Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-12-15
2sO,95l 3l5,sSo a9o,433

GSUS0l o!o,ooV ooU, U,too
The increase from 1881 to 1857, being in tho =
Lower Division II per centum, and in the Up-'sf
per Division GO per centum. Only apart, how
ever, of the benefits derived from railroads isI
exhibited when the increased value OF PR pertvss
is alone considered. The transportation of Z
freight on the South Carolina Railroad is at the
rate of GS-l00c per ton per mile, and the in-.,.
come being $l,500.000, it follows that the SER
vice rendered to the public for this sum is equal
to the transportation Of 100000 tons carried ).
one mile. The transportation by wagon, before :.
the establishment of railroads, was about 20 =
cents per ton per mile, and if an ample dedac3>
ton is made for river carriage, andthe average y
rate be reduced to 10 cents per ton, the trans y
portation of $4,000 900 tons at that rate would.
have cost ST., 100000. Itnow costs ST. 100000, xs,
exhibiting clear annual saving of $2,7G0 600. a:
And if we suppose that so large proportion IS,
two-thirds Of the whole income Of the road is,
derived from beyond the limits of the State, =.
there is still q saving to our own people Of
5000, 900 per annun on the transportation Of
this single road. A result that would appear
incredible If It were not oorroborated by the :!
result Of similar investigations elsewhere, BOTH
IN this and In other countries, When Il. 10 &
urged, therefore, that the stock of the Blue :
Ridge Railroad will not be profitable though =,
we differ on the most substantial grounds from s..
those who hold this opinion, the, admission.
would, by no means, be conclusive against the
prosecution of the work for tits clearly seen
that the direct profits are the least part Of the
benefits to be derived If this were not the
case, the perseverance exhibited by the whole,
country in the construction of these works;
would be wholly unaccountable. In 1880, the =,
number of miles of railroad in the United States g
T.. - =,
In 1880, the amount invested in railroads was =
$780, O00-in 1858, it is SOL, 600 00o, and y.
yet the nett earnngs during this whole period I.
conclusively that dividends are not the incentive
to the extension of railroads, and confirms the
obvious fact that they have now become an. OBJ
ject Of indispensable necessity, and the direct
profits to be derived, of mere secondary consd-
GRAFTON. They are now, not only the common g:
highway of traffic and travel, but the cheapest
method of transportation. - -$se1's
The people of the cotton growing States are 4+'
the last that should refuse to contribute their,
share to the extension Of these works. When ~.
the Liverpool and Manchester Railroad was 8:
projected in 1880, the entire exports of Ameri-
can cotton to Europe was: but 800 COO bales per-
annum and yet it YVES found impossible to
effect the transportation between these towns. ~
1t was represented to Parliament that the rivers
Irwell and Mersey and the Bridgewater Canal, :
were wholly incompetent for the traffic, and (:
that it required less time to transport cargo,
of cotton from America to England, than from -
Liverpool to Manchester.
Now the crop exceeds 100000 of bales, and
the foreign exports 2500,O00 bales What
would have been the price.of cotton, under such ).
circumstances, had railroads not been brought !,
into existence? Since 1890, sixty millions of q.
bales have been produced; if we allow nothing =,
for the influence on the price, and only estimate
the saving in tho expense Of transportation be- ),
tween the plantation and the mill, at one cent
per pound, it amounts to the enormous sum Of .
two hundred and forty millions or dollars. And
if to this be added the saving on other products .
of the South, and on the merchandise imported y
in return, and the augmentation in the value e'of
lands and negroes caused by the increased CON-.
sumption and value Of cotton, Lam persuaded 49,
we should have an aggregate sum far exceeding :,
the 5000, 100000 which the Southern and =.
Southwestern States have invested in railroads.
Their influence OH the prosperity Of the country
may be clearly traced in our foreign exports.
The exports Of the United States, from 1876 =
to 1923, twelve years averaged $50, 900 900 per :;
annum; 1928 to 1912 fourteen years, averaged =
SlOO.OO000O per annum 1912 to 1857, fifteens:a
years, averaged $500 100000 per annum., No i
comment is necessary on this statement. In,
these benefits it las been shown that South
Carolina fully participates; and though collat-
elal and perhaps unseen, they are not the less
real and substantial. But because they are not :
direct and immediate, and do not enure TO the
separate and exclusive advantage Of the stock
holder, but are thus universally and i,hpercep-ss'
libly difflsed, there is continually an obvious
conflict between the desire to procure railroads
and the disnclination to contribute private capi.
tai for their construction. Everybody recognises ).
their value, and is in favor Of building them;
but nobody is willing to contribute his money.
What is the remedy? Is any one prepared to
say that the proper alternative is to dispense
with the use of railroads. Nobody, am sure,
will assent to such conclusion. Hitherto,
States have but partially and imperlectly recog-
uised the duty to interpose and solve the diff
Guilty by throwing the burthen on the public, =
who enjoy all the benefits. In Georgia, how.
ever, this has been done, and with complete
success In South Carolina, the present under.
taking presents the highest claims on the State,
as measure in strict accordance with her de-
clared policy, political and commercial. $2000,.s~
900 have already been expended, and great pro-
sress made, and the refusal to continue the
work now will not only be attended with the
disastrous loss of all that has already been ea1l-
pended, but forever close the doors against as
direct communication between South Carolina :
and the Western States.
SrRANGE.-A very singular circumstance hap
pened to young lady in Cincinnati, . few
nights since. The evening, or rather all the day
previous, she had been complaining Of . severe
pain in the head and eyes, more particularly the
latter. Judge of her astonishmcnt and that Of
her friends, to find the following morning, that
during the night she had become completely
cross-eyed. The transformation occasioned heE:S
no additional pain, and has been SINCE q matter 8