The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-23
INSTRUMENTATION IN rssggsa rssggssaass;ss4ss. :; : 9.

Ph&ob taheH rom the Chafle5ton 30afndf
Of Commerce, shows that the people or
our Getty by tho sea" Afe awakening to
the realization uf the fact that the present
railroad systcm is not only detrimental!
to certain local points along The line of
the railroad, but that the business in.
terests Of Charleston are also made to
suffer by the contracted policy rhich has
been pursued by the South Carolina
Railroad for the past few years. This is
Wholesome sign, and we hope rsr lDng
TO note the fact that a Correction Of the
evil of discrimination and high freights
has been effected. II the merchants of
Charleston will notice the falling off of
their sales in the up-country during the
past few years, it will astonsh them be.
YONG expectation. The cause Of this
diminution is directly traccablc to the
mistaken policy Of their railroad system,
and If that policy can be altered, we pre-
dict that the Charleston trade from the
upper portions of the State will be speed
lily restored and even increased But the
railroad authorities contend that they
cannot afford To carry freights any
cheaper than they do p: present. This
is very inconsistent position, for they
carry freights to G.ecnyillc or Walhalla
cheaper than to any station from Hodges
depot to Anderson, which are shorter
distances than the former points. For
instance, the road will carry bale of
cotton from 0rcenville for $2.55 To
Charleston, but on the same bale of cot
ton they charge $3.50 from Anderson,
which is a shorter distance by twenty
miles. There is no reason to supprt such
course, for if the road can afford to
carry bale of cotton from Grecnville at
&2.55, it can certainly afford to carry it
as chcaply from Anderson, unless they
are running the road for the benefit Of
Greenvile, and hnye to make up on
other places what they lose Mt Grccnville,
which would be an untenable position
for the company to assume. Again, we
complain Of the road because it IL not
controlled by any regular rate of frcghts,
but acts upon the highwayman's princi-
pie of taking all it can exact from every
victim. The rates are not apportioned
to distance nor to tho character of the
goods shipped. The rate on .>tton from
Seneca City to Cha,]eston is 81 25 per
bale, while from Grcenrille, which is the
sn'ne distance, 1t is $2.55. We cannot
discuss this subject rs inte..igibiy NJ we
would like, from tho fact that there are
nc published schedule of freight rates,
and we are compelled to AXE up the
question as presented by numerous iso-
lated freight bills, which give some idea
Of the exorbtant chargcs and unscnsona-
BILE determinations made by the COM
pany. The freight on bacon from
Charleston to Anderson il fifty cents per
100 lbs, while from Baltimore through
Charleston it is only sixty-fve cents, and
to Greenville it Is thirty cents per 100
lbs. from Charleston, or forty.fyc cents
from Baltimore. From Grcenrille to
Anderson the charge on bacon is forty.
Ave cea!= re. 100 !t,s., CT ::neen cents per
100 lbs. more than the same company
charges from Charleston to Greenville.
The rates as published from Charleston
to Greenville for 100 pounds, are as fol-
lows: LIST class, 90 cents; End class, 20
cents; 3rd cInss, GO cents 4th class, so
cents; 9Th class, 40 cents, and 9th class,
80 cents. From Charleston to Anderson,
distance of twenty miles less, they are
rs follows: let class, sl.2Q: 2nd class,
@l.00; Bird class, 90 cents 4th class, rs
cents; 9th cl,cs, 60 cents, and 9th class,
90 conts. Nv", on apecial rates they
carry salt to Grecnville from Charleston
for SO cents per sack, but charge fifty to
Anderson. They carry car load of mo-
lasses to Greenville from Charleston for
$44.OO, but charge 10000 to Anderson.
All stations from Greenwood up to Pen
dleton End Williamson, nave the same
rates as Ah5ercca.
Now, to show the enormity of the op-
preston upon our merchants, We quote
three bills of freight from the West. A
merchant in Anderson received two bills
Of hoxed geeds f-cH. Cincinnati tia CO.
!u'nbia, Upon one Of which the charges
from Cincinnati to Columbia were $l.85,
and from Columbia to Anderson IS. 10 on
the other the charges from Cincinnati to
Columbia were $l.s0, and from Columbia
to Anderson $3.08. Arotl.er gentleman
received sewing machine from Chicago,
upon which the charges to Columbia
were $l.52, and from Columbia to Ander-
son 9l.4S. These bills are on file to
prove tho correctness of this statement.
Now, in conclusion, we call upon our
Charleston frlendss of tho press and of
the mercantile business to unite in assist.
ing us to secure such equitable freight
rates as will enable us to compete profit
ably with other surrounding points,
which do, less business in Charleston
than we do. If different course is
adopted 1t will produce benefits to tho
company itself, we believe, for low
freights will secure more business, just es
lower rates of passage in excursions, &C.,
have secured larger yields to these COM
panies from their passenger travel. We
wish this complaint kept constantly be-
fore tho public until tha cause for it is
removed.