The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-04-29
Wednesday, April 20, 1885.
Han. &. Cannon TeSti1ies 10 the Al
vantage of Cutting Loose
from Charleston.

" j
vantaSc OF Cutting Loose
from Charleston.
The Hon. q. Cannon, Of Slrtrtanhurg. is al
enthusiast on the subject oi railroads. ana re
suits have proved tn" great success "i his Ell
forts. rs well rs The benefits to he derived from
railroad connection with other commercial
mar,s than the city OF Charleston. In proc
Of This we commend to the attention of oui
readers the convincing letter which he re
Gently addressed 10 the Hon. J. S. Cuihran.
As far back as 1859 the town Of Abbevillt
had II population of %. souls. and the popW
la:.on or the county aggregated 32,3lS. The
population of only l,17G, and the county n pop
ulation of only 1928.
In 1880 Abbcville county had increased In
population to iN,GS9, while Spartanburg hat
Increased to i0,2h.
In $50 neither county had n railroad
but very soon after this date both Abbcvillt
md Spartanburg were put in railroad com
munica,ion with the city OF Charleston. A.
will be seen from Mr.. Cannon's letter, the
railroad from Charleston to Spartanburs, dur
ing n period of twenty years, had no very per
cnp,ible effect upon the population or pros
rerity of that locality. Our readers know
how Charleston treated us rs long rs she con
1rollcd our railroad, and they know the &C
Communications which were furnished us when
we were in her power. They know how little
this community has been benefited by rail.
road communication with the city by the
Sea.
Spartanburg had no advantages over Able
willie, either in population or wealth until thu,
town and county had determined to free
themselves from the dominion of Charleston
and open her gates TO other and more advan
tageous commercial narts. In ISL the train
ran over the new railroad to Spartanburg.
IN 1872
the taxable property of the counties was as
follows:
Spartanburg. lU'""
i,-ti,-oS
IN 1885
the assessed property had undergone the fol-
lowing great changes rs MIR. Cannon ~tcstlfes
ut least, so far rs Spartnnburg Is concerned
because of railroads to other markets than
Charleston
,-"o,"-o
Abbevillc. 5.fI0,l!5
BY building railroads 10 other towns than
Charleston, Spartanburg has more than
doubled her wealth In thirteen years. And IT
vii. be noticed that she did not waste her
time and money In any foolish effort to build
competing lines to Aston, to Columbia or
to Charleston. One road in that direction Is
ulI that She wants.
The difference between the population and
wealth OF Abbeville and S~partanburg COM
o,.,1 al. .~,,, rs ~ re pIn,ry ont Loose from
Charleston, and obtained communication
with the Outsidc world. Mr.. Cannon might
have gone moro into particulars than he did,
and have furnished other and more convsnc-
ing proof Of the value Of railroads which run
across The State and not to Charleston. Besides
tho prosperity and growth OF the town OF
Sparianburg, he might have mentioned the
growth of Gaffncy City. On the arriva! Of the
Air Line cars In 1871 or 1872, on a farm in that
county, owned by q Mr.. GaIncy, the railroad
established n water tank and pump In the
cultivated field. Around that tank and pump
n Town has grown up which Is almost as large
as Ahbeville, with about the same number OF
stores, churches, schools. etc., including q
:own hall and n national bank, neither or
which latter can be found in Abbcvillc. In
addition to this extraordinary growth In n
few years, q new railroad Is now being built
from that place to some point in North Caro-.
lima. which when completed, will add still
further to the wealth and reputation OF the
town.
On the approach of the Air Line Greenville
felt the effects of n new connection, and soon
realized that she was free from the tyranny OF
Charle ,ton. 4 city Of 5000 inhabitants prang
49, nc ;f Ia. 1,nuin 4 rrnnf n1mhnr Of The
most active business men of the State, an im-
mensc amour Of capital, and blocks OF e!e-
CANT buildings Of modern architecture now
take the place Of the oddly shaped barns
which were scattered over the smoky old
own OF fifteen years ago Then some OF the
most conspicuous buildings were O ~largchotel
in the centre Of the town, and u rickety old
blacksmith shop which was located on one OF
the most prominent corners In the city. All
this great change has been wrought by build
ing II railroad across The State and In throwing
off the slIack!cs BY which Charleston bound
her.
a depot was established further West, and
the town Of Easily Is the result. Al the cross
Ing OF the Columbia and Grcenville road a
depot was built in the woods. Despite the
fact that solemn act OF the Legislature was
necessary TO require the Columbia and Green
Vile Company to build a depot there, and to
compel them to halt their trains, n big town
has been built, and. Seneca City has become
n trade centre for q large scope Of country.
II other prosperous towns are looked for,
the reader Will examine the line OF the Char
loltc, Columbia and Augusta road, us IL crosses
The Mutc.
Prosperous Florence Is where the Columbia
and Wilmington road and the Charlotte and
Charleston Rad cross each other.
Turning Ia the Augusta and Knoxville and
the Greenwood. Laurens and Spartanburg
roads, which arc nearer home. we find the
same evidences OF the benefit Of a road run
s,ing across the State, and elsewhere than to
Charleston.
Although I.aurcns has been in railroad COM
municatlon with Charleston for thirty years,
10 prosperity or wealth ever came to her
doors. She was sneercd at by commercial
,ncn, and her own citizens were compelled to
seek other markets. Dilapidation and ruin
greeted the eye OF the visitor ON every side.
The 6eletcrIous Influence OF Charleston had
done its work most effectively, and the sleepy
old town was nearly dead. Realizing her con.
dition, as Il last resort, sac Set to work to grade
II rodi across the country. AT the locomotives
approach from n ne!ghborinS State, its shril
whistle aroused the inhabitants from their
death.like slumbcr, and the old Rip Naa
Wrinkle town Is now 4 busy mart, with all the
bua!e and activity OF a prosperous city. A
steam engine from the outside world quick
ened commerce., purified the air, and sent
new life and new blood through all tho arte-
ries OF trade.
It Is useless for us to waste time In recalling
ihc fact that Greenwood in our own county
never exhibited any marked degree OF growth
or prosperity until after the arrival OF the
trims which came across The country TO her
borders.
We presume that Mr.. Canno desired to fur
nish proof of the fact that the building OF n
railroad to Charleston had not been OF any
great benefit to the City of Spartanpurg, and
most concluSively has he accomplished
his purpose. While Spartanburg has several
roads, she is now building two new ones, and
we have never heard a syllable about that
town seeking another road to Charleston. 1t
remains for poor old Abbevllle to take the
lead In this backward movement at a time
when she is 10 be ShUrn of n large part OF her
trade. and when the future looks dark and
W Z III Z 0oiaSS
interests seems imminent. she Is to be plung-
cd into an incXtricab.c debt. the principal
and interest of which will sit upon the town
like n vulture and feed upon her vitality, de-
stroying whatever of remaining value her
houses and her lands may possess. And no
excuse for bringing this dire calamity to this
people Is offered, except the vague and idle
talk OF establishing competing lines to
Charleston aud the building OF a great through
line to the West by way OF Abbevilie. No
man has shown US how the own of Abbcville
is to regain one dollars worth OF the trade
which we will soon lose by our former refus'
al to join In the building Of q road which
would have been of lasting benefit TO US nnd
to our children. Those who talk lightly O.
building n railroad over the mountains, ig
more the facts rs 10 the magnitude OF the job
and shut their eyes to the difficulties which
Ito a, ,l,a II - nara m anyy inh IN hpi1f