The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-08-06

Aahsvllle, now nearly completed, but to
be made available as great freight
railway would require heavy work
through the first spurs Of Tho Mountains,
in order tc reduce the grades, which is
entirely practicable by some tunnelling,
as reports indicate.
It is not the purpose of this article to
dor than suggest these several routes,
az furnishing the means Of reaching the
West, and suggestive of enterprises on
one OF thole of which convict labor might
be employed with great benefit to the
people of the entire State. Of course
before selecting the particular enterprise
it would be wise and prudent to have
these different lines examined carefully
by the Railroad Commission or special
commission. and all facts reported before
any action is taken. When that is done,
and the best route-that combining the
greatest adYantages--is recommended,
then the State could and should assist
by the use of convict labor, upon fair and
reasonable terms, such Company in con-
structing the difficult work through the
Mountains,
The great desire and object is to place
the people of this State upon terms of
equality with other Southern States in. this
matter of cheap and easy transportation of
the commerce flowing from the West. If
the city of Charleston and the South
Carolina Railroad really desire to have
the full benefit of such enterprises, then
moro life and activity hiust be speedily
exhibited. If, however, the usual inert.
ness and seeming Indifference prevail, or
if resting on their longtime belief that
the S. @. Railroad and the city of Char
lesion operate as a great maelstrom
which will swallow up all commerce
coming within their horizon, then other
interests must be aroueed and asked to
act. Whilst the real benefits of cheap
transportation, low charges for freights
and travel will permeate and reach all
the people, still there must be some OBJ.
jective point or points for distribution,
and some outlet for foreign markets.
The city of Columbia, the capital of the
State, the centre of several important
Railroads, should be something more
than vast repository of penal and
charitable institutions.
Some effort should be made by her
citizens to obtain fair share in the COM
n,erce thrown into the State from the
West, no matter at what point it may
enter. Surely that city will aid such
means of utilizing the excess of this
convict labor, rather than encourage the
idea OF abolishing the Lease System, and
thus be eorershadowed by acres of conyicts
and convict cells.
Anderson, Greenville and Spartanburg
will soon have competing lines of rail-
road, but will aid and assist any line or
lines extending towards the West, and
in this way hope to realize a proportion
ate share of all the advantages accruing.
Each Of these points will, to some extent,
be distributive depots for the territory
contiguous and Southwark, greatly in
creasing and enhancing their present
aud prospective business.
Columbia might, with proper foresight
and energy, become great central depot,
and the city of Charleston one of the
queens of the South in trade and com.
merce.
So much for utilizing convict labor in
overcoming the difficult passes through
our Blue Ridge Mountains.
In another article some suggestions
will be made as to the use of this labor
in developing the land and resources of
our coast country, and if proper concert
can be had between several of the South
ern States, how great inland waterway
along the coasts Of these States might be
inaugurated and constructed wholly or
in part by the convict labor of the sever.
al States interested.