about
to speak with them on these domestic duties, which
they owe to Their wives and children, but assign that
task to Mrs CAuDLE whe's able to do it most ci-
fectualy. We are about to address them on those
duties which rarakc somewhat Of Il municipal char
actcr, and which belong to them exclusively as
citizens of lIdseiicld District
In the abscncc of political excitement, and at a
time when there is no important political issue before
the people Of our State, we consider this proper
season to dis.uss and agitac those questions OF
local character. which are essential To the dcrclnp-
mcnt and prospcrity Of our District. If We r, feet
upon the various questions which affect our inter
cs,s as District, we shall find none in which 'iusc
interests are more deeply involved than in that Of
Railroads, or cheap, safe and expeditions mode of
transportation and we will venture to say that there
is no great question, Of which our people manifest
such an amount Of apathy and indifference" 1t Is
unaccountably strange that a people who arc ever
awake to their political interests, and who watch
over their ns itutions with jealous and s.ccpcss
eye, should b. so profoundly indifferent to ether
great and important subjects. The one under con-
sheraton would infusc new life into The apparently
worn out energies Of Udr District woul f"rtiy our
institutions, by developing new fields of enterprise,
which world increase the demands fer lubr and
enhance the Va nc OF our slaves.
Several years ago the construction of Railroad
from or near Aiken to. dgciic!d Court House, was
thoroughly ag.t,tcd the advantages To be derived
from such IN undertaking were ably and clniucnt.y
c.-r La, p,iil sid oprn tu lis -9lran
tagcs, with charter and large amount oi stock
subscribed to our in;IiFy and our shame, we aban-
doncd the work The. termination Of that affair
reminds us nrebly Of the mountain that was in labor
and brought l6stl mouse.
Since that time many attempts have been maze
to arouse our people to sense Of their interest and
their duty but regards necessary action, thoss'
attempts have lccn futile and vain Should We lie
cut off from participating in the Rabun Gap rrut.,
(Which we certainly slall.) it becomes to us seri
ous, ,qu ston, what shall VIC do and it remains for
us to say whether District which has c:cr main
tanned 4 high position amongst the Districts Of our
State, shall still g slun,bcr and Sleep" willie those
Districts which are our interiors in wealth, popu!a-
ton and territory are marching past us in the road
to wealth, influence and prosperity. il remains for
Us to say whether our District, which has been
foremost to act her part in the councils and the
battle fields Of her country. will for the future hang
as dead weigh, in the chariot Wheels Of our States
progrc ssion. God forbid that such should be the
case We yet have % n?den e in our pcopc, and
We hope the line is not far distant, when they will
arouse themselves and SIC the necessity for prac.
teal and united effort, for the purpose Of establish NJ
Railroad from pr near Aiken to our Village This
route has Lecn surveyed and pronounced the cheap.
est and most advantageous one we could find. 1t
can be built as cheap as any road in the country
equal length. Nature has almost done every thin
for us, except laying down the track. building cars
and steam eng ncs and this shc rcfus' to do, OH the
ground that we are able to do it ourselves
This Railroad would prove itself Il most powerful
agent for the development Of the varied resources
of our District, and further enhancement of our
landed property and willie it would pay COOL divi-
dends to the stockholders, cxp> rience has drmn-
strated, that the increased vu Of lnIs within the
range of its Influence would more than ray for The
Road. Our population would cease to crngratr, an
many wandering son Of "old Edgcfcld," would !
return home, and rejoice to sec his native Dstric,
advancing in wealth, happiness and prosperity. Our
worn out lands would again BE- calle,l into use, and
W hp NJ oyn6
ture, would be rendered rs productive and as valu-
able as onr best lands; even cur pine lands which /
VIC are apt to look upon as worthless, would furnish
timber aud fuel for the road and the profits aring
from this source ould enhance those lands a!rlazl.-
ly. New sources of wealth of which we never
dreamed, would spring up on every hand to rcn,l,r
US prosper Gus and independent.
In M District in our State arc the clements of
wealth and greatness TO be found in greater abun-
dance. In some parts we have an incalcu!aLe
amount of timber, which cannot be cut in conse-
qucnce Of its distance from market and the expense
Of haulage in other parts we have an abundance of
water power, adapted for Saw Mills and manuElc-
turing purposes, were it not for the cost Of rasr-
taton.
A Railroad to connect with the South Carolina
Railroad, would remove the greatest obstacle with
which we, as District, have To contend. The cost
Of transporting varied products which now hang
heavily upon US, would then be trillng indeed. Our
lumber which cannot now be hauled to our village,
distance of eight or Ten miles, for less than five
dollars per thousand feet, coul then be forwarded
to Charleston from Edgcicld Court House at the
same price, distance Of enc hundred and fifty
miles, and our farmers might forward their cotton
to Charleston, for less than it eusts them to haul it
10 Hamburg
This enterprise would change the Whole aspect of
affairs in our District new era would dawn upon
us; old things would literally pass away, and every
thing become new. Hoping that our people may
soon be led to think and act this matter, we bid
you good bye. PRO BONO PCBLICO. Il