Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-02-14

own handlwOrks-the naturallst-lhese Woulu say,
&c Mason, spare that rock!" The utarian (and lie
is The for this age) cries aloud Blow tito pieces
and make me kitchen chmney!'
Tho Aiken and Ninety-Six Connection.
We desire to know what has become of the project
OF connecting the GreenviIle and Columbia, and the
South Carolina Railroads, by line to be run from
Aiken to Ninety.Sir Depot, to New Market, or to
Greenwood or to other point hereabouts 1t was
said to be matter determined upon by the Greenrille
and Columbia Railroad Company; and the intimation
was thrown ont, that the location was the only point
left to be decided. Whereupon, certain citizens oi
Edgeirld who favored the route by the way OF their
Court House village forward and subscribed some
one hundred and fifty thousand dollars on condition
that their choice should be selected by the Company
Will. sundry other citizens, moved by similar con-
sideraonso OF selinterest subscribed quite handsome
y on condition that the line should be by the way
of the Mathis road, Lofts, &c., to Aiken. We
all set bidding in this way and did bid, route
at least good round sum Of money for these hard
times 1t was all bona fde subscription too-not
dollar there that would not have sprung forward at
any time obedien TO the call Of the Confanys Presl-
dent Yet after all, the whole matter seems now to
lie hushed in the calm epose ola sleep that resembles
death ITSELF Last winter it was said" now ornever
our charter to this connecting link must be secured
at once and the road must be built forthwith" The
session of our Legislature came on-applicauon was
made for extension of time in which to secure said
charer-it was granted, and suddenly the enterprise
fell into the noiseess background which ii now oc-
cupies.
Some have said there are controlling interests in the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad Company, which
have compelled this s,agnation-that the people of
Newberry and Columbia are opposed to the building
of this branch, the ground that their main trunk
from the neighborhood of Greenwood down TO Co.
umbia will be impaired thereby, and, more especially
because those towns will themselves be injured in the
result. Can this be so! We put the question: not IN
reference to the consideration Of injury to be sustained
but upon the charge preferred of stockholders being
thus influenced in deciding against the construction OF
the branch to Aiken. Can it be so!
If left to answer the question ourself we should re-
ply most empatically in the negative. We have known
much of the enterprise and sagaciy OF many leading
stockholders in the Greenville and Columbia Road
We have watched them as they surmonnted difficulty
after difficulty in their arduous path, until their efforts
were at length crowned wita success. Nor have we
been remiss in awarding them the need of praise
which they have 80 richly meri,ed. From beginning
to end, we have been impressed with an idea of the
remarkable intelligence, spirit and ibtrality which IN
almost all instances have marked the actings and do
ings of this comparatively young Company. knowing
thus their antecedents, are slow 10 believe that
there are now among them those who, by a narrow
and selfish line of policy, would mar the fair fame OF
their past endeavors. We are slow 10 admit that the
petty fear of nurng Newbvrry village, or the town OF
Columbia, will be suffered to weigh for one moment
against the mperious necessity which is calling louder
and louder every month for the building of the branch
10 Aiken The able Directory of that Road see, as
we'll rs any one ese the efforts that making by the
SpartanburS Railroad Company TO outsrip all other
competitors for the carrying Of the produce of the
Western Interior. They see too that the Savannah
Valley Railroad is at length placed almost beyond a
contingency. They know lha! the distance from An.
derson to Charleston uia le "Valey Road, will be
much shorter than the distance uia the c. e. G.. Rail-
road as il now stands They know that if the Sa-
vanah Valley Road be built, and no change be made
in their road The former must and will do all the
carrying iur the Charleston trade. They know that,
having connected Greenwood and Aiken by branch
railroad, the G. IL &. Railroad Company will be en-.
abled to offer facilities for the Charleston trade, which
no other projected road can compete with They know
that even then their road from Greenwood to Culum-
ba would carry the trade destined for the middle dis
tricts of the Stale which would in all probability still
enable the Company realise handsome profits in that
quarter. They know that if they do not build the
branch to Aiken their road must lose the bulk of lha,
immense stream of trade and travel which is to be
opened upon us by the Rabun Gap railroad. And,
lastly, they know that the said Rabun Gap Railroad
is now " fixed fact"
Perceiving these several conclusions, as they mus.
do it cannot be that the Directory Of the G. g. c.
Company are wilfully closing their eyes 10 The impor
tance OF the Aiken branch. There must be oher
cause for their present inactivity, which we on the
EJgeield side of the Sauda are not able to discover
1t may be sort Of q" mastery inactivity" for anghl
we know. If SO, beg to be instructed in its merits
Or it may be that the Company are not able (pecuni
arily) 10 begin The work. If this surmsc be right in
the name of Prudence let know, that We may all
fall to work and yet raise the amount Of funds that
may be necessary.
In conclusion, again ask, what has become OF
the aforesaid connecting link! Will not some one
who knows be good enough TO enlighten us! Many
will anxiously await the answer.
We are aware that the charter is not yet secured.
But we hear of no further effort towards that end
is this deathlike sagnaon which we desire explained
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