The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-08-30
ties or reduction to shippers who have
the nresent ADVANTAGE of sharp strife by

ties or reduction to shippers who have
the present advantage of sharp strife by
competing lines in other words, by a
tariff so adjusted that all regular traffic
shall give fair profits to the road and
nothing more. The second way is to put
the management of the road under legal
restrictions-"T -"Thus far and no further
shalt thou CO." We shudder at the ter.
rible outgrowth of mismanagement OF
four of the great trunk lines leading east
to west. They are now reaping the
whirlwind of bad seed sown, and for q
time the strike looked as if it might
spread into this country. The strikes
have convulsed the whole country, and
the State governments have proven pow
erless to suppress the rioters, and were
compelled to call on the United States
for assistance. The destruction of mil
lions of property, the decentralization Of
the country through which they pass, the
animosity engendered between employer
and employees, will take some time 10
obliterate. The whole country suffered
and will suffer yet.
Business, especially in some of our
larger cities, both East and West, has be-
come partially paralyzed. If all of these
roads had been under legal restriction, l
have no idea that such an outbreak would
have ever occurred. Very many of our
best men have anticipated something of
the kind, and the citizens of New York
have insisted for years that the Legisla-
ture should regulate railway manage
ment.
QUICK AND RAPID TRANSIT.
In this particular South Carolina is far
behind other sections. The only thing
there can be said is, we can ride longer
in point of time for a stated sum of
money than on any road in the United
States, and yet the first and longest rail-
road at that time in the world was the
South Carolina Railroad, from Charles
ton to Hamburg, and, strange-to say, the
persons inaugurating and proposing to
construct this road did not know that o
railroad could be built on the ground,
but actually constructed the entire line
on trestlework, starting from Charleston
about three feet above the ground. Mr..
Black, the first President, must have been
most sanguine person, for in his report
he states that he has every reason to be-
lieve that the trip from Charleston to
Hamburg could and would be made in
two days, and to assure his passengers
he promises good and comfortable inn
about midway, and he confidently asserts
that the passengers will amount to at
least ten each way. Well, the time has
been shortened, and sometimes a very
large increase of passengers over the ten
predicted, but how is it now? [ ask the
question: How far above ten paying pas
sengers pass over that road each and
every day and night? She was in the
ivan" then, but we find her receding.
Yet it is claimed that at all times has the
road been presided over by able and COM
petent men. With all this we find our
railways from the upper country to
Charleston in a bad condition, with old
and time-honored relics, as passenger
coaches, in some instances, run upon the
old fauge iron, the first ever used in the
construction of the road. Until very re-
Gently our railroad authorities seemed to
know nothing of offering excursion trains
at very reduced rates, and the lesson had
to be taught by colored man of Colum-
bia, who chartered train and run them
the round trip for five dollars, which
proved success and paid the party
something handsome, and hence a lesson,
if practiced, not only in passage fare, but
in all things, would increase shipping,
start new enterprises, &c. To illustrate
There are now some poultry, some but
ter, tallow, beeswax, rags, &C., shipped:
Now, reverse the thing. Let the railroad
managers reduce the tariff on these small
articles to the lowest point, put their
trains through to market in shorter time,
and you will see that there are men in
our midst who will begin at once to buy
up all these things, our country mer-
chants will take them in exchange for
| goods, there will be men who will buy up
all the refuse of the farm, pieces of old
iron, rope, &C., and begin to ship them
others will dress poultry and ship. In
fact there will be many little enterprises
started which will give life to trade and
furnish work for the road. Who will be
benefited by this change? First, the
producer, then the local dealer and last,
though not least, it will greatly benefit
the railroad. Under such management
as we now have, one thousand years
hence will find us in the same condition.
The farmer will still rely entirely upon
the corn crib and cotton patch for sup
port. The change is demanded: The
country demand it, the people demand
| it. The railways themselves demand it.
Then let US have new life infused into
every branch of industry, build up our
country, our people, our railroads, keep
pace with this fast age, and not let it be
said OF old South Carolina, as has been
said, one hundred years behind. What
we need to both benefit the companies
and the patrons of the road, is to give us
reasonable passage fare and a great re-
duction in local rates. This will not only
benefit the road by an increase of busi-
ness, but it will build up new enterprises
all, over the country. Charleston will
take her stand again, Anderson will vie
successfully with Greenville or other
villages, and very soon with fair dealings,
wise management and just considera:
ton for those who feed the road, the
company will soon be able to supply first
class coaches and substitute new rails tor
the old fange, and last, but not least, this
constant, quick and cheap transportation
will lead to the people, the seaboard and
the mountains becoming more acquainted
with each other, and it might happen
that the hearty, beautiful, buxom girl Of
the mountain, would entice the graceful
and polished beaux of the city into mat
rimony, thereby certainly improving the
coming generation in physique and come
illness, and if anything can accomplish it,
allaying and softening any hard feelings
which have been or may be engendered
hereafter.
MEANING OF AMEN.-A correspond.
ont writing from T,acOn ILL., sends the