Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1873-10-30
The Port Royal Railroad and Direct
Trade.
From the London Cosmopolitan

In continuation of the question Of di-
rect trade between Europe and the south
ern states Of America to which attention
was called in last weeks Cosmopolitan.
we invite the attenti n Of capitalists to
the great importance of completing the
Port Royal railroad. Just at this mo-
ment all American railway projects are at
a discount; but this is no new scheme.
It. is completed work, and will doubtless
contribute largely to the interests OF the
new line of steamships just established
between Liverpool and Port Royal thus
the great desideratum of direct trade
with the south is an fat acconaph The
Port Royal road is some hundred
and ten miles in length, fully and effici-
emily equipped. The population OF the
counties touching the Port Royal road.
and contiguous to it, is 675, l2O, to which
may be added $4,000 of the cities of
Charleston and Savannah. The popula-
ton of Augusta is $4,000, and Of Atlanta
y, 900. The population OF the whole
area tributary to the road and Its con-
uections was 5,436, 232, in 1870. The
average yearly shipment of cotton at
Savahnah and Charleston has been
about 100000 bales. 1t is likely that
much of this will pass over the Port
Royal road eventually, since thereby the
cost of lighterage will be saved. The
deposits Of bone-phosphates recently
discovered in the vicinity of Port Royal,
and contiguous to the railroad, must prove
source of laege and permanent Income,
to the company. Another source OF In
come. for many years, will be the famous
timber tract lying between the Yemassee
ON the east and Allendale on the west
through which the line of the road pass
es for a distance of thirty-fve miles, or,
two hundred and twenty-five thousand
acres of land, thickly set WITH virgin hard
pine of the most remarkable quality and
growth. This tract has hitherto been,
for the most part, inaccessible by any
but common rough roads; consequently,
but few of the trees have been cut.
Georgia is the most vigorous and flourish
inc Of all the Southern States. 1t covers
$4,000 square miles Of territory-equal
to 81, 100000 acres OF land, extending
north and south over five degrees of
latitude. with climptc and soil suited to
an extraordinary variety OF production,
including Indian corn, wheat, and grass
lin the northern counties, and cotton,
ri c. and sugar cane in the southern.
The tenn 2era urG Is generally so mild as
to admt of agricultural labours through
the entire year. With but half its area
in cultivation, it produced, in 1860, one
seventh Of the Of the whole cotton crop
of the country (7O2, 600 bales of 400
pounds each. thirty million bushels Of
corn, fifiy-;wo Lion pounds Of rice,
seven million pounds ofbutter and cheese
&c. 1t has twenty million acres Of un-
exhausted land TO offer to new settlers
on terms as favourable as can be obtain
ed in any other part Of the country, with
the advantage ofa much nearer sea-coast
aud market than the Western States. 1t
has 2.2OO mics of railroad in active
operation. With these facts before him,
no prudent capitalist need hesitate to
invest in Port Royal First Mortgage
Bonds, which are paying per cent,
interest in gold. Our special object In
calling attention to the Port Royal Rail
road is simply the promotion of direct
trade with the South, the benefits Of
which, to exporters on both sides Of the
Atlantic, can hardly be exaggerated.
One more fact in favour Of direct trade:
Georgia and the adjoining States abound
in coal, and, at present prices IN this
market, it sat Je shipped to England
wM profit.