The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-19
Augusta. and Charleston.

L
Augusta: and Charleston.
The Augusta ConStitutionalist thinks that
the demonstration against the South Caro-
liua Railroad is only ieint, and that the
real object Of the Central Railroad is to OBJ
tain possession OF the Georgia Railroad, con-
Meeting Augusta aud Atlanta. 1t is led to
this conclusion by the opinion that the pos
session OF the South Carolina Railroad by the
Central Railroad would not cut off Charles
ton unless the Central Railroad obtained
control OF the Port Royal line, which will
soon be completed; when a through, line
could be easily arranged over the Port Royal
and Savannah and Charleston roads to
Charleston. But lease Of the Georgia
Railroad would enable the Central Railroad
to cut of all It's rivals.
We think it very likely that the Central
Railroad has not abandoned the project OF
buying or leasing the Georgia Road. This
| is q scheme all the dangers Of which both
Augusta and Atlanta understand. Our con-
temporary does not, however, appear to have
considered the Injury which Augusta may
sustain, il it be deprived Of the vast facili-
ties and active competition which are secur-
ed to it by the independence of the South
Carolina road; facilities and competition
which could not be retained when the main
avenues to the sea were controlled by single
corporation. Counting the two companies
which use the track from Augusta to Colum-
bIs, the former city has now five outlets;
viz: the Augusta and Wilmington Road, the
Augusta and Charlotte Road, the South Car
olina Road, the Savannah Road and the sa-
vannah River. The trade OF Augusta is not
sufficient to sustain any one OF the four lines
OF railroad; and it is evidently to her inter-
est to give every encouragement to an e1-
tension of Western connections, and to keep
open her unrivalled connections with the
coast. This is necessary for her local busi-
ness, as we'll as for holding and improving
her position as distributin 6 railroad centre.
To place the South Carolina Road under the
control OF the Georgia Road is to take away
from Augusta her most valuable feeder. The
Port Royal Railroad may soon be added to
the list of the competitors for Augusta
ireights; but has our contemporary any Ger
tain knowledge that the Port Royal Road
will not, as we'll as the South Carolina Road,
be controlled by the Central Ringf The
shrewd railroad men who are striving to
lease the South Caronna Road know that its
value is diminished, for their purposes, by
allowing the Port Royal Road to rest un-
trammelled Is 1t likely that they have over
locked that. foad2- is it not probable that
thew are well assured that the Port Royal
line can be controlled, or that it will not be
q dangerous riVal2
Assuming, for the sake OF argument, that
the Port Royal Road will soon be finished,
and that it will be independent OF the Gen.
trail Road, we beg to remind our contempo-
rary that it is fur cheaper for it's citizens to
spend hundred or two hundred Thousand
dollars, il necessary, to retain the South
Carolina Road under It's present manage
ment than to be forced to encounter an ex-
penditure OF millions for the purpose OF put
ting the Port Royal line in condition to cope
with the Central and South Carolina roads
The railroad connections of Augusta, by the
South Carolina Road, are everything that can
be desired, and the same company gives Au-
gusta, without o farthing OF cost, the unsur-
passed lines OF water communication which
make Charleston ehe first Of the South AT
lantic ports. AS soon as the Soath Carolina
Road fell into the hands OF the Central
Railroad, Charleston would be stripped OF
the lines of steamships which the business
of the South Carolina Road maintains. And
the consequent delay in transporting and
delivering freight would be commensurate
with the increase of rates. Augusta would
be forced to reopen an ample channel to the
sea, and millions, spent upon the Port Royal
Road, would not give her the advantages
which she receives from the South Carolina
Road, and which it would be the part oil
prudence to strive hard to retain.
We have made these suggestions only to
show that the lease OF the South Carolina
Road would not be injurious to Charleston
alone. Augusta has, also, heavy stake in
the game.