Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-03-15


But unfortunately for their brilliant prospects ma
ture and reason are against the advocates Of bee
line-In fact they have but one argument: the
Ridge route is deviation from right line This
objection is easily answered. 1t is admitted on all
sides, at least we have never heard it denied, that
the lower route would involve Company to much
greater extent than the upper route AL that stuff
about scarcity of timber on the Ridge has already
been confuted b. writer Of tact and experience
Now the heights and distances are, matter Of
course, to be aseertancd by corps Of competent
Engineers. Still We think it mast be obvious to a
casual observer tha the inequalities Of the country,
through which is fosnd the straight line, would
present difficulties almost nsupcrable and we think
it equally obvious to all thinking that train Of
cars running ON so good Road as might be easily
built on the Ridge could than gain any num-
Der Of niles supernduced by the detection. It has
been suggested by some writer, haidng from Edsto-
that the direct route alone should be looked TO in
order to avoid those dangerous curves, which are
the terror Of travecrs,Ljust as if frequent and
sudden turns woald be necessary in a Champaign
country like the Ridge. We might retort by in
quiring how he expects to avoid curves on the lower
routcl BY "raking down" the hills and filling up
the valleysl That would be labor Herculean in
deed for the hills on the Edisto look mere like
mountains than anything we have this side OF
Pckcns or Greenville; bcaidcs, the cuts, owing 10
the nature Of the soil, would have to be made two
or three times the usual width Perhaps he would
tunnel some of the highest peaks By-lhe-by, the
man who undertook that part Of the work would be
apt to realize the idea of that famous rope Of
sand,p which has 50 often served orators for
smile.
One other suggestion in regard to the location of
this Road. The South Carolina Rail Road from
Augusta to Charleston, which has hitherto been the
great artery for through travel, was built through
part of, the country too sterile to afford a single
good farm. This has given travellers and emigsans
but poor opinion of the resources of our State.
Would it not be well for few model farms to
mink at strangers as they wllz through our little
Commonwealth? The lands on the Ridge are not
only level, productive and susceptible Of the highest
state Of cultivation, but there is something tran
quillzing inviting and Arcadian in the very aspect
of the country. Passing through so lovely see
ton as this travellers would be induced to stop and
inquire the price of land with with view to bring
ing capital and pc,lance an interesting family into
the State which we oil profess to love well.
But our task is NOT finished yet. We nust be
allowed TO say something abont taking Stock. For
although nature has done much, yet much more
must be done by the citizens, if they wish to put
themselves in communication by steam with the
world at large. There is competition in the field.
Without prompt and liberal subscription on the
pnrt Of those most interested, the chances for q
" Rail Road from Columbia TO Hamburg, via the
Ridge" will hive been lost forever. In fact, we
believe it will require all the floating capital in the
country to secure the Ruad. The Wilmington &
Manchester Company, flushed with their recent
success, seem determined to push their enterprise
on through to Hamburg. The only chance then is
to anticipate the rival Company. a heavy sub
serpton and m immediate, authoritative reprcscn-
ation of the great natural advantages Of the upper
route, by the way of the Ridge, would compel those
widc-awakc f"ks, ",yay down on the Pee Dec" to
stop at Manchester. AND why should any one
hesitate to subscribe TO the extent Of his ability
People would do well to call to mind the fact that
this Rail Road is to constitute essential link in
the chain of Roads connecting the Gull of Mexico
with the great Northern Cites-we had almost said
bringing into Commercial and social relation each
with the other, every important sectiOn in the AT
lantic slope!
This Road would be one Of the cheapest struc-
lures Of the kind in the world, and the cost Of re-
pairs would be merely nominal. Here there is
fine oppor,unity-be,tcr than any Savings Bank-of
making profitable and secure investment, which
will pay, as is confidently believed, handsome
per cen, at the outset, lOith an uppard tendency.
When duty and interest, patriotism and State pride
unite in making call upon the libcraty of our
citizens surclysurcly they will not fail to respond
in such manner as to convince distant capitalists
that they intend to perform their part in building
and properly equiping the Columbia and Hamburg
Rail Road. CULAEN.
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