Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-08-24
VOL. XIX.--.NO. 30.

| ty barren sand hills; The lew thrlfty cltHehS,
ne saw-mill mcn, who raft and trade to Char
| lesion.
The descent from the ridge above Aiken, wo
all know, is very difficult, q believe the inclined
plane there, which origin lily was scarcely three
! quarters of mile long, has cost in all proba-
! billy nearly million OF dollars.) and will bo
alike difficult to both routes.
Now, let US turn once more to the Ridge
route proper. We have grade out from Ham,
burr about four miles long, SO feet to the mile,
then one level mile, then about three miles more
So feet grade, (if no better valley can be- found,
which Ihnk can,) then all trouble is over-a
splendid, level, dry, "Ridge Road" all the way,
| to witnin seven miles of Columbia, not single
! tresse required on the whole route, and popula-
ton all Inc way. Ii We take the Lexington route
fr, there is the town ITSELF then the large setteS
mrnts Of Hollow, Clouds, Dry, and Mine creeks,
and .hcn The wealthy, thriving town of Edge
/ field, with lis plank road from the Pine House.
TO nine miles above the village then the thick,
wealthy settlements Immediately on the line, in
all over lwen 10 one on The sand hill route. Tho
Ridge route proper can be built for about $780,
00O less money han the sand hill route.
The Engineers estimate you will bear in
mind. VA, not made on the Ridge Route pro-
pc, but on the Lexington route, which IS u half
Il mile longer, and Il bridge over twelve mile
| creek with heavy establishments on both sides.
feel perfectly confident the Ridge Route
can be run, in from fifteen TO thirty minutes less
time than the Sand Hill" route, and nothing il
mure certain, than that it will cost less to keep
i: in repair, although it may be four or FIVE miles
longer.
Iconsulted Edgar Thompson, one of the best
Engineers in the Union on the routes, and his
answer was very prompt: always take Ridge
route If you can get one" (not across The ridges
as pe' lower roule,) The expenses on good ridge,
says he, are cut down every way. in first cost, i'll
aner repairs, in saving Of lime, and oien very
greatly in suits for damages. Look for instance
III your little iolkviile ridge road, now paying
pet cent.
Then, sir, the feeders are always important,
and on this route will most likely grow more
and more so. For sir, We must look forward to
the ii ne, when we may loose this through tra-
VEIL you can keep it 20 years, yes, sir, l5
years. undi,turbrd, ii will Le "Dorn Gold
Niue" to your Charlotte road, giving an increase
Of passage money alone Of 100000 yearly,
and hope vii. do us well for our beautiful Cap
i,aI. llle p, ciliest city on EARTH
Now, lei us look everything fairly in the face,
Suppose, in that lime The through travel is lost,
bi!I, OIL llle lower route: with all those stiff
grades, deep cuts and high tressels, through
swampS. sparseiy inhabited country, with poor
pnpuiatiop. whas becomes tlsn, Of your road 3--
Why, viii lay nto1szt
,nem Of the tolly of those whose Influence car
ried il LHert;-%Iii!e The Ridge or Lexington
route would always keep itself up, and add to
tne pr6speriiy OF your city; and what would
our old travellers say, who used to travel the
Ridge load years ago! They would say why are
We dragged through these sand hills and swamps
and over all lbi, tressel, and up and down stiff
grades, and deep cuts, ard our old flvorile ridge
road just above us? Then dissatisfied they would
return home, agitate, and finally build road
arross from Georgia to Abbeville, and New
berry to Chester, and your travel is gone, sir,
never to return.
Bu, hope, gentlemen, you all have had
enough Of lreSsel, and water, and deep cuts,
Sc. think Congaree, Waleree, Sanlee and
Broad rivers ough. to satisfy South Carolina
ful many lears 10 come L. had been said, the
sand hills will become y manufacturing coun-
Try" Never, sir, in our day, nor in ,he next hun
dfed years, 10 any extent. God forbid, for hu-
marIiiys sake. il ever should. Climate. soil, hot
day, >unry nights, every, hing is against it. An
ope:a i've would do murif be,ter;in i factory in
the mountain valleys, at $500, than in the sand
hits al Sl2 per month. There the nights and
days are cool, and his little garden yields him
abundance for Ills Toll, line large cabbage, not
little silkly coilGrd, and fine pure mountain
wa,eT, Ieap.ng and lumbling hcadlong from rock
TO rock, until asled iuio spray and foam, and
uy i,s murmurng water he is lulled into sweet
refreshing sleep.
A word, now, for Lexington C. II. 1t would
increase The cost, perhaps $4,000 and dis
lance Of half mile. But, sir, il stands GER
lain jecler (orercr-trn passengers 4 day at least
Then do moi sacrifice permanent advantage for
one minu.e's run, and lew thousand dollars.
A few more words and have done. In
CHOOSING your future officers, choose them cau-
.uusIy, lcl them be identified with Columbia.
Lei your President be citizen of the town or
is vicinity and, above ALL let me warn you, t"
eject no man, who owns property, or lives OH
any of The proposed routes between Columbi;I
and Hamburg. if you do not want your road
warped 10 sui. his own private purposes. You
have plenty of aa!e men among you. 1t would
perhaps, be presumption in me to name them,
bui, do repeat, keep off MEN living on tho
route, n Ieas., un.il your road ia built.
Our Railroads when built, becomes part OF
our history, and We have Il right to speak OF
Them freely, lhai we may profit by their iaings1
or periections, either Of construction or mall
agement. Now, sir, just place your finger oil
our new Sia.e map, and hight in the most dis
torted railroad curves you will there easily per-
ceive were the residences, or property OF tho
Presidents or influential Directors, when those
roads were building.