The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-23
DISCRIMINATION IN FREIGHTs.

DISCRIMINATION IN FREIGHTB,
The article which appears Oh another
page, taken from, the Charleston Joafna1
Of Commerce., shows that The people Of
our "city by the sea" are awakening to
the realization Of the fact that the present
railroad system 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 which has
been pursued by the South Carolina
Railroad for the past few years. This is
a wholesome sign, and we hope ere LONG
to note the fact that a correction of the
evil of discrimination and high freights
has been effected. If the merchants of
Charleston will notice the falling off of
their sales in the up-country during the
past few years, it will astonish them be-
yond expectation. The cause of this
diminution is directly traceable 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 at present. This
is very inconsistent position, for they
carry freights to Greenville 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 Greenville 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
a course, for if the road can afford to
carry bale of cotton from Greenville at
s2.55, it can certainly afford to carry it
as cheaply from Anderson, unless they
are running the road for the benefit of
Greenville, and have to make up on
other places what they lose at Greenyille,
which would be an untenable position
for the company to assume. Again, we
complain of the road because it is not
controlled by any regular rate of freights,
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 the character of the
goods shipped. The rate on cotton from
Seneca City to Charleston is 1925 per
bale, while from Greenville, which is the
same distance, it is $2.55. We cannot
discuss this subject as intelligibly as we
would like, from the fact that there are
no published schedule of freight rates,
and we are compelled to take up the
question as presented by numerous iso-
lated freight bills, which give Some idea
of the exorbitant charges and unreasona-
BILE determinations made by the COM
pany. The freight on bacon from
Charleston to Anderson is fifty cents per
100 lbs., while from Baltimore through
Charleston it is only sixty-6ve cents, and
to Greenville it is thirty cents per 100
lbs. from Charleston, or forty-five cents
from Baltimore. From Greenville to
Anderson the charge on bacon is forty
five cents per 100 lbs., or fifteen 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: 1st class, 80 cents; End class, 70
cents; 3rd class, 60 cents; 4th class, 80
cents; 5th class, 40 cents, and 9Th class,
80 cents. From Charleston to Anderson,
distance of twenty miles less, they are
as follows: 1st class, S1.20; End class,
S1.0O; 3rd class, 80 cents; 4th class, rs
cents; 9th class, so cents, and 9Th class,
so cents. Now, on special rates they
carry salt to Greenville from Charleston
for SO cents per sack, but charge fifty to
Anderson. They carry car load Of mo-
lasses to Greenville from Charleston for
$4,000, but charge $4,000 to Anderson.
All stations from Greenwood up to Pen
dleton and Williamson, have the same
rates as Anderson.
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 boxed goods from Cincinnati vio Co.
lumbia, upon one of which the charges
from Cincinnati to Columbia we're $1.S5,
and from Columbia to Anderson $3.15; on
the other the charges from Cincinnati to
Columbia were $1.S0, and from Columbia
to Anderson $S.08. Another gentleman
received sewing machine from Chicago,
upon which the charges to Columbia
were $1.52, and from Columbia to Ander-
son $1.48. These bills are on file to
prove the correctness Of this statement.
Now, in conclusion, we call upon our
Charleston friends, of the 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
IL If d;&arant cauraa is