THE BANNER. I
[WEEKLY.]
Vol. III. Abbeville C. H., S. C. Nov. 11, 1846. No. 37.
Published every Wednesday Morning, by
ALLEN & KE UK.
fleto STerms.
ONE DOLLAR AND FIFTY
CENTS per annum, if paid within three
months from the time of subscribing, or
TWO DOLLARS after that time. No
suDscripuu" receiveu lor less tnan six
months; and no paper discontinued until
all arrearages are paid, except at the op~
tion of the editor. Subscriptions will be
continued, unless notice be given otherwise
previous to the close of the volume.
(for. the banner.)
^C. THE RAIL ROAD.
Mr. Editor :?It is painful to observe
the apathy that is now .^pervading all
ranks of the citizen of this and adjoining
Districts upon the vital question, " whether
or not the Mountain regions of this
State shall have a Rail Road communication
with one of the best markets in
the Southern States, to wit: Charleston."
riiiQt irmir PirP fni* s? mnmont nnnn iKo I
VMW? J VM( VJ V? 1VI M IllVliiUllb V4 II1V
maps of New York, Massachusetts, and
Pennsylvania, and you cannot but at
once perceive the vast difference, that
appears between the public spirited citizen
of those States, and those of this
State. Every man there, who has fifty
acres of land, within twenty-five miles
_r ?i ~c *i ?J __ i
vi me route 01 a ran roau or canal, ai
once, and that too,promptly contributes all
his energy to the enterprize. He sees
at a glance, that his lands will increase
from one hundred to five hundred per
cent, per acre. That where he had no
market, except a little inland villagfe ;
he has now a quick and cheap transport
of all his surplus produce to the best
markets in the world. Mountains are
made to bow their lofty heads, to make
way for the civilizer of mankind- " the
steam engine." Cities, Towns and Villages,
are brought in daily contact with
each other, so that one looks upon the
other as his next door neighbor?Towns
and villages as by magic, spring up in
every direction?A new stimulous is
given to industry and agriculture?dormant
capital brought into active circulation,
and every river and stream is studied
willr manufactories and mills,
giving employment to thousands of her
i .1 lit
citizens, wno otnerwise wouiq oe compelled
to seek better land in the distant
west.
Look upon your own State, and sec
the sad picture that this presents in comparison
with those of the North; our
State is as rich, if not richer, in lands and
minerals, as any other Slate in the
Union: we have unlimited water power,
and the application of this to manufacturing
purposes, would be greatly beneficial
to the agricultural interest; but
we are sadly defficient in energy and enterprise.
Our lands, if properly managed,
are nof only capable of supplying
(hp ivant? nf nur nnmihition Vint nf con
ding off a large surplus abroad. We
would then ask in the name of patriotism,
if we posses these great natural
advantages, why is it that so many of
dtir best citizens, are removing themselves
and their capital toother countries
for better investments? Why is it that
we are contented to wallow in our own
supineness and lethargy ? Do we not
see what great strides our sister States
are making in rail roads and manufactories
1 Do we not see that the North,
by industry and energy, are enabled to
administer to the every want of the
slothful Southerner. They have so far
outstripped us in skill and energy, they
have now the boldness to make our own
negro garments, and send them to us!
They even make our axe handles, and
if we do not arouse ourselves, and make
use of the means that God and nature
has laid out before us, we will have our
houses made by them. Have we then
no means of stopping this system of migrating,
and of recalling the hundreds
and thousands of dollars that have been
sent out of the State, in quest of more
lucrative investments ? we answer yes.
And the means proposed, is a quick and
cheap communication between the
mountain districts and Charleston. The
idea of growing grain, raising stock, manufacturing
cotton, iron and lime, and
ilipn thinl/ nf Aratrerintr tVipm trt mnrlfflt
"*v" -- ?
by the old waggop and team system,
Ofier the miserahllVbftHs that traverses
k
the country from Greenville to Hamburg
or Columbia, would be absurd.
All we want then to develope the resources
of the back country, is a rail
road connecting Charleston with Greenville."
We then come to the question as
proposed by the citizens of this district
in a late meeting, " whether or not, we
shall construct a rail road from Aiken,
passing through the districts of Edgefield,
Abbeville, Anderson, and crossing
the Saluda river at some convenient
point to Greenville. The first question
then, that presents itself is, u is it practicable
in other words, will the proposed
route be the means, of giving a new
stimulus to agriculture, and industry?
Will it enhance the value of real estate ;
develope the mineral resources of the
mountain districts, and increase the
number of our manufactories? We answer,
that it is highly practicable. If
you will for a moment cast your eyes
over the map of South Carolina, you
will find that the route will pass through
the finest regions in the. State, commencing
at Aiken, it will pass directly to
Edgefield C. H., from thence it will
strike the deviding ridge between the
waters of Saluda and Savannah river,
on by Greenwood, Cokesbury, Due
West, Calhoun in Anderson, and to
rnnn imI In T-l rriiic vnntn tin I I n m
V_J? I V. Vil ? 1Mb V-/. I.A* A 11 IO IUUIU (Till v 111
brace some of the wealthiest portions of
the State. Compare for a moment the
present population and value of real
estate in the above villages, with what
it will be in the course of ten years.
Where Lots are now selling for twentyfive
und fifty dollars, they will sell from
three to five hundred dollars. Where
the population is from two hundred to
three hundred souls, you will see from
fiun linn/lro/1 tr. n t li. men n/1 Wli pro I
1< T V IJU11U1 VyU V W U iUUUOUIIU. f I ltV.1V
land is worth from one to three dollars
per acre, you will see it selling from five
to fifteen dollars. Why all this magic
work? We answer, that its brought
about by the means of a quick and
cheap transportation of one surplus produce.
A new stimulus will be given to
agriculture and industry; the farmer,
the mechanic, the merchant, the manufacturer;
in a word, all classes will
share in the general prosperity which
such an enternrise will nroduce. inde
t f I
pendent of the large amount of money
that would be disbursed by the Company
in the several Districts. But some of
us are like the " unbelieving Thomos,"
must thrust our fingers first. If so, we
refer you to the magic work the Erie
rail road and canal have produced upon
western New York. Those richGenssee
11 n n i . i r . 1
lanus were so lar irom market oeiore tne
construction of the road and canal, that
they were ol" little value, and was sold
by the State of Massachusetts to Phelps
and Goshen for three cents per acre;
now they cannot be purchased for less
than fifty to one hundred dollars per
acre. Go to the pine barrens in this
State on the Charleston and Columbia
road, where land could be purchased by
the thousands of no.res at fiftv rents nfir
? J I
acre; you cannot purchase them now
for less than five dollars per icre. Go
to the Central rail road in Georgia, and
and ask the price of*' lands there now,
and what it was before the construction
of the road: see at the increase of population
in the old town, which have now
become at the North cities, such as
Buffalo and Chicago, and behold the
number of towns and villages springing
up all along the route. When you have
seen and heard all this: can any one
doubt for a moment, whether this route
is practicable. What then we would
ask every well-wisher of his country, are
the obstacles in the way of such an enterprise?
We have no mountains to
tunnel ; no stupendous hills to excavate,
ana but one small river to cross; these
are no obstacles; the mystery is soon
solved, it is a want oj energy and enterprise.
We are too prone to look upon
ail such schemes as " Ulopean Chimeras
obscurasund w great humbugs." The
i e* .m ?_% 1*
gooa people 01 tnis ana adjoining districts
have not forgotten how much money
and patriotism were expended on
the maramouth toad from Charleston to
Cincinnati. When we talk to any
one about rail roads, we receive the reply?"
humbugs impracticable." and if
that will not do, they will point you to
the L, C. & C. rail road. As to this
road, we would reply, that the great error
of the stockholders,, was attempting
too much: they had: no praoticdf men at
the helm: too mutfh time and money
were expended in useless surveys,
stump speaking and negociating with
other States. If the agents, instead of
this great ado in preparation, had directed
the surveys to some convenient point,
say Greenville or Spartanburg, the road
could have been built for the same
amount of money, and in the same time
that was consumed in tho mammoth
road, which ended just when the patriotic
citizens of Columbia wished . But
great as has been this matnmoth failure,
as is said by the opponents of rail roads,
let us compare the cost of its construction
with other rail roads, and we will find
that it cost by one half and one third less
than other rail roads which are not
clearing more neat profit than the
branch to Columbia is now doing.
To satisfy the skeptic, hereto is annexed
a schedule of the cost of some of the
most important rail-ways in other States,
and also the comparative difference between
them and the South Carolina rail
road from branchville to Columbia.
So. Ca. rail road from Bra rich ville to
Columbia, cost per mile ?24,242 42;
Boston & Lowell, cost per mile,$60,000,
excess over SCR R, $35,757 58 ; Baltimore
and Washington, cost per mile,
?53,570, excess over S C R R, 831,327,58;
Providence and Stonington, cost
per mile, $45,000, excess over S C R R,
$21,75738; Boston and Worcluster,
cost per mile, 42,000, excess over S C
R R, 818,757 38; Boston and Povi
dence, cost per mile, 842,000, excess
over S C R R, 818,757 58: Philadel
phia and Providence, cost per mile, ?40,000,
excess over SCR 10,757 58 ;
New Jersey, cost per mil<?, ?35,000, excess
over SCIl R, 811,757 57.
We think the above comparison, will
convince the skeptic, that rail roads
can be built cheaper in the Southern,
than Northen States ; *' for when figures
are dlaced riorht. thev cannot lie." We
must also bear in mind, that the S. C.
rail raod was constructed for a double
tract; a great deal of heavy and expensive
masonry, and bridges were constructed
and done when wages were very
high : that most of the contracts were
given to stockholders, and landowners
through whose possession the road ran,
and in many instances on most extra vaornnt
form e Rut witK n II iU n c-o nUato
V ?,?/ l?4W? J^MV ?? lilt Ull biivcv lu*
cles, the road according to the last leport
of the President, is in a flourishing condition,
and yielding handsome dividends;
and we hazard the assertion, that under
its prsent directors, it will be in the
course of a few years, one of the safest
and most profitable investments in the
State: the stock having risen frori) 44
cents in the dollar, to 85 cents*
? ; -- ? It
does not appear from the above
schedule, that the public spirited citizens
of the North stopped to count the cost of
thier road in dollars and cents, when fifty
and sixty thousand dollars per mile did
not check for a moment their energy
and enterprise. Their vision was not
circumscribed by the present; it was to
the future they looked for their reward,
anH in nvortr inotanno fKoir kinrknot ow
uiim in v t vi jr uotu ii Wj (>iiuii c/a"
pectations have been realized. They
subscribed the money and went to work.
We not only think that the contemplated
road is practicable, but that it wiil
be a profitable investment: Open a quick
and cheap transport to our markets, and
then we will see the hidden resources of
the back country develope themselves.
Thousands of things now riot thought of,
(that would be consumed by time, wear
and tear, that would take to carry them
to market,) would find its way to this
road. North Carolina, Tennesse and
| Kentucky, would pour through this
channel all their surnlus nroduce. which
I r - -J T
is now in a great measure pent up for the
want of transportation to market. The
merchants of Tennessee and western
part of North Carlina, instead of shipEing
their goods by Northern routs, will
e induced to direct them over this road.
Hundreds of men who now stay at home,
will travel abroad, and thousands of
dollars will be expended in our midst,
by those who fly to the North to escape
the miazma ot the low country. Our
rivers and creeks will be studied with
manufactories and merchant mills, and
employment given to thousands who are
compelled to seek better homes ih the
west. Our great mineral wealth - will
be developed by those who are daily depriving
the State of that' capital, which
would make the owners and State happy
and glorious. In short the inducements
| that this route will offer to the .farmer,
mechanic, merchant, and the traveller,
cannot be calculated by dollars and
cents. Under a proper and economical
disbursement of the funds in its construction,
and a proper direction when
in operation, it is obliged to be profiitable.
Have we no other stimulus than mere
lucre, to induce us to engage in such an
enterprise? Shall fifteen or twenty
thousand dollars per mile deter our public
spirited men who are so famous in
resolutions o', " it is the. opinion
of this meeting"?from engaging at
once in the enterprise.
If our " patriotism" and energy have
not oozed out of our fingers' ends, we
must not stand a moment longer, and
squabble about cost and sectional inte
rests. iNo\y is the time, if we ever intend
to move in the matter, to subscribe
liberally,and allow the road to go where
it can be built at the least cost and in
the shortest time. Greenville, for the
last two years, has been wide awake to
her interest. Anderson and Edgefield
are throwing off their lethargy, and are
going to work in earnest; and while we
are trying to screw ourselves up to the
sticking point, Laurens will wake up
and snatch from our grasp this gr? at enterprise
and send it entirely out of our
reach. How, then, is this to be averted?
Let Edgefield, Abbeville, Anderson and
Greenville subscribe three-fifths of the
stoek, and we can and will hare the
Road. The State is pledged for the
other two-fifths. Long Cane.
(written for the banner.)
"All Flesh is Grass, and the Goodness
thereof as the Flower of the Field."
'Twas autumn, and I wandered forth
To mark thefallingieaf,and musealone,
As silently it fell upon the drooping herbage,
Whispering in its fall," ail flesh is grass;
The form and comeliness thereof is as
the flower
That falls before the blast," and dies
away.
I gazed abroad upon the fields, where
once,
Verdure and plenty waved ; they now
were waste;
And, as I gazed upon, the dull air rose,
The sound of rattling wheels, the noisy
rl in
Of moving multitudes, hurrying to and
fro.
Workmen were passing,to their shops;
The toil-worn husbandman, with weary
tread,
Following the plough, whistled sadly as
he went:
Nature is dying; and soon will dreary
winter,
Wrap her in her shroud ; but, who can
tell
Whether yon busy multitude shall pass
awav.
Err'd he who said,all flesh is grass?"
Nay, friend, he err'd not; for the blast of
death
Sweeps the fair field of this vain world ;
For rank, or wealth, or intellect, it cares
not,
But lays the human family in one common
grave,
And o'er them sighs one common requiem
1
" All flesh is grass, and as the flower
that fadeth,
So is man." His ashes mingle with his
I mother earth,
Nor stone, nor useless epitaph shall
mark his tomb.
The good, the great, the mighty men of
old,
Like dying echoes from the earth, have
passed.
The sacred temple and gorgeous palace
Lie crumbling in the dust. Cities,
where once
The pomp and pageantry of wealth.
Shone in sad contrast with the tattered
rags,
The hallotv cheek, the sunken eye of
poverty,
Are now the abode of beasts.
As break old ocean's waves in quick
succession
Un the rocky shore, and die away Upon
the bosom oj the deep, '
So dash upon the shore of time, the race
of men,
Foamirigand murmuring for a moment,
Then silently and ' darkly, into the bosom
Of the unknown deen retires.
Mark yonder war" horse. Majestic thunder
clothes his neck,
[ Advertisements
WILL be conspicuously inserted at 75
cents per square for the first insertion,
and 37? cents for each continuancelonger
ones charged in proportion. Those
not having the desired number of insertions
marked upon them, will be continued
until ordered out, and charged according'y
For nrlvpvtioiniv T?etrorra
- v. ? v. vBUtMg UHklHJO A VJIUU) 1. U v
DOLLARS, to be paid by the Magistrate.
For announcing' a Candidate, TWO
DOLLARS, in advance.
0^7- All letters or communications must
be directed to the Editor, postage paid.
With eye of fire, and limb of wonderous
strength
Proudly he treads the earth, as if 'twere
substance firm ;
But 'tis a film, and cracks in twain, burying
War horse and warrior, beyond tho
plummit's reach.
All flesh is grass, and man is but a shadow.
Millions of these shadows vanish, and
millions more appear,
Some grinding in the mill of industry,
hear hourly,
Her noisy clattering proclaim " all flesh
is grass." - *
Others, idling their time in dens of slothful
neas,
Or lolling in the pampered lap of luxury*.
Or dashing madly 'gainst ambition's
roclcs,
Have whispered in their ear, " Man is as
?i a
iuc uuvvur
That fades ; his comelincss like its, shall
pass away."
Like some wild-thundering train of heaven's
artillery,
This creature, man, thunders and flumes
With long-drawn, quick succeeding
grandeur,
Through the mighty bosom of the unknown
deep
Man, like some passion-breathing, spiriftgr'
host, emerges
from unknown, sweeps stormfully
across earth,
Levelling her mountains, filling up her
seas;
Then wearied hastens back, into unknown.
Ogle.
Went Point Oct. 1th 1846.
Newspapers Defined.?A newspaper
is a bill af fare, says a scribbler, of
the 18th century, containing a variety of
dishes suited to the different tastes and
appetites of those who sit down to the
entertainment.
Talcs are boiled mutton, rare done.
Adventures and news from the army,
roast bee/. Election news, venison. Congressional
matters, stuffed meats. Essays,
humorous, speculations, moral and
divine, are a boiled dish, where, hv ?
, ^ ^ / J ?J ?
happy commixture in the use of bread,
meat and vegetables, a diet is attained,
nutritive, healthful and pleasant. Poetry
i3 custard pudding. Anecdotes, conundrums,
epigrams, etc.. are spice and
mustard. Sometimes there comes along
a printer's dun?that is sourcrout or
vinegar pickles.?Styr Spangled Banner.
Fossil. Remains op Man.?According
?
to the United States Gazette, a very remarkable
discovery has recently been
made of the fossil remains of the human
species. They consist of the bones of
the pelvis, and were discovered by Dr.
M. W. Dickerson, in the mamoth ravine,
near Natchez Mississippi, in the
same stratification with the bones of the
uic^aLiiL'i luiu ihuuuij, muy uiuny x, uie
tapia, castroides, zebra, bison, elk, gigantic
horse, and a nondescript animal,
discovered also by Dickerson,and below
those of the mastodon, and a stratum
containing marine shells. This discovery
is perhaps the most remarkable one
- J ? ? ?? ?
itiui uaa iaici^ tuaiauit'ii^cu iuu |jioj?iu&3
of modern geolgy. These curiosties
have been deposited in the rooms of the
Academy of Natural Science in Philadelphia.
Col. John L. Manning.?This gentleman
with his accustomed liberality,
and fondness for letters; bias endowed a
scholarship in the South'Carolina College,
for the education of indigent and
i ' iitl ' 1 ^ it < t
clever young men. w rme me aci oespeaks
the benificence of the donor, it
is an example, which should only be
more generally followed in South Carolina.
We scarcely take up a j?P?r
from New England, in which, we'libnot
find some instance of similar be*
etAvvman#* iimam iUa ninfftihltinna
oiw ?f ulliluo upuil- luc ulcfo* Jr imww?%*mvmo
of those States; while jn? South Carolina,
so noted for its individual wealth and
refinement, not more than a half dozen
acts of the .kind are upoh record. 0 We
trust, this noble charity of Col. Manning,
will so'stimulate others in our. State,
that while; it will appear they are- blest
with affluence, it will no longer he a
reproach, they have not learoit fo apply
it to efegant and intellectual purposes.
SwIhVarHthian.