The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1881-08-31
Charleston to Columbia.
Approaching Completion Of an Important
Railroad.
News and Courier.

News and Courier.
Without any public announcement
or flourish Of trumpets, an Important
local railroad 10 South Carolina has
been Incorporated aud surveyed. and
is now rapidly approaching couple
tiou. This road is the Central Rail
read of South Carolina. 1t is built
under peculiarly favorable circum-
stances, and is expected to have
marked effect on the trade of Charles
ton. The stock holders are confident
that it will be prosperous concern,
and expect it to vie with far more
pretentious lines in the magnitude of
its income and the smallness Of its
expenses.
THE COMPANY ORGANIZED.
In 1869 a company was organized
under the style of the South Carolina
Central Railroad Company for the
construction of road from Lanes
Station on the Northeastern Road,
fifty three miles fror the city, to
Sumter on the vii lmington, Columbia
and Augusta Road, distance of for
ty miles. The route was duly located
and some work was done upon it
when the project was abandoned, aDd
the charter by its OVID Limitation eS-
pired. In the meanwhile Messrs.
Pritchett & Land, extensive producers
of naval stores in that section, con-
ceived the idea of utilizing what had
been done, aud constructed tram.
road upon a portion Of the line to
point known as Forestown, thirteen
miles from Lanes. This they sue.
cessfully accomplished, and with
light locomotive and few small cars
moved for some FIVE years all the
freights of that section to and from
the Northeastern Road. But their
facilities proving unequal to the de-
mands upon them it was proposed to
convert the tram-road into a railroad,
and to extend the same via Manning to
Sumter. With this view charter
was obtained for what was termed the
the Williamsburg Railroad the title
of which was subsequently changed
to the Central Raiload Of South Caro-
lima
THE CAPITAL SUBSCRIBED.
In the early part of this year the
charter was duly secured and COM
papy organized, with Mr.. S. S. SOL
onops as the president aud chief en-
gineer, for the construction Of the
road. The first step was the pur-
chase of the Prjtchett & Land prop
erty, the intention being to substitute
for the wooden rail then in use upon
it old iron rails of a quality sufficient
ly good to answer the purposes of
freightipg road. This, however, was
only partially carried out, when about
the lst of July the company changed
it's plans and determined to build
first class road throughout, using heavy
steel rails and all the most approved
appliances for the best performance
Of any service which might be re.
quired oft It's original capital was
extended from $4,000 to Sl50,0O0,
and the additional stock was promptly
taken up. 1t was then decided to
issue $780, 900 6 per cent. first mort
gage bouds, which we're readily ne
gotisted at par, and with these re-
sources active operations we're com-
uenced about the middle Of the past
month.
THE WORK IN PROGRESS.
The company has now about 700
hands at work in preparing the road
bed, getting crossties, &c. Three
thousand six hundred tons Of fifty
six pound s;eel rails have been bought,
eleven hundred tons of them are DOW
being discharged at the Northeastern
Railroad wharf, and going forward on
the cars to Lanes. A cargo is aAoat
to be delivered at Wilmington, n. c.,
to be carried to Sumter (the upper
terminus of the road from which
point track laying will also begin as
soon as the rails reach there.
COMPLETION OF TIE ROAD.
In addition to the rails for the
whole line, the company has also
bought two locomotives, to be de.
livered very soon. The completion of
the road is simply question of time
and labor, and under favorable cir
cumstances it may be accomplished
BY the middle of November next.
The completion of the Central Rail
road will place Sumter within SO
miles of Charleston, as against l4l by
the present route by way Of Florence.
At Sumter the Central Railroad will
connect with the Wilmington, COL
umbia and Augsta Railroad, making
the distance between Charleston aud
Columbia 1876 miles, against l30
miles BY the South Carolina Rail.
road.
THE CoMPANY's PROSPECTS.
There is little doubt that the Gen.
trail Railroad will earn large dividends,
There is no water in the capital of
the road. Completely equipped, built !