The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1860-09-05
The Central Railroad.

caster, much cherished project. This lack
of confidence seems to be predicated upon
the fact that the people of Charlotte, in the
language Of our respected friend of the
Wing, Sas slipped it the cold shoulder
This, together with general, but some.
what vague Impression, that the North Car
oina Legislature will not grant us Char
ter for the road, have had, we are reluctant
to believe, discouraging effect upon some
of our people.
But are these circumstances sufficient in
themselves to induce a want of confidence
in the enterprise ? When people engage
in a great undertaking they should not
suffer themselves to be deferred by tri-
fles; if we are not possessed of the nee
essary courage to meet and combat diff
cuties-such difficulties as stand in the
way of all similar undertakings-we do
not deserve the rich results which will in
evitably enure to us if we succeed. The
remarks of our correspondent an. p. c."
upon this point, published two weeks ago,
were altogether appropriate and we hope
have had their due effect upon the friends
Of the road.
But let us examine the difficulties sug-
gested above and see if they are entitled to
the Importance that has been given them.
The people of Charlotte have slipped 1t the
cold shoulder" because as the tWhig' be-
lieves, the Camden delegates were bluffed
off from their original purpose of attend,
ing the Sumter Convention but this is
certainly NO reason at all, unless the Wing
can explain why the people Of Charlotte
are concerned about the interest Of Camden
why it concerns them whether the road
runs by way of Camden or by way of Bish
opville. The advantages TO them, il would
seem, would be precisely the same. Ad-
hitting, however, that the people OF Char
lotte have the right TO encourages or frown
upon the enterprise with or without a rea.
son, and that they have chosen to do the
latter; and what does it signify why sim.
ply that we will get little or no aid from
Charlotte, matter that we have been nd.
vised of all the while. The friends of this
project never expected q very liberal sup
port from Charlotte, and the road can be
built without dollar of subscription above
the South CAROLINA line.
The other difficulty certainly deserves
graver consid Grafton but il has not fallen
upon us unawares The stockholders of
the Charlotte and s. e.. Railroad and of the
WILMINGTON and Rutherford Railroad, it is
reasonable to suppose will throw obstacles
in the way of the success oe an enterprise
that will be brought in competition vii tn
theirs; end their combined influence will
be brought to bear against us in tho conside-
ration Of our application for Charter before
the North Carolina Legislature. But if the
result of our first effort should be n failure,
the second or the third might prove more
successful. Ii cannot be assumed, in view
of the progressive spirit which character
ICES the present age, that the railroads now
in operation are to sustain for all time TO
come the monopoly which they now enjoy.
Our country is yet in its infancy in respect
to railroads, and the day is not Ear distant
when the petty feeling which would prompt
an incorporated body to mid in keeping down
rising competitor, will be looked upon
with the same just contempt by the people
at large, that a community would now re-.
gard one of IFS members, who from jealousy
of interests, attempts to keep down the for
tunes of his neghbor. Let the projected
road be built to the line aud there is no
doubt but that ip very few years the force
of circumstances will extend il to Charlotte.
And if we should be foiled in this expecta-
ton, as last resort, we can connect at
Fort Mills with the Charlotte and S. e.
Road, the interests and influence of that
Company to the contrary Notwithstanding.
The difficulties which have been devel
oped so far, are mere shadows, which en-
cumber all enterprises involving great in.
terests, and can be overcome, rs greater
ones have BEEN, by proper effort and deter.
minati Jon. There is no good reason to ap-
prehend n failure Of this project if those ,oho
inaugurated Il are Il 1Le 10 themselves and it, If
the various interests represented at the late
Sumter Convention are still true to the pur.
poses enunciated by that body, the PROS
poets of the "South Carolina Central" should
wear the same cheering aspect that it did
two months ago. And we are not author.
lied in making any charges TO the contrary
we do not accuse any interests represen.
ted at the Sumter Convention of being un-
true to the original purposes Of that body.
II is true that notice has appeared in the
Camden Journal of the following purport {:
"NOtice is hereby given that application
will be made to the Legislature at the next
session, for an Act of incorporation for n
Rail Road from Gourdin's Station, on the
Northeastern Rail Road, via Manning,
Sumter and Camden to Lancaster G. H.,
with power to construct branches TO Bsh-
opvile and to the Charlotte g. South Car
olina Rail Road, at or below Ridgcway.; to