Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1873-06-05
Fo. the Advertiser,

from mucN OF the cInparraSSll1eHI It!8s
has heretofore been felt about getting
Edgefeld G. Fl. in Railroad connection
with the outside world
Heretofore, whenever this question Of
n Railroad has been spoken of, the queess-
ton "Where is tho money to come from
to build the Road?s mas arisen, and no
one has ever been able to answer that
question The vast disproportion between
the amount of capital required to build
and equip first class Railroad and the
amount of business to be done by it
when put IN. operation, has caused all
prudent men to dread the undertaking,
and the result is, although we have been
talking about Railroad for thirty years,
Edgefield C. Fl. is still left ont in the
cold, isolated and forlorn, amere shadow
Of what she might and would be if the
people would be content to undertake
and do what they are able to do, and
what prudence clearly dictates. I be-
lieve it is not true in tact, that the people.
of Edgefeld are more wanting in public
spirit, than the people of other comnu-
mites, but on the contrary they are as
ready and willing to invest their money
for the public good, as others, whenever
scheme is presented for their consid-
Grafton that is feasible and is in accord
ance with reason and common sense.
What are the facts and circumstances
to be considered by this community now?
Everybody wants Railroad, and every
body is ready and willing to take stock
in Railroad; butte make Railroad a
success, and profitable investment, it
must be such a Railroad asis adapted TO-
the necessities of the people who are to
build it and. use it. Here is Edgeteld
Village, beautiful, healthy inland town,
surrounded on every side by rich and
fertile soil, and within six miles of first
class Railroad. What moro does this
country need than to have a. road that IS
sufficient to furnish transportation with
cileapness and expedition for travel<and
freight? If the gap to the Pine House is
filled up we are then in connection with
the great West and with the North. The
main reason why we donothing in this
direction is, we aspire to too mrch: We
arenot content tohave things we'll enough,
but we must have things as good as any
body else without regard to circumstan-
ces. It would be foolish expenditure
of money to-build first class Railroad
here, to do a business Of six or eight
thousand dollars per annum, and pru-
dent mon will find it difficult to see how
they can invest from S60,000 to $4,000 to
build Railroad six miles, which when
completed, will do business of say SIX
thousand to eight thousand dollars per
annum gross, with an expense account OF
perhaps five thousand dollars per annlim
or more. would prefer to take 500 OF
stock in the Narrow Guage Wooden Rail
road, such as has been suggested by your
correspondent "Facts and Figures" and
paw that amount in to the Company, than
10 accept 81 900 of stock as present in a
| first class Railroad from Edgeheld G. ID.
I I would be reasonably satisfied that the
stock would be good investments; where
as; in the other, would be equally GER
| tain the stock would not only be worth
less, as an investment, but would be Il
heavy incumbrance and tax.
There is no difficulty in the way of our
| n,,1, M, ~
| shoulders to the wheel and du ourdnty
in the premises. The matter has ;sslsia-
ed practical shape. What though the
arrival and departure OF the trains be
announced by the braying of Il mule, III
stead OF steam whistle? IF the bray
i,lg'of the mule reminds us.o Of prosperity
au.. thrift. it will be more agreeable mu-
sic to our ears, than would he the shrill
blast of the steam whistle if that blast
only reminded lis of our folly, I'm pay
lug too much for the whistle
There is too much valuable property
in the town of Edgelicld, and the sur
rounding country is 100 fruitful and too
productive Of all that makes up wealth,
to he allowed TO become waste merely
for the want of Il Railroad connection,
which may be SO easily obtained.
[ concur with "Facts and Figures"
that we cannot build a first class Railroad
here and make it pay. But I do believe
Il Narrow Gauge Wooden Railroad would
pay, and pay handsomely; thatit wonld
answer all the purposes of transportation
for the country that would use Il Railroad
of Higher class, and would be really
soodproperty to the stockholders.
ann not as familiar with making esti
mates as "Facts and Figures" seems to
he, but it occurs to me that his estimates
of the cost of building the road he sug
gests are too high ;Ias to some Of the items.
For example, why. should survey of
the road cost. $500, when a coApetont'en
rineer could do tho work in ten days?
Why should grading the road cost $500,
when 20 hands could do the whole work
in sixty days, and why should laying
down the supcrstructIirec'lat$l $lStG, when
twenty hands could do tho, work i'll forty
days or less? Why should $500 be paid
loi mules, when six hundred nd fifty
dollars would be ample for the purpose?
The estimates Ling modified by these
figures would reduce tue cost of build
ing and equippilig the road l'ro;:: $4,000
10 about s. GOO, rating hire Of hands at
onc doila Il day. -
Again in the estimate of expenses it.
will be seen t!:atiour hands,, besides tle
two Agents. are supposed to hu employ
cd. Now il would seem that three Of
these hands could he cmploycdin keep
ing the road in order at least one-third
Of their time, which would diminish the
item for repairs at least $50, making the
expense account for one year $3.50, in.
stead of S2lOO. Now suppssiiig the esti
mate df'the gross income 10 be correct,
the proportion to ascertain the annual
dividend will stand thus: 5000; S4050::
SleO 81 G-10O per cent. on whole cost OF
enterprise.
This is certainly very captivating to