The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-29
LETTER FROM THE COUNTRY.
LAURENs G. H., July 25th, 1867

. LAURENS =. H., July 10Th, lo61
Mr.. Editor: I have q few words now to say
concerning railroads and their influence on and
connections with the sections Of our State through
which they extend. I desire to interest the Board
of Trade in this matter, 30 that they may take &C
tive and practical measures, not by passing un-
meaning and useless resolutions but by moving
with all their influence at once upon points which
may be reached by them. Tho trade of Charles
ton is sapped at moro places than one, and
in some almost incredible ways, and if the
process goes on much longer the trade of the city
will be limited in this State to few middle Dis
tricts with the lower and portions of the south
west Districts. The policy Of tho Wilmington
and Manchester Company is to turn cotton,
and consequently trade toward Wilmington. The
tariff Of freight leads to this of necessity. For
instance, it costs about as much to send bale of
cotton from Sumter to Florence rs it does from
Sumter to Wilmington. So too the charge from
all way stations to Florence is quite enormous in
proportion to the rates to Wilmington consequent
ly cotton would all go to Wilmington were it not
that the Northeastern Railroad Company reduced
their rates from Florence 30 that the delivery in
Charleston may be nearly rs cheap as to Whining
ton. The consequence of all this is that q great
deal Of the trade Of Marlboro, Chesterfield, Mar
ion, Darlington and Sumter Districts, is turned
from the city because it finds cheaper transporta-
ton.
Pass on to the line of the Charlotte and Colum-
bia Railroad, and we find similar, if not worse
state Of things. Every inducement is offered in
the way of cheap transportation, to carry trade
through Charlotte to Baltimore and other Northern
cities, via Norfolk, and now very large part Of
the business of Lancaster, Chester, Fairfield and
York Districts is turned from its natural channels
Mo- ipno fha tonfn ~ hio1 1ipop
without going over the ground carefully. Winns-
boro', which ought to be in close business rela-
tions to Charleston, seeks her supplies and makes
her shipments largely through Norfolk, via Char
freight tariffs by which this condition Of things
has been brought about. The Columbia and Char
lotte Company charge for freight ON bushel of
corn from Columbia to Winnsboro' ten cents-a
Charlotte to Winnsboro'. seventy-four miles, is
also ten cents. One Of the loading merchants OF
Winnsboro told me that he had not been to
Charleston since the war closed, and that all his
trade was now with Baltimore, because he could
lay his goods down cheaper than from Charleston.
Passing now round to Laurens We find, from
Newberry, wretched affair Of railroad Of so
miles in length, the average speed upon it being
six miles an hour; and when we reach this place
which ought to command large trade, we arc
confounded on being told that the great bulk of
the planters are hauling their cotton to Augusta
distance Of 76 miles, and that even from 80 miles
above and on towards the Spartanburg and Union
Railroad the same thing is done; and thus great
burg, Abbcville, Anderson, Edgefeld and Barn.
we'll Districts is lost to Charleston. And the peo-
pie here say there can be no help for this strange
course of trade unless the South Carolina, Green-
vile and Laurens Railroad Companies will take the
thing in hand and apply the corrections Our rail
road companies seem to think that trade must 60
over them at any price they choose to charge, but
this is mistaken theory, and hundreds Of thou
sands of dollars are annually lost to them and 10
Charleston by pers sting in it.
The Board Of Trade had better appoint men to
take this mater up, investigate it and make full
report. A. B. q.