The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-09-01
ch,ra,v and coa1fie1ds Railroad.

/ To the Editor of the Charleston Udey Ne"o' o'
Tn accordance with PROMISE we resume our re
marks on the Cheraw and Coalfelds hailrosd.
n 1onr editorial of goth August you remark, ut
= ,.or1 ;mnortant enterprise-important to the
;ntareate Of the city, ind therefore deserving OF
-. f,,lioat attention" We now propose to show
thot charleston has not been fully awake to those
;nonortant interests. Let any citizen glance at
~ accurate map of the United States, and he
NIL, find that straight line from Charleston to
Raleigh North Carolina, passes nearly through
the vast coal basin on Deep River. Let him re-
member that Professor EMMoNs, the State Geolo-
pist of North Carolina, Professor SHEPPARD, of
Charleston, and others, made elaborate reports on
the immense coal, iron, and other mineral de-
posits of that region that the United States Sen
ate appointed q special commission to examine
into these Matters and that specimens OF the coal,
&C., have from time to time been exhibited in the
CITY, and public attention called to it's value as
fuel, and more especially for the production of gas
Let him remember these facts, and does 1t not
seem strange that the scheme OF building a rail-
road to that point should not have been projected
in Charleston2 Nay, more, that when it is pro.
ected that the people Of the city should not only
have allowed it to slay dormant till within the
past few years." and then left it for COL A. MAC
FARLAN, a gentleman of the Interior, in no way
connected with the merchants, mechanics, capi.
talists and other residents Of the city, to create
ssan interest in the road'?
The merchants and citizens generally of Charles
ton have never been properly impressed with the
Importance of the valuable trade which must be
tributary to this road, and which, if they fail to
build it, must inevitably go to Wilmington. Let
us see what our enterprising neghbors OF that
city are doing with reference to that trade.
While We are waiting 'Jor something to turn
up" that wise and energetic people have project
ed railroad from Wilmington to Charlotte and
Rutherfordton, and it may surprise our people to
know that the Wilmington, Charlotte and Ruther-
fordton Railroad is completed to a point within
twenty-five miles of Cheraw,-that it is in full
and active operation, carrying the products OF
Richmond, Robson, Montgomery, Anson and
Stanley counties, No. Ca.,-yes carrying the pro-.
ducts Of Marlborough District of this State to
Wilmington, and bringing the goods for the mai
kets Of these counties from that thriving city, Yes,
the Wilmington, Charlotte and Ruther fordton
Railroad is to-day quietly doing with the trade OF
| the rich border counties Of North and South Ca
rolina what the Wilmington and Manchester Rail-
road has been doing with that Of our Northeast
ern and Middle Distriots-drawing it to Whining
ton; while we, who have heretofore had that
trade, take no steps to oounteract 1t. Gan it be
possible that our people are to continue standing
-.Aa.-.s ~
their doors, whom little exertion, little timely
expenditure, can prevent it I
We are informed that much Of this valuable
trade can be kept in the old channel, and no In
considerable increase Of trade can be secured to
the city. BY the construction Of portion OF the
OoalAelds Railrosd-that II the first twenty-three
miles. from Oheraw to the intersection ofthe Will
minpton. Charlotte and Rutherfordton Railroad,
about two miles from Wadesboro', the County
seat Of Anson, we're completed-the largest and
most valuable part of that trade will be retained
while that much progress towards the main OBJ
ieot the coal and iron region on Deep River, would
be made We are also informed that it is believed
h competent judges that this portion of the road
would be eet-sustaining from the beginning OF &C.
tive operations-and each successive section OF
ten miles will in like manner sustain itself. In
other words, the local business OF the road will,
in itself, be profitable. That the through freight
and passenger receipts, added to the local trade,
will make the road profitable, few will have the
temerity to gainsay.
At this late day it would seem work of super
erogation to say any ything about the Importance
of regular supply of coal to cur people. We
shall therefore conne ourselves to the considera-
tion Of the practcability of getting such supply
from the coal mines on Deep River. Our people
have already tested the coal of that region. It
was used during the war to some considerable
extent. Can it be brought to the city on such
terms as to allow of its general use?
It can now be mined and delivered on the cars
at the Egypt Shaft tof two dollars per ton, even
under all the present disadvantages of disorgan-
lied labor and deprecated currency. We nave
been informed that it can be transported by rail
road at cost of one and one-half (13) cents per
ton per mile. This would give us the following
figures:
j ton of coal costs at mine.. $500 -
Transportation 226 miles. es.................3 50
1888
To this add for contingencies and profit
to the wholesale dealer. ................. 2.62
And 1t will cost the consumer. .....$ SO 90 per ton.
These estimates are larger than is believed to
be correct, but We would prefer errng on the safe
side To enumerate the advantages to the City
! Charleston, incident to the through line to
Raleigh, the vast increase of population which
must flow into the valley Of Deep River, when that