Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-01-22
From the Charleston News and Courier. I
The Railroad Combination in
Georgia---Charloston's
Difficulty and
Duty.

Railroad, the Western and Atlantic Rail-
road and tho Nashville, Chattanooga and
st. Louis Railroad is intended to put a
Southern limo in position to compete sue
ccssfully with tho Northern lines for tho
export trade. -Four great trunk lines take
the Western produce to the ocean, tho
New York Central, the Erie, Pennsylvania
Central aud the Baltimore and Ohio.
Each is under the control of ono man.
The component parts of the Southern lines
70 the West, on the contrary, have been
under different managemcnts, usually an
tagonistic or joalous. 1t was believed that
Southern linc could command full share
of tho Western business if it were under
one control, and with this view the con
soldation of management announced last
week has been effected. The distance from
St. Louis to Savannah is three hundred
miles less than from St. Louis to New
York by tho New York Central, and adding
on the water line from Savannah to Now
York, at the rate of thrco miles of water
for ono OF rail, tho distance via Savannah
is still seventy miles shorter than by tho
Northern routes. Tho cost Of the Southern
roads is less than that of tho Northern
roads, aud the lincs are open all the year
round. Mcssrs. Cole, Brown and Wadicy
believe, therefore, that they can hold their
own with competing lines, both in business
to and from New York and for business
going directly to Europe Col. Coles
preference was for Port Royal as the port
Of departure, but careful examination of
the harbor and business facilities satisfied
him that Savannah was better adapted to
his purpose. This is a practical rclutatiou
of the idea that deep water alone will com
mand through trade and make great city
Savannah will bc helped, by the new ar,
ranscmcnt, more than any other ono point,
and We rejoice heartily at the growth and
wealth now promised our near friend aud
ncighbor. Savannah has had terrible
losses and many ups aud downs, aud if, as
is hoped, the ST. Louis line shall cause her
to develop into later Baltimore none will
DC better pleased than the people of Char
lesion. The Southern people, as Il whole,
are the gamers by each and every gain Sc
cured by any Southern community.
In railroad point of view the St. Louis
combination is rcrpcxing, if not confound.
ing. The Western and Atlantic is the only
road that brings Western business to
Atlanta. Over this line, which has
been called the neck of the bottle, tho
business of the Cincinnati Southern, tho
Louisville and Nashville and the Nashville,
Chattanooga and Louisville lines has
been poured. But the Western and At
lantlc is no longer an independent line
1t is n link in the St. Louis and Savannah
line. The managers promise equal rates to
every road, especially to the Cincinnati
Southern, but it is not expected tha: much
consideration will be shown to the Louis
vile and Nashville road, the old rival of
the St. Louis and Chattanooga line. Both
the Louisville and Nashville and Ike Gin
cinnati Southern must ind an outlet to
the Atlantic, or be at tho mercy of
the St. Louis and Savannah line. 1t is
reported that the Cincinnati Southern
Railroad will cndcavor to work it's way to
the Gulf by using tho Selma, Rome and
Dalton Road, and filling the gap of fifty
miles between Pensacola and the terminus
of the line from Selma to Snow HILL The
Georgia Railroad, it seems, is in worse
plight than the Cincinnati and Louisville
lines. 1t can set no Western business at
Atlanta, except what tho St. Louis and
Savannah line chooses to allow it to take.
Upon Charleston the effect, VIC should
say, will to rather injurious than otherwise,
not because tho situation is difficult to
handle, but because Charleston at this time,
10 use q comm on phrase, is not "foot-loosc."
and Georgia Railroads, has been the great
rival Of Savannah and the Central Railroad,
for Western business distributed at Atlanta.
1t is natural to expect that preference will
be given tho Central Railroad, and Char
lcston will be placed ut serious disadvantage.
Were Charles on in condition to move, the
new combination could be madc the means
Of planting this port in advance of
Savannah, despite the power of tho St.
Louis line.
The lines which arc cut OF or eudau-
gercd by tho St. Louis com binaton have a
deep interest in securing free communica--
ton with the scaboard, and there is no port
which offers them as many advantages as
Charleston. They can, by way Of Knox
vile, flank the Western and Atlantic road
and get shorter line than tho St. Louis
and Savannah line to the sea and to North
crn ports. Either by tho Spartanburg aud
Ashcvillc road, it not by other routes,
Louisville and Cincinnati can obtain indie
dendcnt communication with the Atlantic,
and VIC believe that the railroad systems of
these cities nrc ripe for the nccdful action.
But tho Grecnvillc and Columbia Railroad,
and the South Carolina Railroad, nro in tho
hands of Receivers. They cannot enter
the arena; they cannot mako contracts with
other lines, as the Central Of Georgia does;
they could not join in movement to COM
plctc direct Western line, if their own
existence and tho existence Of this State
lo,,onl,I on ho lane "a ro;Iro,A, oro