The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1870-02-23
The Sonth Carolina Railroad Company.

hu SOhuu OuloAtud ~ llllouu OOlupdIys
In our issue of Wednesday we pub
lished the pre- ,edings Of Commit
tee of the Senate on the matters Of
the freight charges of the South Caro-
lima Railroad, between Ga mden and
Kingsvillo. These proceedings wore
based upon complaint made by a
merchant of the forncr place. The
South Carolina Railroal Company is
the property Of a laigc number of
our citizens, who are poor; many have
saved but little else from tho wreck of
tho war. 1t ID important to- them that
tho ,a'u, Of their property
should not bc unfavorably affected by
representations not correct in point Of
fact, or Of facts greatly exaggerated
and distorted, togratify personal feel
ing, or to promote selfish ends. We
know those who have been entrusted
with the management OF this property.
We know, also, what labors and diff
culties they have had to encounter in
providing for the public high way,
and accommodations not inferrior to
those, enjoyed in any section OF; the
Southern country. We know further
that it is claimed, and we believe,
justly, that thoir rates Of freight and
passage are to-day lower than any in
the State or near it.. Still we hear
this clamor kept up, and its continu-
ance forces Us to coaclude that there
is something more init than appears
on the surface. To do justice, there
foro, to all parties, we sought out
Information from those whom we re.
garded authorized and able to furnish
it. and ascertain the facts Of this case
to be simply those: That the parties
who complain in this case have never
approached tho Directors of tho Com
pany with any statement Of their
grievances that the South Carolina
R.ilroad Company has 10 such charg-
cs per 100 pounds upon any Of it's
freight tariff, ns arc stated in the
reports; that its charges for freight
from Camden to Kingsville are precise
ly the same, as they are for similar
distances from Charleston, from &c.
lumbia, or from Augusta,
Now we confess, with these state
ments before us, @o are Mt a loss to
comprehend the necessity of the pro.
ceeding to which we are referring.
The Railroad Committee has clearly
not sent for persons and papers. d !.
But we hear still more. It will be
borne III mind, that the burden Of the
complaint is,!tnasatnetSouth Carolina
Railroad doos not work thirty-eight
miles Of it's line in connection with
the Wilmington and Manchester and
Wilmington aud Weldon Railroad,
and tho railroads leading through
Wilmington to Baltimore, lwhiohisa
competing line, so as. to destroy the
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, for the very pur-
pose of giving Camden md oil other
inland cities a,route North over their
own line and through their own city.
Now what are these very competing
railroads doing, for whom this ruin
Gus policy is invoked pursuing tho
very lueuIlCal pEaCtlce Wuica ~ WIN
planned Of, though in a greatly exagge-
rated form, of the South Carolina
Railroad Company. Wo understand
that the price Of f.eight on the VIII
niogton and Manchester R.ilroad
(say . bale ot ,cotton,l IS as much 9;
from Sumter 70 sKiagsyille, twenty,
seven miles, or Mars Bluff to Flor
enoo, six miles, as It 10 from finest
places respectively to Wilmington
over 100 niles IL this true Th,
tamo is 4tko oase ON the Charlotte
road, and we presume on every roat
in existence, and the reason 10 obvi
Gus. II IL found in tho service snt
necessity Of every company to protesI
and promote its own interests, ant
that interest is Of course ID the, direo
,ion Of freight movements along th,
entire line Of ita railroad, and 10 an.
through an importapt terminal Or IN;
tial point. b
Nor are the railroads mentioned in tli
complaint exhibiting any unusual libe