The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-17
CHI A r L E S TON
SATURDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER IT, 1866
AIR LINES.

That the hypothemeuso of aright-angled triangle
is shorter than tho other two sides is n fact We be-
lievo, that even tyro in mathematics would be
slow to dispute. Tho people Of Columbia, 8. c.,
some fftoon years ago, made tho discovery that an
Air Line Railroad from their city to Augusta would
be OF considerable less distance than the route
then and ut prosont in use betwoon these two
points. At once q great oxcitom mt arose "Wo
must have an air line to Hamburg" Public meet
ings wero had, resolutions passed. "bools opened" /"
and the route surveyed Soon tho enthusiasm
abated, and the project lay dormant till the war,
when it received 9 new impetus, owing to oircum-
stances arising from the changed state of the
country. The war, however, camo to n close, and
tho road still unbuilt. Tho people of Columbia,
wo arc informed, are now again asked to do some
thing to further this enterprise; and wc have no
doubt thoy would subscribe liberalIy if they had
tho money.
And what arc the advantages to DO reaped by
Columbia from this continuation Of tho Charlotte
Railroad to tho Savannah River? Docs sho eX-
pect largo trade from Augusta and tho country
west Of that city2 Clearly not for it is we'll known
that if any freights shall ever be brought over
that road from Georgia, they will pass right on to
Charlotte, leaving Columbia two and half miles
to tho North and far from receiving any advan-
tage from such nm extension, Columbia ceases
oven to be waysido station, for new town will,
in all probability spring up in tho vicinity OF the
| junction. If tho corporators Of tho Charlotte
Road can succeed in making the people Of Colunl-
bia build this road, they will merit tho credit OF
having done very clever thing for themselves.
But it may be said tho road ought to be built, on
| account Of the 'way business" We admit indeed,
that railroad through any section of country is
great convenience to the people living in said
section, and should, therefore, be built by said
people, unless it is clear that it will prove profit
ablo investment, in which case capitalists take hold
| of the scheme and carry it to successful CON-
pletion. But the Columbia and Hamburg Railroad
| can hold out no such inducements. Tho country
which it traverses, and the adjacent sections
tributary to it, are perhaps, tho poorest parts o
the State, and the way business, therefore, offers
! no profitable return for the outlay.
The people along tho line are unable to build it
They look to Columbia and Augusta, the two ter
MIMI to carry the enterprise through. Columbia, VIC
learn is about to issue new bonds for this purpose
For tho sake of the unfortunate holders Of hel
stocks Of prior date, it is to be hoped that this
project will fail; for evon now, City of Colum
bia stock, if we are rightly informed, is at dis
count of fifty per cent. 1t requires but little know
edge of finance to foreseo the effect of larg,
new issue of corporation scrip. From fifty it vii
rapidly descend to zero. Columbia should bo jus
before generous.
In 1854, when tho Columbia and Hamburg Rail
road scheme was in its infancy, we were mucl
struck with the remark of wise old gentleman il
Colunbia,-a largo capitalist, and one who hat
much practical knowledge about railroads. H
said very pithily, in answer to tho argument
lines very good things but we cannot Away
have them