Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-08-28
For the Advertiser.
For the AuVerLlSer.
Railroad from Edgefeld C. H.. to Pine
House Considered as Pecuniary IN


House Considered as Pecuniary In
vestment.
Mr.. EDITOR :--Ihave been aquietlook-
er on at the recent movements In this
neighborhood in reference to this Rail-
road, and feel inclined to address a few
words to the property holders and busi-
ness men in and around Edgefeld c. H.,
and to capitalists of this vicinity who
have money invested in Augusta and
elsewhere. I address them as patriots,
and as Edgefcld men,
The time has come when every man
among us is called on to do his duty, and
his whole duty, in reference to this mat
ter-and this is all that any man can be
expected to do
st. The proposed Railroad as an i'm
vestment from which dividends are To be
realized.
We have the estimates of two practical
engineers, as to the cost of this Railroad,
-one of them estimates the cost OF
Narrow Gauge Railroad to Pine House
at $5e, 900, and the other estimates 1t at
$4,000. The mean between the two es-
Inmates is about $50, 900.
The gross income Of the Road is vari-
ously estimated at from Sl5S09to to S25, 900.
The mean estimate therefore would be
about $780, 900, which we assume to berea-
sonable, and not ut all extravagant, con-
sideripg the wide extent of country that
would patronize the Road.
Deduct one-half the gross income for
expenses of running the Road, and keep.
ing it in repair, and there will remain
S1O.O 600 to pay dividends. Now if $50, 900
make $40, 900 what will 500 make? An
swer, 90 per cent.
So it appears that, allowing the Road
to cost $50, 900, and the expenses of ran
Mug the Road and repairs to cost annu-
ally slo.Ooo-and the gross income to be
500, 900, there will be an annual profit to
the Stockholders dividend of 20 per
cent. on the whole capital invested.
Many of our good citizens are EXHAUST
ling their lands in Edgeield, and every
dollar of their profits they carry to Au-
gusta, or elsewhere, to invest at l9 per
cent. Why not invest portion of their
surplus at home, and help to build up
their own County town, and the commu-
nifty in which they live, and thus make
a larger per cent. directly, and inciden-
tally, by increase of the value of prop
erty, a still greater profit?
+ I'd. The proposed Railroad as it will
affect the value of real estate in and
around Edgefield.
The effect of every Railroad is to in
crease the value of real estate in its neigh
borhood, and it may be safely assumed
that to every land-holder in and near
Edgefeld c. H.,-say within 10 or II
miles,-the land willSbeincreased in val
ue from 20 to 25 per cent. So that in this
aspect of the case, every land-holder
within 10 or II miles Of the Village, might
subscribe say from 10 to Is per cent. of
the entire value of his or her lands, and
be better off really than he or she would
be without the road, even admitting that
the Railroad would barely pay expenses,
leaving out the profits in the way Of divi-
dends altogether.
8rd. The proposed Railroad as 1t will
affect the amount OF business to be done
at Edgefeld
This opens up wide field for advance
ment. The people will have market at
their very doors. There will be no in
ducement to go elsewhere to- sell their
produce or to buy their supplies of vari-
Gus kinds. Who will not admit that the
advantages of market town at ones
door is not worth some sacrifices? And
when it is certain that the money invest
ed in the Road will be good investment
in itself, and will of necessity bring a
long train of incidental benefits, who is
there that will not take some stock and
help on the road?
There are men who own real estate
within the town which will be probably
quintuplcd in value the moment the
Railroad becomes fixed fact, who rcgu
late their subscriptions to the capital
stock by the amounts subscribed by those
who own small lots, which in no event
is likely to yield them any income. Store
Houses are the property that will be
most added to in value. Stores that now
rent for say 5000, will, when Railroad
is completed to this place, readily rent
for from S4OO to 5000. Why should not
the owners of such property shoulder a
fair proportion of the Capital Stock, and
thus contribute in proportion to their
ability, and i'll proportion to the benefits
to be derived from the enterprise? ! say
this not in u grumbling spirit, but set
it forth as fair and reasonable PROPOSE
ton. 1t is to be presumed that those
who own this species of property will,
when the opportunity is offered them,
step manfully to the front, and by the
liberality Of their subscriptions to the
spital stock of the Road, vindicate their
claims to be considered liberal minded
aud public spirited gontlemen-who are
willing to do what is right to build up
the community in which they live. A
Railroad to Edgc6eld will at least double
the valuo of every Store House in the
village, and will certainly double the an
nual rent Of them.
Let ereay man nobly resolve simply TO
do has duty, and we will have The Rail-
road-and no man will be hurt by it, but
all will be benefited.
! A LOCKER On.
| For the Advertiser.
Mr.. EDIToR,-I noticed communica-
ton in your valuable paper of last week
headed Murmurings from Saluda,--