The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-02-22
THE SOUTH CAROLINA RALLROAD.

The meeting of the stockholders Of the
South Carolina Railroad, lately held in this
city, was satisfactory, doubtless, to the stock
holders, and those having direct pecuniary
interest in the reconstruction and operation
of that important public work But we re-
gret that it was not the occasion Of as much
information to the public generally as might
have been desired. 1t may, perhaps, be
question for debate whether the community,
without pecuRisry interest IN the enterprise,
have the right to intervene in its proceedings,
and entertain and express opinions upon the
proper and efficient management of its affairs.
But whether they have that right or not, they
have that incidental interest in it's operations
which renders it impossible for them to be
Indifferent to the state of it's progress, or the
modes of its proceedings. 1t has been accept
ed as one of the necessary conditions of the
city. Business arrangements of every Cha
racter have been predicated upon the assump-
ton that it will afford efficient means of com-
munication with the country. 1twas, in fact,
the undertaking Of the proprietors of that
road that such efficient means of communion
ton should be furnished. And now, when
the spring business is about to open-when
tradesmen must sell their goods, if they sell
them at all-when the business of the year
depends upon the question whether merchants
from distance, who are ready to purchase
goods, shall be able to receive them-is would
have been of general satisfaction to have re-
ceived u statement of the aff,lirs of that cOm-
panY. A statement was, doubtless, presented
10 the stockholders, but it has NOT been pub
lished, and the community is as much at
loss as to what they may rely on, as they were
before the meeting was held. In the letter
of the President of that road, published by US
some month or more ago, there was the pro-
mise that through freight was to be taken to
Augusta by the first of February; but that pro-
mise was not fully complied with. Such
freight was not received as early as the pc
riod indicated, and it is only now, within the
last few days, that the readiness to accept il is
announced. To what extent however, and
under what circumstances it will be received,
still does not appear. There is IN inability,
therefore, to give correspondents tn distance
full satisfaction on this subject; the inclination
to look for goods elsewhere, and by other
lines of transportation, still exists to the pre-
judicc of our business here; and tho fact is to
be regretted. And our merchants, while la-
menting the want of necessary communication
with the country, are constrained to lameEt
the want also, of such information sS will
enable them to determine when full facilities
for communication may reasonably be ox-
pected.
In saying this much, we dirclain, the pur-
pose to reflect upon tho officers in charge Of
this road We have not the facts which en-
able uS to determine whether they have acted
efficiently or not and so long MS these officers
IRE approved by the stockholders, who have n
more directinterest in thematter than we have,
we might hesitate, upon any state of facts, to
express an adversary judgment. But wo do
say, with the most perfect frankness, that we
wish the reconstruction of this road had been
more rapid that it were more complete; that
merchants from distance could find trans
portation with their goods as they were won't
to do-in which wishes we have no doult
that the officers of this road will heartily cen
cur; and W 10 say, also, that it is hoped and
expoclrd that measures to the completion If
th: r, Nil i:e as prompt as :H'icr -,
c.. shall be possible.