Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1870-06-10
The Airline Railroad,

lherc arc some people IN the world who
oppose railroads IN toto. They denouuce
then, as ucless, extrayagant aud uuchristiar.
'fhc old locust wagon has been superseded,
and now stands idle. Is not this shame,
say they, when il cost us forty dollars and
would last half century? There arc some
people who oppose taxation, government, and
everything else but boarding. They want to
bury their talent and when postcrity demands
its own they can say, "Hore is thine, I knew
you to be bad master, 60" TO improve
che country and their own fortunes is too
great risk. To venture an investment how
ever plausible is foolish prodigalhy.
Ten years ngo wo stumped this County in
favor of tho Blue Ridge Railroad and were
met by the locust wagon and the riskcd dol.
lar Those who worc not wagoners, said ''if
tho Road was built it would ruin our section"
that corn over in Tennessee was any price
from twenty-five cents down to fire wood, and
We could not make it at that price. The
wagoners did not want it to come to Walhalla,
and sung Jeromiads over the ruin of their
calling and the folly Of the times. What
roal injury have we sustained? Twenty years
ago VIC sold our little child crops of corn at
twenty-five cents per bushcl. The regular
price ranged then from twenty to thirty five
cents per bushel in the fall, and thirty to fifty
cents in the summer. Every farmer can now
realize scvcnty.ivc cents to one dollar per
bushel in the fall, and S1.25 to $500 per
bushel in the summer for all his surplus co.n.
We once catered for our tablo nocessaries and
we'll remember that we have bought thousands
of dozens of eggs at four to six cents per
dozen, when now they command fifteen to
twenty five cents. Butter never exceeded
ten cents per pound, and now it ranges from
eighteen to thirty eve cents per pound
Chickens have advanced from six to ten cents
per head to fifteen 70 thirty cents. Bacon,
lard, -four and all the products of the farmor
have advanced in like proportion. What has
produced these results? We answer the
creation Of u market among us, and the rail
road made the market. Where now is the
injury? Our opponents say it has increased
also the price of labor and articles of consump.
ton. Is this true? With the convenience
of railroads, sugar, coffee, salt, cotton aud
WOODEN goods, iron and farming implements
are furnished to tho farmer at nehalf their
former COST Population and hence the sup
ply of labor has increased while wages, rs
consequence, have not advanced. The farm
or realizes double the former valuo of his
products, pays from four to ten dollars per
month fo7 labor, which formerly cost him from
eight to twelve dollars. The natural tenden.
cy of railroads is to cqualizc values all over
the world, to make corn and cotton worth
here what they are worth in Charleston and
New york, ana To return cuttUu gvuus TO US
at their price at tho manufactory. This re.
suit can only be approximated, and compe.
petition is the way to work out The highest
good from such tendency With the Air.
Limo Road completed, competition would re-
duce the freight on articles shipped to market,
and return to the producer a greater net
profit on the articles sold. The same cause
wor 1 return to US articles for necessary home
consumption at less cost The profit would
inwrc to the consumer, who is here principal
ly the farming class. This gives to that class
double source of profit from sale and pur-
chase. If our people are alive TO their own
interests, let them support the subscription
at tho coming election.