The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-11-02
Railroad Charges.

The increased charges for rreirh, oud
passengers OH the Greenville Railroad has
eXclted some dlspleasure with those who
arc not stockholders in the Company. They
who never subscribed to build the Road. or
subscribed very inadequatcIy if they did.
are quite clamorous. There NAV be Others
who complain, and to such especially we
wouIdRddress few words.
We take the charges paid hy passengers
to Columbia, and it will be seen that thew
save just five dollars in going Ly railroad
mstca'l Of stages This is not all they
save one days time, which, to business men
IS something. Moreover, they save two davs
jolting in stagc-c coach in hot weather or
cold weather, or moderate weather, which is
something, also, to a man who regards his
comfort, bodily and mentally.
The passage to Columbia by railroad ;s
seven dollars, and breakfast with our friend
br"yles Is fifty cents. The passengers
reach Columbia to dinner. Seven dollars
and iItty cents is all the expenses incurred
by railroad, and YOU ride pleasantly on
cushioned Seats, without Jolt.
by stage, the charge was ten dulI,rs-
titty cents for breakfast at COL McNccley's
fifty cents for dinner at Mr.. Littlc's, one dol.
lar for supper and lodging at NcwLcrry, and
nifty cents for breakfast at MIR. Summers
making twelve dollars and fifty cents. Sub
tract from this amount seven dollars and
nifty cents, the expenses on the Railroad, and
you have five dollars saved, besides the
DAY time, the thousand and one jolts, and
the bodily suffering in hot weather and in
cold weather.
Now, iii all canlor, We ask why is It that
We abuse Railroad, or the Directors Of n
kaliroad, for this saving of money. time
and suffering! Because, says the ,rrnbler
The saving might be more, and ought to b.
more, and is more on all tho ether roii-
roads, Well, admitting this to h., trur
still there is no injury done the traveller bv
this change i'll the mode of travelling. But
are the Directors to blame They have
less freight and less travel on their Road
than on the other Southern railroads, on &C.
GaAEHhb GaEoh, Waltz the Of "fat; fbainess &c If they lad
more freight and more passengers, they
could afford to charge less
But it is said that the Railroad is pub
lie matter, and was intended for public ac-
This may be very true in
part. But we must remember, also, that
the Road is private property, and owned hv
private Stockholders, who ought to have
ONE regard To their own interest as well as
the interest Of the public. Not only they
who subscribed, but those who did not sub
scribe, ride alike over the Road.
The Company isin debt, and have Il right
to try and make enough to pay their debts.
This is honest and praiscworthy, and no
one ought to object to it. The Company
do moi force man to ride on their road or
to send his goods by tho Road. 1t is Il vol
untary thing on his part, and he has no
right to complain.
A man who subscribcs sixty thousand
dollars, as Mr.. McBee did, ought to see tha,
his stock yields him something But it will
be said by those who are not stockholders,
that the Company would make more by
charging less. It is right and fair, howcv-
er, to permit the Company to Judge Of this
matter for themselves. Not one dollar vet
has a stockholder received on his stock du-
ring the last seven or eight years! With
what face, knowing this fact, can passcn-
ger complain Of his charges? If the Com
pany were dividing enormous profits on
stock, then it might be matter of COM
plaint, having a charter from the State
which excludes competition. But it is the
way of the world, if you do man a favor
he will think, after awhile, you ought to do
him greater one, and if you refuse or can
not, he will abuse you for it.
Southern Patriot.
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The TELEGRAPH TO LAURENs G.. IL
We are pleased to state that Messrs. Porne-
roy d Edwards, the rentlemanly contractors