The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-05-13
Railroad News.
Abbcriile Medium,

HOOCCIIG AHCutV"I
GREENWOOD, s. G., May 4th, 1885.
Having u good opportunity, the other day,
! to get the Views OF q number OF ruilrtald mag
mates who were In town. on the question al
railroad connections and enterprise In geiier-
al, we sent out Our reporter with instructions
TO draw H. ont of them mt all hazards. The
first one he vrnturcd to intcrrrEatc was
President 4. Z. Haskell
who In common with the others had not the
least iden that their opinions would be SUI
mittcd for the inspection Of your readers:
President Haskell was free to express himself.
and said in substance. that there were great
efforts, being put forth by various towns on
ncctions, with Il view OF enhancing their
prosperity. All their available means were
expended for this purpose and they were Will
ing to assume heavy Obligations IN addition;
TO Accomplish the desired end. IIo believed
! this to be an error. His observation was mat
one railroad TO q town, situated rs most ol
them In this State are. was enough. ITO PC
lieved that the most prosperous towns III tne
State were to he found on the straight lines OF
road. which afforded them ample facilities Tor
TRANSFORMATION Of all they had. lie lnStnnccu
Prosperity in Ncwb=rry county, ana NeWper-
nv {. II. and several others similarly situated,
and sniL there was more real and rapid prs
perity visible in these towns, than coulu ne
found In any of those that were restless anu
fcverish with excitement, and cxpcndtng tlelr
energies and means In the effort to build new
roads. There were occasional EXCEPTIONS, NC
admitted, as In the case Of Greenwood, but
not many were SO ellglbly located. ne ne
lievcd that every dollar expended FOR the con-
struction OF additional lines OF ROAD ny a
town or community, utter II had already oD'
t,incd the ordinary facilities for transporla,
ton was that much lost 10 Its prosperity, ana
abstracted from It's legitimate business. Rail-
ronds do not produce, neither do they con,
sumo, they only carry articles produced, ana
to be consumed, he failed TO sec me wisdom o,
expending thousands of dollars by o small
community Of twelve or fifteen hundred IN
habitaniS, and even u much larger one whose
mcagre products for transportation were al
ready peuvided for. AMI whose annual con-
sumption Is a mere tribe. Railroads arc cost
ly luXuries if constructed where thcy are not
needed. and the community which relics up
on them to create the demand which they 4Tc
exrcctcd to supply, will be disappointed. He
thought n spirit or rivalry actuated many. OF
the localities. Each town feared Its neighbor
weuld gain some advantage over Itself, InI
hence 1t goes TO unwisc and unauthorized
mensnrcsf far beyond the most remote pros
peel Of adequate returns therefor. TAKE tlis
section OF the Sttc rs an Illustration, with
two rOuds running through this county, one
on either side. on what business principle cum
1t be undertaken to run n third line between
and parallel with them? It would require O
population q hundred fold greater to justify
then each would contribute to the business OF
the other, but never when they run parallel
In such close proximity. The same objection
lies 10 tho proposed Carolina Midland, aud 70
! similar cuLeE pElSCS ll Tic eibSlCIu patt VI thS
State. II every own In the State was con;
nccted by ruil the engines and iron would
rust and the road beds grow up in grass and
bushes for the want OF business enough 70 Ge'
fray the expense Of running. Just as Will be
the case with every rOad constructed where II
Is not needed. Our people arc making n grave
mistake. II Is not railroads we need 80 much
us something for them To do. We need al In
crease OF products from our own soil, and less
importation Of that OF other States. II q re.
ductton In the rates Of western corn ana oa'
con is the object of constructing new lines.
the end Ia obtained much more cheap'y and
I would urge our poodle to devote all their en-
ergIes to tho. development OF their home In.
dus,rles, to an increase Of the products OF the
plenty to do, and having this, they can reduce
their freights.
There was so much wisdom md good sense
regretted our reporter did not catch every
idea he advanced. Dur reporter then sought
an interview with
Ex.Prcsident II. l.. M'Cochranc
who expressed In general terms, the. same
ideas with President Haskell. He said thai
Newherry did not want any more railroads,
that her carrying trade was already amply
provided for, IN was the case with most town
In the State. She managed to export all she
had TO spare, and import nl she could pay fof
OF no vulue TO her. It did not add q dollars
worth OF products of the She WIS IN
need, however, Of several more factories
One factory was Of more value to her than 8
dozen other roads would he IL all were Deepen
lent on the present limited amount oil
freights. The three hundred operatives ~
her factory drew their wages statedly, which
was extended in the town. Their wages were
the proceeds OF sale OF the goods manufnctnr
ed, to foreign purchasers, and hence. all INC
money earned and expended by them In tho
town was n contribution TO Its wealth from
other localities. No such results would follow
the construction OF new railroads. Newberry
was willing to put oil her surplus funds In
this line of enterprise, and invited tho cree.
ton OF any number or thena.-lAe lhouSh'
this was the true policy for the pcOffe 10 pnr
sue as matter first In importance, and leave
the construction OF railroads to follow as he
ceSSity demanded.
The attempt to interview the
Directors OF the GrccnvIlle & Lnu'
rens II. II.
Co. was q futile one. Our reporter could only
get one idea out Of them, and that was, tit
(ireenville Directors were apprehenSire thu'
Lvurcns would gain some advantage Owe
Greenvi!le, md the LaureDs Directors wert
uverSe To giving Grccnrille amy advantaS.
over Laurrns, and thus they stood. They htt
but one idea. President Haskell did no,
think enough OF the prize to offer Il bid for II
and in tho mean time President Rnonl 81
quietly in his Palace cur, ready ~ avail him
self of whatever opportunity might offer IT.
self TO further the Interest OF tue Centrul sys
TEN.