The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-18
PROTECTION AGAINST DIscRIMINA.
TON.

The management of the railroads between
Anderson and Charleston not having ac-
ceded to the reasonable demands of our mer-
chants in regard to freights, an effort is
making to secure protection against unjust
and arbitrary discrimination by the estab-
1ishment of q wagon line from this point to
the Air Line Railroad. At a meeting of the
Board of Trade, committee was appointed
to confer with the authorities of the South
Carolina Railroad during the stockholders
meeting in Charleston on the 18th of April.
The committee reported to the Board of
Trade on the 18th inst, stating that it was
not in their power to have the desired con-
ference as committee, and that nothing
had heen accomplished in reference to the
reduction of freights. In conversation
with the chairman, President Alagrath
promised to visit Anderson soon after the
meeting of stockholders of the Greenville
and Columbia Railroad, but he has not yet
made the promised visit. After some dis
cussion as to the propriety of getting up
wagon train to haul goods from some point
on the Air Line Railroad to this place, and
making arrangements with the authorities
of the said railroad in reference to freights,
on motion, q committee of five members
was appointed by the President to confer
with ths authorities of the Air Line Rail-
road, with the view of making arrangements
in regard to freights to be delivered at some
point on the said railroad to be decided by
the committee upon conference. The Presi-
dent appointed Messrs. n. 4. Sullivan, A.
B. Towers, S. Bleckley, J. Baylis Lewis and
o. H. P. FAINT as the committee, and on
motion, the President (Mr. Crayton) was
added to the committee. These gentlemen
were instructed to cooperate with the mer-
chants of Pendleton, who desire to accom-
plish similar ends.
This is a move in the right direction, and
we understand that the committee has en-
tered upon the duties assigned with vigor
and energy. The efforts already made to
secure justice and fairness at the hands of
the South Carolina Railroad, we regret to
say, have met with unpromising results.
The only response so far received has been
a greater discrimination than ever against
the true interests of Anderson. Numerous
examples might be given to prove the asser-
ton that the policy of the South Carolina
Railroad, which virtually controls the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad has been
steadily directed towards forcing shippers of
freight to pdtronize the line from Charleston
to Anderson, without regard to the interests
of the parties involved, who pay the freights.
A ton of freight from Atlanta to Greenville,
q distance of 159 miles, cost S4.0O; from
Greenville to Anderson, q distance of 30
miles, 5000. One hogshead of mOlasses and
two sacks of coffee from Wilmington to
Columbia cost 1852; from Columbia to
Anderson, S1446. A package of goods from
New York to Greenville cost S1.45;. from
Greenville to Anderson, $252. Flour from
Atlanta to Greenville costs forty cents per
barrel; from Greenville to Anderson, eighty
cents. These instances are sufficient to
show that our merchants are restricted by
the exorbtant local tariffs charged upon all
goods not shipped from Charleston or
through that city. 1t is lamentable that the
railroad authorities do not recognize the fact
that such policy is suicidal in the extreme,
and that in preventing our merchants from
building up and cnlarging the trade of An
dcrson, they are lessening frcights from this
depot, besides increasing the trade and bust
ness of every point on the Air Line Railroad.
Selfish considerations alone would seem to
dictate different policy, whereby the bust
ness of Anderson would be fostered and
stimulated, instead of hampered and re-
stricted.
The Grccnville and Columbia Railroad
has recently given notice that it will not
recognize any through bills Of fading or
through rates Of freight from Northern or
Eastern cities, except those issued by the
regularly authorized agents of the Great
Southern Freight Line, ria Charleston, S. c.
All freigts destined for statious on the line
of the Road, except as above stated, will be
subject to the local classification and rates Of
frcigh. This undisgaiscd purpose to force
the merchants along the line to patronize
particular freight line, or else subject them
selves to heavy penalties, leaves no alterna-