The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-23
Transfer Taxes and Freight Discrim-
inatiOns against Charleston.

Editor Of the Jonrn iof Commerce In
the minds of many OF the merchants of
this city there io great necessity for
changes in several matters touching bus
mess.
1st. A union freight depot near the
water, 80 that vessels can load and unload
directly out and in the freight depot,
would save the unnecessary expense of
forwarding. The expense of transfer
under the present system, alone is quite
enough to drive from Charleston such
trade as that which has the advantage of
importing over competing lines. It has
Eeen remarked that the Enterprise Rail-
road was great addition to the trade of
Charleston in facilitating through freight
st low rates. The road, if the road beds
are kept in order, as passenger road, is
certainly an improvement. But freight
such as is now carried by the Enterprise
Railroad can be carried for ten per cent.
less by wagon, and if our streets are kep.
only in reasonably good order such con-
tract would be desirable one. A union
freight depot along the water front, so
that vessels can load and unload through
freight, or O. er freight, if is desired,
direct out sn, in the depot, would enable
us to compete with Port Royal, Savan-
nah and Wilmington, and also bring back
TO us from Alabama, Georgia, part of
North Carolina, ai.d the upper portion OF
South Carolina, the business now diverted
the trade for heavy goods such rs Jag
ging, ties, phosphate, salt, syrups, and
raw sugars and molasses.
End. We should do away with the habit
of discriminating freight arrangements.
This a,ssuredIy is killing tho goose that
lays the golden egg. We are positively
driving our very best trade from us, and
build other markets in opposition. Fully
two-thirds of the very best trsde above
Columbia have already left Charleston.
And, as to the extent our cotton business
suffers in consequence of high rates of
freights from Anderson and thereabouts,
the inclosed letter will explain to you.
Will you explain, and in that way con-
Yince the officers of the South Carolina
Railroad, agents of steamers, factors and
merchants that in the past the commerce
of Charleston has been injured, and con-
sequently their own business through
heavy freight charges and discrimination
in freights on goods from Charleston.
ii is nigh time that something should
be done. In few months we can look
for tho trade =" ope,. What should and
could be done II mt delay, is to re-
move the discrin. nation in rates of
freight ON such goods os are shipped from
Charleaton to tho interior of our State,
and also without the least delay, reduce
rates of freight On cotton, especially from
the upper portion Of our State. This lit
tie change alone will work wonders for
Charleston and why is it that the South
Carolina Railroad works so persistently
against the commerce of this city7
CHARLESTON.
II have the promise of lots of cotton
here but we must certainly do something
OH freights. Can't you get the merchants
to hold meeting and work on the rail-
rosda? If something il not done, we
will lose $4,000 bales of cotton and any
quantity of trade. With low freights we
can regain all of this trade"