Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-03
THE RAILROADS AND THE TOWNS.
An Instance of the Effect of Refusing
Railroads Their RIGHTS

Editor Morning Nelcs: A very useful
lesson may be derived by other cities and
towns from the commercial experience of
the city of Charleston, as recently given
by the Hon. Mr.. Trenholm before the
Chamber of Commerce of that city.
Among the causes enumerated as having
brought about the decline of the city's
trade and prosperity, Mr.. Trenholm said:
both Charleston and Augusta refused
the South Carolina Railroad passage
through their limits, and the town of
Hamburg was built up by trade that Au-
gusta repealed; while Charleston drove
business to Savannah, Port Royal and
other ports by refusing to allow railroads
entrance to the town, compelling them to
locate their depots outside of the city
limits and putting them to the heavy ex-
pense of transfer, which seriously inter-
fered with business"
Could evil results more certainly follow
narrow policy? Charleston then lost
what she can by no liberality regain, for
the reason that the commercial avenues
were then concentrated and fred upon
her more liberal and sagacious neighbOrs.
The suspicious moment was unperceiyed
and the opportunity blindly thrown away.
Almost every day as railroads advance,
similar blindness and want OF Sagaclty
are exhibited among the towns, compell-
ing them to halt outside and establish
depDts beyond their limits. As in the case
Of CharlestOn. repentance generally comes
too late. When they see a new town
sprInging up around the depot, the old
town would gladly make some concession,
but now another power has
arisen IN the property holders
of the new town. and it not unfrequentiy
occurs that the two continue TO initiate
and wage a war Of recriminatiOn against
each other for years. 1t seems strange
that citizens of these towns, who so much
long for the railroad to lineage and let
them out into the world of freedom and
trade, and would do so much to have the
road built, no sooner hear the whistle on
the outskirts and find its presence a fixed
fact than they begin to find fault, first
with the location of its depot, then its
slow schedule. its times for arrival and
departure of the trains, its killing a few
cattle, ETC., ETC.; and finally, if it makes
any money, they discover it to be "grind~
ing monopoly
Il never seems to occur to them that
they strangle, or at least fetter, their own
prosperity when they deny entrance to
the city or town limits, and compel rail-
roads to halt outside for the advantage of
a few draws and hacks. Every transfer or
handling Of goods increases their cost,
and yet these gentlemen-merchants
tradesmen and others-cannOt tell how it
is that prices must still be fixed so high
as to drive off many Oftheir old customers
to other places. They can see how wrong
1t is for the railroads to charge high rates
transportation, but they don't seem to
find fault with the increase ofthat cost by
unnecessary drayage, provided the dray-
age is done in their town, because that
but diyersifies labor, gives employment to
citizens and builds up the town. Very
well, gentlemen, if that suits you,
but ''let justice he done though the heaY-
ems fall" If you freely take-why, then,
freely give. The railroads are your car
riers, pOrters, postmen and most efficient
and profitable public servants, and, de-
pendent entirely upon your own prosper
itv and thrift, are most sensitive to your
failures and anxious to promote your
widest dreams of conquest in the domains
of enterprise and wealth. OBSERVER.