The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-07-25
Railroad Statistics.


A correspondent of the Cincinnati Ga
zette, writing from Charleston, South Caro-
lima, furnishes that paper with a chapter
upon the history and progress of Railroads
in this State. We select the following ex.
tracts, which will doubtless prove iuteres
ting 10 our readers
few rail road items have been furnished
me by Col. John Caldwell, President of the
South Carolina Rail Road. lie is rs much
the Rail Road King OF this State as Eras
tus Corning is of New York There are in
the State OF South Carolina S79 miles of
rad road in operation, which hive been
built and equipped ut 4 cost of 8 1865, 900.
The South Carolina Rail Road and its
branches are 2i2 miles long and cost over
SS,O00,O00, which has, however, been re-.
duccd by earnings to $7,000,OCO. But it
was built when 1t was not known how 10
construct Il rail road cheapy. ltcost double
what it would 10 build and cquip il nov
and yet this has been II paying road for the
last twenty years 1t pays IL net income of
over ten per cent, and it's stock cannot be
bought for fifteen per cent. premium.
The Charleston and Savannah Rail Road,
connecting Charleston and Savannah is lI3
miles long. 1t was completed about 100
miles to the Savannah River last April. Ii
strikes the river l3 miles above Savannah,
and passengers over this road are, at the
present time, conveyed between this point
and Savannah by steam boat The yoad
Aili be finished on the other size of the
river, down TO Savannah, in August, and
the bridge in February next. This road
viii, when completed, cost about $1,000.
900. This will be the first rail road in this
State built exclusively by slave labor.
The Northeastern Rail Road running
from Charleston to Florence, was comple.
ted in 1857. 1t is l0o miles long and, cost
j | 100000.
The GreenviIe Rail Road, running from
Columbia 10 Greenville, l43 miles, with
branch from Cokesbury to Abbevillr, IL
miles, and branch from Belton to Andcr.
son, miles. This road was completed IN
1854 Capital stock s ,429 900. Cost Of
construction and equipment. $500, ,OOO.-
This road has never paid dividend but is
improving. Much of its construction has
been from earnings
The Wilmington and Manchester Rail
Road running from Kingsvile to Whining.
ton in North Carolina, is I'll miles long.
ABOUT ope-half of which is in North Caro-.
lima, was completed in 1854, and cost 81,
100000.
The Charlotte and South Carolina Rail
Road, RAINING from Columbia to Charlotte.
l0s miles, was completed in 1852, and cost
S2,OO0,OUO.
The Chcraw asd Darlington Rail Road,
| connecting Florence and Cheraw, is 40
miles long. This road was completed in
1855, and cost 81 Sl,6OO,OOO.
The Kings Mountain Rail Road, run
ming from Chesterville to YnrkvilIe, 80
miles, was completed in 1893, and it cost
1921 900.
Abiding to the South Carolina Rail-
road the same writer says:
This is the oldest railroad Of any length
| in this country il was commenced in 1928 -,
and was built aud equipped--a portion Of
it at+east was-in 1880 it was com pet ID
| 10 Hamburg, 1876 miles, in 1882, and vas
then the longest rail road in the world -
| This is the first rail road that introduced
steam a. n propelling power, though there
is a dispute between the South Carolina
Raj! Road and the Liverpool and Manches.
ter Rail Road, whicn is less than seventy
miles long, about the first use of steam.
At the time when the South Carolina
! Kan Road was projected 1t was considered
an experiment, and charter could not be
obtained for rail road TO be worked by
steam but charter was finally passed
Though the Legislature for "A Rail Road
or Canal from Charleston to Hamburg on
the Savannah river, TO be worked by males"
which was amended by inserting "steam or
mnles," but Not without some Of the rich
est legislative debating on record One of
the enthusiastic adyocates,o the road said
'the rail road could be built and worked
by steam, and that il would carry, when
completed, an average Of zen passengers
per day" Whereupon a motion was made
and seconded to send him to the Insane As.
ylum, then just completed. a few leading
men, some half dozen il number, carried
out their project and built the rail road, and
they are emitted 10 the eternal gratitude Of
this universal Yankee nation, for taking the
lead in an enterprise that has resulted in
such incalcuablo be nefts