Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-09-07


more effectually conceived than that Of aban
doning the Blue Ridge Rail Raad and forming
connection with the West by Spartanbur!
and Abbeville. This would avert all the travc
to the West from Greenviue. Families -esi
ding in the mountains during the snmme
season would no longer pass by Greenville
The Western trade would no longer come t
Greenville. Our merchants would cease tt
sell the goods now annually disposed of te
visitors, Western travellers, and the citizens o
North Carolina aud Tennessee. Our hotels
would have to beshut up. The farmers wants
no longer find market for their produce il
the village and along the public road leading
over the mountains. The source Of all oul
growth and prosperity would be gone. And
yet there are persons in Greeuville who ad
vocate this ruinous policy; persons who pro-
pose to throw away three millions and hall
of dollars spent on the Blua Ridge Rail Road
and encourage the States embarking in an
other effort to connect herself with the West
by this other route over the mountains at an
immense and unknown expense to her treasu'
ry and her citizens. This is proposed, too,
by citizens of Greenvile, when its effect
would be the ruin already stated to their
District.
On the other hand the Blue Ridge Rail
Road, while it opens direct Communication
from Greenvile to the Vest interferes with
none of her interests or sources of wealth and
prosperity. The terminus of the Greenville
and Columbia Rail Road still remains at our
beautiful and prosperous little village. The
trade of the Western portion Of North Carroll.
ma will still come to Greenville. The travel
over the mountains will. still continue through
our district. The merchants will be left Sc.
cure in their business. The hote' s will still
have their increasing custom, and the farmers
their steady market for large portion of
their surplus crops of provisions, &c. The
mechanic and manufacturing interests will 60
on progressing and aourishing.
1t was urged in the Legislature last winter,
by some of the members opposed to the Blue
Ridge Rail Road, that we already had rail
road connection with the West, over the Geor.
gia roads, and that there was no necessity for
forming another, at so great an expense to
the State. in considering this objection, it
must be borne in mind that the Georgia Rail
Road belongs to another State; tba. it was
built for the purpose of diverting this West.
ern trade from Charleston to Savannah; that
in all cases preference is given to the trans.
portaton of produce going to Savannah, and
that the road is so much encountered with
freight, that it is impossible for it to carry all
expeditiously, and that for Charleston is al.
ways postponed. A merchant in Columbia
informed me, two years ago, that he had a
quantity of bacon destined for Columbia over
the Georgia Rail Road. He applied to the
Superintendent Of this road to ship his bacon,
and was informed it could not be done in less
three months A distinguished merchant Of
Charleston informed me last winter, that he
had been forced to have his cotton from the
southwest all shipped to Savannah, aId theace
sent to Charleston, instead of having it brought
direct over the Georgia Rail Road. Ee could
not get it carried over the Georgia road to
Augusta, when its destination was known to be
Charleston ! What advantage is there in such
o rail road with the West 1t is only delu.
sion. If we wish to enjoy the advantages of
this connection We must have rail road of
our own.
1t is said by our opponents that the Blue
Ridge Rail Road will never pay or remuncr.
ate the stockholders if completed. How this
can be the case it is hard TO conceive, when
we know that similar road in Georgia ps,ys
into the treasury of the State one thousand
dollars every day, clear Of all expenses. We
know that similar road in Virginia and Ten
nessee is crowded with freight and passengers
every day, and handsomely. We know that
rail roads of like character and purpose in the
middle and Northern States are doing well
for the stockholders as we'll az for the country
Mt large Why; then, will not the Blue Ridge
Rail Road payf 1t will not cost more than
these other roads in proportion to its length,
1t will give the nearest seaport to the western
trade, and in this respect must have advan.
tages over all rail roads connecting with the
valley of the Mississippi.
But admit, for argument sake, that no diyl'
dends are to be expected from this rail road,
is that good and justifsble reason for abau.
doning the enterprise The wealth and pros.
perity which it will pour into the State-the
stimulus it will give to labor-the increased
value of our lands-the social blessings and
political influence to South Carolina, will be
ample compensation for all the State may be
required to expend in its construction.
Wherever rail roads have been built in South
Carolina the lands have risen in value fro II
three to ten fold. On the South Carolina
Rail Road, lands which could not be sold for
fifty cents pe- acre are now worth ten and
twenty dol rs an acre The increased value
of the ls,.s on either side of the Blue Ridge
Rail Rcd in South Carolina alone, would
build lne road We all know, that since on
rail road system commenced in this State,
that tide of emigration, which was depopula
ting the country, has ceased in great meas
ure. The poor man who could not earn his
twenty-five cents day, now receives fifteen
dollars month! Many families, who never
before were from home, except to church OF
neighbor's house, now pay their visits to
Columbis and Charleston. AS ourintercourse
with the West increases, so will increase oul
political influence in that vast region of coun
try. In time of scarcity, wher flour and corr
and all provisions are high, the Blue Ridge
Rail Road will enable US to get a supply from
the West. Are not these sufficient coDSidera
tions for building the road without looking tc
dividends?
In building rail roads the State should nc
more look to dividends aud profit as pecu
mary consideration than she does in the i'm
proyement of her navigable streams, or the
laying out Of her public high ways for the con
venience of her citizens. The first and great
est consideration With the States should always
be the developing her resources, increasing
her commerce, adding to her wealth and pros
perity, and giving her Citizens the comforts
conveniences, and facilities of civilization
If, at the same time, the rail roads CONSTRUCTED
by the State can be made q source of profit
as the Georgia road has been, so much the
better. But this should never be o primar.
consideration with South Carolina.
Where few individuals unite and form 6
company for the purpose of constructing q
rail road, a different consideration is allowable
and justifable. They have right to look tc
the value of their stock. 1t cannot be expec