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

i ONO, missouri, Illinois anu inoiani, auo usee
or consumed or the Pee Dee? A large por
ton Of that produce is absolutely necessary
for the cotton planters of Marlboro, Darling
ton, Marion, Georgetown and Sumter. lr
Columbia it will be distributed for the different
railroads. The advantage to our railroad
alone will be no inconsiderable matter.
sSome of the parishes in the lower country
were opposed to the road because it would
enhance the Importance of Charleston and
cause that city to overshadow them in power
influence and wealth! Was there ever all
idea conceived in greater nisapprehension oi
its truth, and more foreign to the true inter
es:s of a people? The larger and more pros,
porous our great metropolis and commercial
emporium becomes, so will be the growth and
prosperity of the whole State. All parts will
be benefited and none can be injured. Char.
lesion will be to the State of South Carolina
what the head is to the human body. She
gathers wealth from all the world to distribute
It over the State, as the heart sends ite blood
into all the extremities of the body to streng.
then and nourish them. These parish gen.
tlemen NAV be assured that no one is likely
to be injured by the approach of wealth and
prosperity in his vicinity. Who ever heard
ef great commercial city injuring its neigh:
bors by its increasing wealth and prosperity
The reverse is true in most wonderful de.
gree. Look at New York See how she
disseminates her wealth oil over that great
and magnificent State Go mp the Hudson
and behold the beautiful and picturesque
country seats, adorned with all that wealth,
and art, and taste, and industry can bestow.
They have risen up by the outpouring OF that
wealth which had been accumulated in the
city. Look at the wonderful internal i'm
provements of New York State, and ask what
originated them, and whence came the capi.
tai to construct them See the immense
amount of every conceivable thing grown, in
oil the country around going into the city of
New. York, and the money Of the city in return
carried into the country to enrich and beauti-
fyit.s IfCharleston were to grow large enough
to cover the whole State, no property holder
in iteould be injured thereby.
The members of the Legislature from Spar.
tunburg, Union, York, and that portion of the
State, opposed the Blue Ridge Railroad be.
cause they thought there was botter and
cheaper route over the mountains up the val.
lev OF the Broad River. They profess to be
very much in favor of railroad connection
between South Carolina and the great West (;
they admit the importance to the State, and
are willing the State should make large ap.
preparations ont of her public treasury to
accomplish so great and So desirable an en-
terprise. During the last session of the Leg.
islature they applied for an appropriation Of
several millions of dollars for that purpose.
But this road must run through Fairfield,
Union and Spartanburg. No other route
should be considered.
Nov, in all candor, I would ask these gen.
tlemeili if it is reasonably possible that the
Legislature could be, ut any future time, pre-.
Vailed onto favor their route, and give aid to
it, whilst this Blue Ridge Road, on which two
and one.half millions of dollars have been ex-
pended by the State, remains unfinished, and
and an eternal monument of South Carolina
folly The idea is preposterous in the ex-
treme. The rest of the State would rise up
in arms against it. What assurance could
there be that, after spending two or three
millions on this other route, it too might not
be abandoned by the Legislature
1t is better route these gentlemen tell us.
But others, who know more about it, assure
us it il not so good. Admit it is better The
Blue Ridge Road has the advantage Of having
been commenced, partially graded and con.
structed in South Curolina, Georgia and Ten
nessee. Two millions and u half have been
expended on it. But, more than all this, the
Spartanburg route lies too fur north to inter
cept the trade and produce we wish to carry
through this State to the city Of Charleston,
and send thence to the Nurth and Europe.
When this Western produce, intended for the
North or Europe, has been once put on the
Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road, it never
can be re.stopped on the Spartsnburg Road,
and pass through South Carolina. 1t will
continue on the Virginia Road to Richmond,
because it is nearer and more direct to its
destined market. But the Blue Ridge Road
would intercept it before starting on the other,
and offer it q nearer market on the seaboard.
This is conclusive as to the two routes.
The question then is not between these two
rival routes. No such question was presen.
ted, nor can be seriously presented TO the
State now, or at my future time. The only
question presented 10 the people of South
Carolina is to decide between tue Blue Ridge
Rail Road and no rail road at all to the West
for if it be abandoned, it is in vain to hope
for any other. All who wish to be put in
connection with the great valley of the Mis-
sssippi by rail road, must support and rally
on the Blue Ridge as the only hope of such
connection. This should be done, too at
once. for if our charter through Georgia be
lost, it never can be .egsined. The Legisla-
ture of that State will not renew it. It was
obtained by accident. Scarcely member
who voted for it looked upon it as o serious
matter. No one supposed the subscriptions
necessary to save it could be obtained. And
it would not have been made but for the citi.
zens of Charleston. They went to Rabun,
when the books were opened, and subscribed
the amount necessary to save The charter.
It is passing strange that the representa-
tives, or any portion Of the people Of Newber,
ry, Greeuriile, Richland and Edgefeld should
be opposed to the Blue Ridge Rail Road. 1t
will do more for the town of Columbia than
any thing else since the completion of the
Charleston and Columbia Rail Road. Colum'
bia will become tLe great store-house for this
western produce, where it will stop for dis.
tribution all over the State. The Greenvile
Road passes through the whole length Of
Newberry District The people of Newberry,
as we'll as the people of Richland, stand in
need of the very produce which is to pass
over this road They have now to procure it
by u circuitous route, and at q much heavier
expense. The people of Newberry are deeply
interested, as stockholders in the Greenville
Road, for no one can doubt that this stock
will be greatly enhanced in value. They are
interested in the trade and commerce which
will be stimulated along their rail road through
out the district. The people of Edgefeld are
interested in another point OF view. This
great enterprise must necessarily be the
means of constructing q main trunk Of the
road through that district, to connect with
the South Carolina Rail Road. The con-
] structiOn of that rail road will cause the dis