Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-02-06
From the Chronic & Sentinel, Jan. "a.
EDGEFIELD and AUGUSTA RiILRAOD.

Legislature OF South Carolina had, at its las
sessions granted perpetual character for build
!. ing Raroad from Augusta via Edgefeld
IT,, 10 any point ON the GreenvilIe & Columbi:
Railroad in South Carolina. 1t i. Also knowr
that the Lrgi,ature'of that State at the same
session, granted m amendment 10 the churte,
of the Savannah Valley Railroad Company
giving them permission, under certain conditions
to cross u Bull Sluice, and build their RoaG
from Anderson G. H., S. g., 10 Augusta. So
that Augusta now has two pro jects offered fol
extending her system OF Railroads into the inte,
rior of South Carolina. If our city be wise
she will use every cXrrtion to have both these
Roads built into Carolina. But it she canno
construct both of them, and must needs select
i between them, wish to present Il few thought:
why our town oughtto give the preferences tc
the Edgefrld Road
|. 1t is the shortest connection that Augusta
can forhi with the great Rabun Gap Railroad
I'by small subscription on the part OF the city
| am informed by reliable authority, that the
Road can eusily be built, if Augusta will aid the
friends of the measure in South Carolina, by q
subscription Of two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, whereas at least half million of city
funds will be necessary to secure the construc.
ton of the Savannah Valley Road.
2. The distance from Augusta to Anderson
! bv the Edgefeld Road, via New Market, is but
fve or at most, but srven miles further, than by
the Valley Road and Augusta canthus connect
with the Rabun Gap Road two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars cheaper than she can by
the Valley Road.
3. The proposed Edgefeld Road would not
only bring US groceries and provisions from the
West, but it would also fetch us vast deal OF
cotton, which is now sold at Abbeville C. H.
Laurens C. H., Newberry c. H., and at Colum.
bia This cutlon would necessarily find its
way 10 Augusta BY the Edgeiield Road, because
we can and do always give more for cotton than
any interior marke. in South Carolina, because
we have choice of i,co suaports and can forward
produce with greater certainly cheapness ana
dispatch than any inland town of South Carroll.
na, except Hamburg, by reason of the fact, that
competition among the three routes from this
place 10 Charleston aud Savannah, enable US to
send the same article from Augusta 10 the sea.
board for fifty per cent, less freight than has to
be paid on It from Columbia 10 Charleston.
T. The Edgefeld Road might he built to
Newberry c. T., and thence to Chester c. H.
| MS there is now charter'for n Railroad from the
former TO the latter place and when the connec.
ton is made between Greensboro, N. c. and
Danvile, Va.,Augusta will then have two rival
routes for the great Northern and Southern
trade and travel, passing through her limits
Tie Edgefeld Road being the shorter and the
more direct Of the routes, us we'll as running
tarlhrst from the Southern Atlantic Cities would
necessarily get most OF the business. This
! EdgelieId Road would restore the great North
ern and Southern trade and travet to the identi.
cal channel, which it followed previous to the
day of Railroads.
s. flhe Edge(irld railroad be built TO New
berry c. H., it will there connect with the Laurens
! road, which will undoubtedly be extended some
day, either 10 Spartanburg or Greenville c. H..
from one of Which places the long talked OF
French Broad road, will certainly be Quilt before
many years. The people of East Tennessee
and Western North Carolina as we'll as those
of Grcenville and Spartanburg Districts, in
South Carolina, are now agitating the subject,
and meet with considerable encouragement.
Besides, if the Edgefield road be continued from
Newberry G. H., TO Chester C. H., under the ex-
listing charter, it will likewise incrsect the Spar
tanbnrg and Union road, which is now bring
! built. So that. if the Edgcfed Road were built,
from Augusta TO Chester, our town would be
connected by direct communication with the
j Greenvile and Columbia railroad, the Rabun
! Gan road, the French Broad road, Should it ever
be but,) the Laurens road the Spartanburg
and Union road, and the Charlotte road, all at Il
point abore Columbia :,
6. Augusta now gets most Of the produce of
the Savannah Valley, by The river and canal.
Therefore, the Valley railroad would only be
valuable TO her, as Il connecting link with the
Rabun Gap road, which will not be completed
in many years, and perhaps never, rs that road
has 10 be built over q very rugged country,
! through tunnels that will cost untold millions
and the State of South Carolina may abandon
the enterprise. 1t is an undertaking by the
State and city of Charleston. The former has
one million Of subscription in it, and has indor.
sed the bonds of the company for another mil
hon Of stock in it, while pricaie endlviduels own
but about half million Of its stock. The. RI.
! bun Gap project met with very formidable oppo'
sition in South Carolina, and t,at opposition
is increasing instead Of diminishing, from
the fact that the people of Carolina are now be-
ing heavily taEed to pay interest on the State
bonds which were issued to procure the mil ior
of money that the State subscribed. II is abso
luteIy certain that the State will have to grant
more aid to The Rabun Gap Company, or The
Road will never be completed; and from ap
pearances, the planters will not submit 10 have
their taxes raised still higher, especially as South
Carolina is at present engaged in erecting very
costly State House, which must be built BY
issuing o;hr- bonds 10 an amount exceeding {
million, and taxing the people to pay the inter
est ON them, and some day 10 redeem the princi
pal. | was told, recently, by "A distinguished
CHolinian, that he had serious fears OF th'
Rabun Gap road being abandoned, and that ht
thought the people would turn their attention
TO tho French Broad road, which has always
been the route to the west most favored BY
South Carolina. But North Carolina steadily
refused, for many years, to grant charter te
the French Broad road, and South Carolln;
Z only adopted the Rabun Gap project as Il last
chance to connect with the West. There is {
strong party, however, in Carolina, anxious tc
build both roads: and the proposed Edgetielc
road would connect Augusta with the kabur
Gan or the French Broad route, whenever ethe
1 or both should be built. The French Broac
road must, in The nature of things, be completed
some time. rs there is now charter for The
whole of it, and Augusta will be blind to he'
interest if she fails to throw out her arms to in
tersect all the Carolina roads above Columbia
I. If Augusta subscribes $500, 600 TO th'
Valley road, she will have to give bonus, per
haps, of Sl0O, 600 10 the Rabua Gap road, o
stock in that road to the extent of half, o
whole million, for the privilege of forming con
neciion at Anderson c. II.
8. lfAugusta fails to get the Edgefeld roa'
connecting her with Chester e. H. direct, nnothe
road will be surely built from Atlanta or Wash
ington, in Georgia, 10 Anderson or AbbevilL
c. H., in Carolina, and thence to Chester &. H
or to Charlotte, in N. c., thus carrying busines
above, not through onr city. The people in tn