The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-18
CHI A ES TON.
TUESDAY MORNING, MAY 1s. 1869.
An Important Work.


:: u, ..s:st = - 70. t.' 80
The experience Of the last few years has
demonstrated the fact that in order to OBJ
tain railroads which will be Of real benefit
to the State, we must spend our money at
komey and, zas thsrs is no real antsgonism of
iutsrissst and, We trust, no o'antagonism offeel-
ing between the up-oountry and the lower
counties, II should be- to the general sdtap-
tage 30 TO- arrange new lines that they will
serve as feeders to Charleston, as the re-
asiving, shipping and distributing point for
all South Carolina. This city, at all events,
should be alive to the Importance of widen
ing her channels decentralization and i'm
proving her0unnection with the interior;
sudwhile they will be anxious to further the
construction of any railtosd which will de-
velope the section through which it passes
and increase the prosperity Of the public,
Charlestonians will naturally attach spe-
eial value to lines which, although laid for
locafpurposes, have as an avOwed object
the bringing Of trade to their city. In this
connection, the South Carolina Central Rail
road. should receive the early and favorable
consideration of eur merchants and bust.
ness men.
This road, which is to run from Sumter
to. .Gourdin'sr where it will connect with the
Nostheastsrnr Railroad, will undoubtedly
make .alusbIe tens Of thousands Of acres
which now cannot find purchaser. The
market prios of the cleared and timber
land will be trebled and quadruplsd as soon
as The road is open. Itisnot strange, thens
that Sumter snd Clarendon are disposed to
work vigorously 10 make sueesssful IN en-
terprise which will enhance the value of;all
that they possess, and give them;she rail-
fbsd facilities and the, connection with g
good Market without which fertile acres
are Of little avail and:every. growing crop
is reduced in market price.
siBut the Chsrfeston merchant will find
the chief attraction Of the soRth Carolina
Central Railroad in the circumstance that
twill give this city the business Of two inn
portant counties Of the State. In 1860,
Sumter and Clarendon produced 2S,ooo
bales Of cotton, 1000. 600 pounds Of rice,
and 1000, 900 bushels of corn. This shows
What was TIE productive power of the seq
tion with. which Charleston is to be- given q
quick and cheap connection. There were
In the two counties in 1860, PIG. sos acres
ofimproved land, and 595, $40 acres Of unim-
proved land which will be thrown open to
the immigrant and the capitalist. And it
needs no arithmetic to demonstrate what
will be the effect Of the new railroad .trsv-
ersipg this broad domain, in, stimulating
the production OF cotton, rice, corn, navel
stores, vegetables and fruits. Here our
advantage would begin; for this city would
undoubtedly receive share Of every sddi-
tional dollar which Sumter and Clarendon
might make. ily,. ..... y,'r,. - :ai-; s.
And since the close Of the war, as is we'll
known, the trade Of a large part Of the
middle country has been diverted from
Charleston by competing lines The pur-
ohssers Of merchandise Of different kinds
have followed the produce Of the soil, go
that Baltimore and New. York have enjoy ed
the benefit Of the very business which nat.
urally belongs to ourselves. Already the
Baltimore railroad men, with Mr.. Garrett
Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at their
head, are making arrangements. to drain
the whole interior of this State of its cot
ton in the interest Of Maryland, and how
ever small our means may be, it would be
unwise in the extreme to neglect the oppor-
tuuity which now presents itself of recov-
ering trade which has been lost, of check
ing the grasping policy Of our richer neigh
bors, and Of developing an important section
Of country in such manner that its trade
will flow to Charleston as the rivers how to
the sea.
1t seems to US, therefore, that the railroad
to Gourdin's is an undertaking Of great
moment. The people along the line will
do all that in them lies. The Northeastern
Railroad will assist them as far as it can.
More than this, however, is necessary, and
we trust that our merchants and business
men generally will subscribe to the stock
Of the road, not as matter Of unselfsh
generosity, but as sure way Of bringing
here current of trade and general busi-
ness, stream Of buyers and sellers, which
will be source of profit to every man who
is doing business in Charleston.