The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-08-11
Fifty Years Ago.

The sale of the South Carolina Rail
road marks and important epoch in the
history Of ono of the oldest railroads in
the United States. The road has an ex.
ceedingly interesting history. The orig.
inal charter of the South Carolina Canal
and Railroad Company was obtained
from the Legislature of South Carolina in
1927, the books of subscription being
opened in February Of that year The
earliest projectors of the road was Alex.
ander Black, Tristan Upper, VIM. All.
kon, Governor Bennet and others, who
organized the company in May, 1923.
In those days the railroad was q thing of
the future, aud tho originators of the
South Carolina Road wcre met Oh every
side with jecrs and rdicule. They did
not seem themselves to have any clear
idea of the extent and scope of the pro.
ject which they were undertaking, and
the fear of ridicule made them pursue
their plans in secret. In February,
1929, they made an experiments they
built about one hundred and fifty feet
of railway track, very crude it was, in
Wentworth street, aud procured four
wheel car, upon which they placed forty
seven bales of cotton. a mule was
hitched to the car, anu drew the load
with ease. This was q revelation. 1t
developed the drawing capacities of the
mule TO NIL extent that had never been
dreamed of before, and inspired the con-
spirators with renewed courage aud hope.
They began to entertain the idea of run
ming railroad between Charleston and
Augusta with mule power and saw mil.
lions in it," Emboldened by this expert
ment, two months later, ITO yards of
track was laid on Chisolms Wharf, and
upon this the rails (ilat irony were trans.
ported from the ship to the shore
In Juuc, 1929, n meeting Of the stock
holders was held, and tho directors were
authorized to begin work on the road
between Charleston and Hamburg. At
this time the company had received
500 tons Of rails and the Legislature Of
tho State had advanced 100000 in the
way of loan.
The railroad men, however, still cxpe-
rienced great opposition, and to avoid
the ridicuC which the public were ready
to shower upon them, they stole quietly
out of the city TO Line street on the
night of the 9th of January 1880, and
in the dark turned the first sod of what
is now known rs the South Carolina
Railroad. There was no parade, no fuss,
no silver shovel or plated barrow. The
work WAS begun in the dead of night,
and in the fear of publicity and those
might laugh who won.
In the meantime public opinion differ
ed upon the subject Of motive power.
The original idea had been to use horse
power on the new railroad, but since the
idea Of Il railroad was first crystalized
new discoveries had been made and the
practicability Of the application of steam
power to railroad locomotion was en-.
crossing public attention. On the 1st of
April, 1880, one mile of the iron track
of the South Carolina Railroad had been
laid and the first train was started over
it. The train" consisted Of cranky
four wheel car, which carried thirteen
persons and three tons Of freight. 1t
WAS propelled by means Of large square
sail, which was rugged up on a mast, and
accomplished speed of about fifteen
miles an hour. BY the middle of June
following two and half miles of the
track had been laid and two steam loco
motives had been purchased. In No
vember, 1880, the "Best Friend" the
first steam locomotive ever used in this
country made her appearance here and
in January, 1881, she made n trip over
eight miles of the new railroad. In
April, 1888, the road was finished up to
Midway, seventy-two miles, and train
was run to that point nt an average speed
of twelve miles an hour