Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-10-26
For the Advertiser.


Mr.. ED1ToR.-The meeting held last
sales-day, to inaugurate new movement
for a Railroad through the centre Of
Edgefield, was move in the right direc-
ton and we trust that the citizens of
the County will see to it that the result
shall be different from that of the many
previous meetings, which. have ended
Ewith Resolutions. =! ai.iE i.aeii
Heretofore each one appears to have
depended on some one else to build the
Road. Calls have been made on the
South Carolina Railroad, on the City of
Charleston, and on the State, ignoring
that the first essential element of success
was disposition onsthe part of the peo-
pie of the County, who desired to enjoy
the advantages and commercial facilities
of the enterprise, to beara portion of the
burthen themselves, and to give some
evidence of their willingness to contrib
ute from the means at their disposal to
effect the desired end. Until this is done,
lit is unreasonableto call on others for as
sistanee.
In; this utilitarian age the first question
to determine is, willthe investment pay
an interest? Unless it can be. demon
strated that the .indiyidual will be bene-
fitted in some way, it is useless to cali on
him to assist. Asbut a limited number
OF persons have eyergiven much time TO
the study OF the effect q Railroad has on
a country, it is expedient that a Com
nittee be appointed t6 gather the data
and make a report showing how the ma
terial interests OF each individual will
be affected, Independent Of dividendson
the amount of Stock subscribed: TO ac-
complish this end fund should be raised
and placed in the hands OF the Committee,
for the purpose Of employing an expert
in such matters, and OF printing and cir
culating tho Report when ready. Then
Committees should be appointed in each
Township to call on the citizens individ-
ually, to explain to them the advantages
to be derived, and the necessity of each
contributing in proportion to his means;
that valuable aid can be afforded by sub
scriptions payable in lands, labor, mate
rials, right Of way, &C., dc., and that un-
less they take an interest inithe proposed
scheme, the probability is that some COM
peting Road will be built which will
leave them out in the cold.
Public Sentiment, in favor of issuing
reasonable amount of County Bonds, un-
der proper restrictions, should be foster
ed; as the increased value of property
in the County, al increased prosperity
incident thereto, would more, than pay
the increased taxation.
1t is of great importance that the Dele
gates to the Convention, which is to be
held in Columbia on the 10th of Nov.,
should be prepared to give an approxiI
mate statement as to what assistance may |
be expected from the people of the sew
eral proposed routes. ~ /
There are many. who now regret that
action in this matter lad not been taken
in the prosperous days before the war.
But instead of retardihg the movement, |
the present depress4 state of affairs
should act as spur 4d an incentive to
immediate action; fos waiting, N1icaw-
Der like, "for someh hing to turn up"
will lnothclp u.s. isss'sk zs.ss; ses,l oee.s;il.
much can be accomplished. What was
done during the war with limited means
and under adverse circumstances, should
teach us lesson. If the people generally |
,ciW it, the Road can easily be built.
1t is generally conceded that lands ly-
ing within five miles on either side of
the line, are materially cnhancedin in value
by the construction of Railroads. y
Road througl, Edgeiield can be built at |
cost of about $40, 900 per mile. And esti-
mating the length Of the line 10 be 30
miles, this would give $40, 900 acres to be
enhanced in value. Putting the advanced
value at an average Of two dollars per
acre, would give SG4O,00O, or over half
the cost of the Road.
Admitting that the Road should not
pay dividends, the property-holders
could we'll afford to subscribe literally |
and yet be gamers.
Where Roads are built by large corpo-
rations, State aid, and " Rings" they are
generally managed in the interest Of a !
few individuals. On the contrary, where
the stock is distributed in small amounts |
among the citizens of the section, they |
can control the direction SO as to benefit
themselves and their ncighbors. In this
view, it is of great importance that too
much hdependcnces shouldnot be placed on
foreign aid.
Thus far we have simply considered
this matter as local affair; but there is
another and broader view to take. IN
stead of it's being local road, dependent
for support on the population of this sec
ton. this Road, if built, will constitute
one of the links connecting the Great
West with the Southern Scaboard. Lau-
rens and Spartanburg will build their
oortions. and it will be extended to Ash
Vile in North Carolina, to connect with
tbe French Broad route to Knoxville,
Tenn, and the Road, now building from
that city to Louisville and Cincinnati.
Should the Rabun-Gap Road ever be
completed, the Edgefield Road would
form portion of that line also. These
connexions will materially reduce the
prico of Bacon, Corn, Flour, &c., and
thus leave larger margin for profit to
the Cotton planter.
Cincinnati is now one of the principal
manufacturing prints, and many manu-
factured articles can be purchased there
cheaper than in the Eastern States.
The facilities afforded for transporta-
tion to this series ofsRoads will reduce
the cost of such articles, as they can pro-
duce to othegreatestadvant and afford
market for some of our products in re-
turn.
Their completion will assist in the es-
tablishment of direct steam navigation
from Charleston to Europe, and thus aid
in turning the tide of immigration hith-
erward. This will form the shortest and
cheapest route forthe citizens of the Ohio
/ On