The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-02-16
From the Charleston Couricr.]
THE SOUTH CAROLINA RAILROAD
COMRANV.

In our issue Of Wednesday, we published the
proceedings of Commit teo Of tho Senate on the
matters "f the freight charges Of tho Snuth Caro-
| linn Rail Road, between Camden aud Kingsvillc.
Tt,cso proceedings werc based upon a. complaint
made by merchant of the furmcr place. The
South Carolina Kali Road Company is tho prop
erty OF n large numtcr of our citizens, who aro
poor muny have saved but littlo else from tho
wreck of tho war. 1t is important to them thut
tho value OF their property should not 10 unfas
vorabiy affected by representations not correct in
point of act, OF of facts greatly exaggerated md
distorted, to crafty PERSONAL feeling, or to pro-
mote selfish ends. We know those who have
been entrusted With Tho ma cement Of this prop
crty. Wc know, also, what labors and difficulties
thcy have had to encounter in providing for the
public highway, and accom- o,lntions not inferior
| to those enjoyed in any section Of tho Southern
cuuntry. Wo know furthor that il is clnimcd and
wo believe justly Tint their ratios of freight and
passage orr to day lower than my in the State
nenr IT,. Still wc henr this Glamour kept up. and
its continuance forces US to conclude that theENs
something moro 10 it than appears tho sur ffice.
10 DO !ust'ec therefore, to all parties, wo sought
| out information from those whom We regarded
authorized and ahc to furnish it, and nscor-
| tain tho facts Of this case to bo simply these
That the parties who complain in this caso hnve
| never approached tho Directors Of tho Company
with any stntemert of their grievances; that the
Sonth Carolina Rail Road Company has no
such charges per 100 pounds upon any Of its
freight tnriiIs ns mo stated in tho reports that
it's charges for freight from Camden to Kingsvilo
nre precisely the same ns hcy arc for similar Ills.
'ances from Charleston, FROM Columbia, OR frem
Augusta.
Now we confess. with thcso statements bcforo
us, VIC are at n loss to comprehend tho necessity
Of tho proceeding to which we arc referring. The
Kali Kond Committee has clearly not cent for
persons and l@pers.
But wo hear still moro. It will he borne in
mind, that the burden Of tho complaint is, that
the S"nth Carolina Rnil Read docs not work
thirty oight miles Of its line in connection with
the Wilmington and Manchester, AMI Wilmington
AMI Weldon Rnil Rond, and tho rail rnn ,ls lead
ing through Wilmington TO Baltimore, which is u
competing line, so rs to destroy tho trade of its
own line to Charleston. tho interests of the City
Of Charleston and Of tho State, and the slenm
ships which have cost so much oiTort and money
to establish, for tho very purpose of giving
Cnmncn and nll other inland cities route North
over their own limo and through hoir own city.
Now what are these very competing rail roads
doing, for whom this ruincus policy is in nvokcl--
pursuing tho very Identical practice which is
c"'nPlnincd OF, though in q greatly exaggerated
form, of the South Cnr0inn Rail Road Company.
We undorstat j thnt tho price of freight on the
Wilmington md Manchester Rail ROnd, (say q
bale OF cOtton.) is MS much FROM Sumter to
kingville, twenty seven miles, or Mars Bluff to
Florence six miles. ns 1t is from these places
miles. Is this true? The same is tho case on
tho Charlotte Road. and presume on ovcry
rail r0nd IN existence, and tho reason is obvious.
Ii Is found In tho service and necessity Of every
company TO protect and promote its own in.
tercsts. and that interest is Vf cnurs in the direc
tion Of freight movements along the cntiro line
of its rail road, and to and through on important
terminal or initial point.
Nor nre the rail roads mentioned in tho COM
plant exhibiting nny unusual libcra,ty in tho
adoption Of Whit appears to bo a low tariff OF
charges. through as compared with tho South
Carolina Rail Roads local tariff their effort is
to divert a business which docs not belong to thcm
and to do 80, temporarily establish very low rite
Of freight, for that which comes from tho South
Carolina Rnil Road, and tho City Of Charleston.
What nro ihor local charges? Place those in com
pnrson with similar chnrges on tho South Caro-.
lima Rail koad. before forming too hasty con.
cluson. Hut arc we expected 80 manage our insti
tuition in tho interest Of competing lines Of rail
roads, and distant communities? Have tho Stock.
holders Of the South Carolina Rail Road oxpend.
ed ynstsums Of money to construct n long limo Of
Railway merely for tho purpose of Destroying
four ffths Of it7 Has tho City Of Charleston and
the State contributed thoir best minds and their
largo means to construct q system Of internal i'm
proveinent, at Onco to dcvel0po the wealth of tho
interior and ostablish nn influential sonport for
themselves, and lIavo hoir efforts turn to nourht
and their work a curse, not o blessing7 We
imagine not!
Yet suoh results would suro,y follow the policy,
indi atcd In the complaints before the Lsg,sis.
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