The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-02-18
The South Carolina Railroad Company

| Icc VI tHc Oenole On inc matters
tho freight charges of the South Car
olina Rail Road, between Camden an,
KingsT;llc. These proceedings wer
based upon n complaint made by
merchant of tho former place. Th
South Carolina Railroad Compan,
is tho property of a large number o
our citizens, who are poor; many
have saved but little else from TIN
wrock of war. 1t is important t,
thom that tho value of their property
should not bo unfavorably affected by
misrepresentation, not correct in po;n
OF fact, or Of facts greatly exaggerated
and distorted to crafty personal feel
ings, to promote selfish ends. We know
those who have been entrusted will
the management of this property
We know, also, what labors and diff
ficultics they have had to encounter
in providing for the public a highway
and accommodations not inferior tc
those enjoyed in any section of tho
Southern country. We know further
that it is claimed and wo believe
justly that their rates of freight and
passage arc to-day lower than any in
the State or ncarit. Still VIC hear the
clamor kept up, and it's continuance
forces us to conclude that there is
something more in it than appears on
the surface. To do justice, therefore,
to all parties, we sought out informa-
ton from those whom we regarded
authorized and able to furnish it, and
ascertain the facts Of this case to be
simply these: That the parties who
complain in this case have never ap-
preached the Directors of tho Com
pany with any statement of their
grievances; that the South Carolina
Railroad Company has no such char
gcs per 100 pounds upon any of it's
freight tariffs as are stated in the re-
ports; that its charges for freight
from Camden to Kingsville are pre-
c'sety The same as they are for similar
distances from Charleston, from Co.
lumbia, or from Augusta.
Now we confess with these state
ments before us, VIC are at loss to
comprehend tho necessity cf the pro-
cccding to which VIC arc referring
The RaiI Road Committee has clea,ly not
sent for persons and papers.
But we still hear more. It will be
bornc in mind, that the burden Of
the complaint is, that the South Car
olina Rail Road does not work thirty.
eight miles of it's line in connection
with the Wilmington and Manchester,
and Wilmington and Weldon Rail
Road, and the rail roads leading
through Wilmington to Baltimore,
which is competing line, so as to
destroy tho trade of it's own line to
Charleston, the interests of the CITY
of Charleston and of the State, and
tho steamships which have cost so
much effort and money to establish,
tor the very purpose Of giving Cumden
and all Other inland cities a route North
over their oUn line and through their
own city. Now what arc these very
competing rail roads doing, for whom
this ruinous policy is involSed-pursu-
ing tho very Identical practice which
is complained Of though in greatly
exaggerated form, of the South Carroll
ma Company. We understand that
freight on the Wilmington and Man
chester Rail Road, (ssy bale of cot
ton,) is as much as from Sumter to
kingsville, twenty-seven miles, or
Mars Bluff to Florence, six miles, as
it is from these places respectively to
Wilmington, over ono hundred miles.
ls this true ? The same is the case
on the Charlotte Road, and we pre-
sumo on every rail road in existence,
and the reason is obvious. It is
found in the service and necessity of
every company to protect and pro-
mote its own interests, and that inter-
est is Of course in the direction off
freight movements along the entire
liae of its rail road, and to and through
an important terminal or initial
point.
Nor are the rail roads mentioned in
the complaint exhibiting any unusual
iberality in the adoption of what
appears to be a low tariff of charges.
through, rs compared with the South
Carolina Rail Roads local tariff;
their effort is to divert a business
'0h'eh does not 6elongto item, and to do
so, temporarily establish very 1ov
rate of freight, for that which
comes from tho South Carolina Rail
Road, and the City Of Charleston.
What are their local charges? Place
those in comparison with similar char
ges on the South Carolina Rail Road
before forming too hasty conclusion.
But are we expected to manage our