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South Carolina-Liberal Views of Gov. Manning.

171

estate interested in its construction, is Chattanooga road connects it with Nashestimated at ninety millions of dol- ville. lars.

The aggregate population at 210,400 and both increasing rapidly.

The number of bales of cotton produced, is 78,000.

The number of barrels of naval stores may fairly be estimated at 100,000.

In the last annual message of Gov. Manning, we have these liberal views upon the Internal Improvement System of South Carolina :

"It gives me pleasure to inform you that the rail-roads of our state are rapidly progressing. The Columbia and Charlotte Rail-road, and the King's Mountain Road, are completed. Although heavy damages were sustained by the Greenville Rail-road from the late freshet, they will soon be repaired, and, under the energetic management of its president and directors, will ere long be completed. The Manchester road is also progressing rapidly. Already do we see the potent effects of these roads in developing the resources of the state, and springing into life the energies of the people. The prosperity which follows in their track is no longer problematical. Living witnesses of it are all around us. Yet this grand system, which is to bring wealth and prosperity to us, and energize into action resources which were heretofore dormant, has just begun. If we would realize their full effects, they must be extended, until the rich commerce of the mighty valleys of the West is poured into Charleston. This can easily be effected by pursuing a liberal and enlightened policy towards them-a policy worthy of the age in which we live. The golden opportunity to command this trade is within our reach. Charters have been granted by the several states through which it will pass for the Blue Ridge Road, which is to cross the Rabun Gap, and extend through Clayton and Franklin to Calhoun, where it will intersect the Knoxville and Dalton road. Through Knoxville a communication will be opened with Cincinnati, (as a charter has been granted by Tennessee for a road to the Kentucky line, and a company is formed in Kentucky to carry it on to Cincinnati.) A road is now in progress to connect Calhoun with Chattanooga. From Chattanooga to Memphis, a road has already been built, and the

A road is also about to be made between Nashville and Cairo. Thus you will perceive, that if the Blue Ridge Road is built, commencing at Anderson Court House and extending to Calhoun, Charleston will be connected by a system of roads, not only with Cincinnati, but with Memphis and Cairo, two important points on the Mississippi river, and at a distance from each other equal to the entire breadth of Tennessee, and nearly one-third of Kentucky. All the immense trade which the Mississippi and its tributaries bring to this important point, together with that of the fertile regions through which these roads and their numerous feeders pass, must find its outlet through Charleston. At a single glance you must perceive the magnificent prospect it presents. It would be a suicidal policy in our state not to secure this gigantic commerce, now that it is within its reach. But to secure it, the legislature must subscribe liberally. So great are the advantages it presents, so great the prosperity it will bring, the state could well afford alone to build this only link which is now wanting in this mighty chain. But there is no call for this. Charleston, I am informed, will subscribe half a million, and even more, if necessary. Enough has already been subscribed in North Carolina to secure the charter of that state, and Tennessee, by her general system of liberality to her roads, gives $8,000 per mile. As deeply interested as all these states are in this grand scheme, none are so deeply so as South Carolina. I therefore recommend that you subscribe a million dollars to this road, or even more, if it be necessary to complete it. Even if the stock never paid a dollar of interest, it would be a judicious expenditure on the part of the legislature."

The subject of a rail-road from Houston to Austin, in Texas, is receiving much attention. The distance is 53 miles; and the committee, in their report, propose to raise the capital as follows:

"They believe that three hundred thousand dollars can be raised by subscription in Houston and parts of the country interested, payable in instalments, within twelve months after the 1st of January next. But suppose individual subscriptions should not exceed two hundred thousand dollars, they pro

pose that the city of Houston subscribe to two hundred thousand dollars of the stock, and issue her bonds for the amount, payable in fifteen years, with interest at the rate of six per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually at the city of NewYork. That the city council provide in advance for the payment of the interest and the final redemption of the principal, thus:- - Pledge twelve thousand doldars per annum of the wharfage revenue, (now exceeding that sum, and annually absorbed in the construction and repair of the city's turnpike, on the route of the proposed rail-road, and which will cease when this work is commenced,) to be set apart and remitted on 1st January and 1st July, to meet the interest; let it also provide that the dividends on the stock be annually invested as a sinking fund in good state or government stocks, and accumulate for the redemption of the principal, and further authorize the railroad company to negotiate the bonds and pledge them to the purchasers as an additional security for the redemption of the principal and interest as aforesaid. With such a basis, these bonds would be negotiable in New-York, or any other market where money is abundant."

built, too, though not in as short a time as it otherwise would be, whether Congress gives a foot of land or not.

In referring to the projected rail-road from Port Gibson to Grand Gulf, the Port Gibson Herald says:

We are gratified to find that the full and we look with confidence to the comamount of stock will soon be subscribed, pletion of this work by the next crop. yet come forward, but they are of those Many of the larger subscribers have not who can be relied upon. A deep interest seems to be felt by all persons in our vicinity, and we find a growing spirit invest-they are coming forward freely, among those who have small means to and we hope soon to be able to announce that an amount fully sufficient to complete the work has been subscribed. The large amount of cotton coming into Port Gibson this year surprises many who were not familiar with the extent readers that our cotton buyers purchase of our business; and when we tell our cotton from a distance of seventy-five miles in the interior, it will afford them good basis for forming an estimate of the extent of country to be added to our business; and, certainly, may we rely upon a very considerable increase of trade from all directions and sections of the country. Our streets are crowded daily with teams, sheds full of cotton, terial aid," produce, dry goods, and everyand ample means in the shape of "mathing to supply all demands.

It is proposed, in a few days, to organize a company by the election of directors.

The report of the Central Rail-road of Georgia furnishes the following statistics:

The Ouachita Herald says that the action of the Rail-road Convention, which assembled in this city on Monday last, as well as the action of the board of directors, was such as to inspire new confidence in the breast of every one with regard to the Mississippi, Ouachita, and Red River rail-road enterprise. The friends of the road have gone to work in earnest, with a fixed determination never to cease their efforts until the road is built. They have now effected a thorough and permanent organization, by the election of competent and trustworthy officers. The board of directory is composed of the very best men, (we speak for eleven of them, of course,) that could possibly have been selected on the line of the road. All of them are men December January. possessed of good sound practical sense February. and of undoubted moral integrity. Most March of them are men of wealth, and are large April stockholders. With such men, in addi- June tion to the efficient agents appointed in every county, and a sufficient amount of money in the treasury to meet every contingency, what may we not expect? Why, that the road will be built-and

Statement of the Number of Passengers transported from 1st December, 1851, to 1st December, 1852, on the Central Rail-road of Georgia.

May

July

Months

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August..
September...
October
November...... 526.

Total....8,630....6,747.... 22,530.... 21,929

Rail-Roads of Georgia and Mississippi.

Statement of the Number of Bales of Cotton transported on the Central Rail-road of Georgia, from 1st December, 1851, to 1st December, 1852.

MONTHS.

December..

January

February.

March.

April

May
June.

July...

August

September.

October

November:

Total..

24,654.... 8,701.... 33,355
29,499.... 7,503. 37,002

173

River, in Elbert county. Then the surface of Georgia will present a grand cross of iron way, reaching from the THROUGH. WAY. TOTAL. northwest corner of the state to Savan27,299... 8,706... 36,005 nah, in the southeastern divisions, and from Mount Vernon, the southwest cor24,827.... 2,909... 27,736 ner, to Elbert county, in the northeastern 15,321.... 1,119.... 16,440 division-Macon being the central point. 3,886 How much money will it require to do 2,700 this great thing? Not more than one 993.... 4,198 million and a half of dollars.

7,805.

827.

3,698.

2,644..

188.
56.

1,815.

137

3,205.

17,674.... 8,244.
23,879.... 9,507

8,632

1,952

25,918 Under the new administration of the 33,386 Western Rail-road of Georgia, running .182,320.........48,890........231,210 into the State of Tennessee, the net

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Statement of the Earnings of the Road for the year just closed, compared with

the previous one.

Up through freight....$247,134 16....$249,933 99.

Down through freight 202,011 72.... 348,404 03.
Up way freight........

Down way freight....
Up through passage...

Down through do.
United States Mail.
Down way

Total earnings...... 748,207 86.
Decrease bright down

Bales cotton through.. $111,433 00.
Total increase......

.. 945,508 28.... 199,251 08.

39,433 00.
Total bales cotton... 150,866 00.... 231,210 00....
way....

80,344 00....

Decrease

1981

78.265 20 ...

do.

Up way

388

do.

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We have but just entered upon the fruition of the blessings which our system of rail-roads have produced. In the course of a little over a year there will be added to the present miles of traveled rail-way in Georgia, 137 miles. This addition will connect Savannah through the locomotive engine with Columbus, West Point, Americus, Eatonton, Washington, and Augusta, in addition to our present connections. The crowning work is yet to come. Let the southwestern road be extended to the junction of the Flint and Chattahoochee, and let the Wilkes county road be extended to Savannah

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profits have run up in eight months to $141,533 59. The road is being heavily ironed with T rails, and only fourteen miles remain to be re-ironed in this manner. New warehouses, depots, etc., are being constructed at Atlanta, Marietta, Chattanooga, Kingston, Calhoun,. and Dalton.

The people of Mississippi are pressing their great Central Road, which is to extend from Canton, Miss., on the line of the New-Orleans and Nashville road to Jackson, Tennessee, there connecting with the Mobile and Ohio road, etc. The length of road in Mississippi will be 180 miles, a portion of which will be put under contract in April or May; and one million and a half of dollars have been subscribed in Mississippi to the work. The road runs through or near some of the richest counties in the state: Marshall, Lafayette, Yallabusha, Carroll, Holmes, Yazoo, Madison, Tippah, Pontotoc, Chickasaw, Choctaw, De Soto, Panola, Sun Flower, Tallahatchie, Washington, Issaquina, Leake, and Attala. The cost per mile is estimated as low as $12,500, total $2,250,000.

On the subject of the proposed road from Savannah to Pensacola, Mr. Hodgson, of the former city, has prepared an interesting paper:

The route from New-York to NewOrleans or California, through Savannah, has striking advantages over any other line, by sea or land, in time or distance.

The following tabular statement will exhibit a comparison of these routes:

1.-IN TIME, BY SAVANNAH :

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The route by sea, doubling Cape Florida, presents the following table:

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DISTANCE.

Difference

It would be temerity to limit the power of science and mechanic art. But, at this day, the utmost capacity of steamships is three hundred miles a day. Hence the voyage from NewYork cannot be made less than six, and generally in seven days.

So stands, for this generation, the preeminence of the Pensacola route. The future has possibilities for another race of men. Savannah, Columbus, Vicksburg, Paso del Norte and San Diego, may be their line of march. St. Louis, Independence, Utah and San Francisco, may be their central road. And, finally, on the parallel of "54° 40' or fight," rail, on spheroids, not greatly longer than they may reach the Pacific by a line of that now open from Savannah to Nashville.

From the address of the Florence Rail-road Convention, we learn

that

New-York to New-Orleans, by sea....1,760 miles. the valuation of property and amount of

New-York to New-Orleans,, by Sa

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population on that part of the New-Orleans and Nashville Rail-road north of Jackson, Miss., is as follows (1850):

-Assessed Value of Taxable Property.

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Real
$9,831,337

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Personal
$4,507,459.

3,512,262.

3,047,247

Total Taxable

Property Manuf. .$14,338,785....169 7,377,561. 54

6,856,386....112

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Total

165,332......125,595......290,927......29,299,512......37,256,424...... 87,055,936....715

* Giles and Lawrence counties are both included but the amounts affixed may be relied upon as in this estimate; because it is inevitable that accurate whichever of the two the road shall not pass through, it must and will be accommodated with a branch road out of the capital stock, the distance from Lawrenceburg to Pulaski being only eighteen miles,

The values of taxable property of Lauderdale and Franklin are not taken from an official report,

In the absence of the precise valuation of the taxable property of Hinds, it is supposed to be about $12,000,000 at least. In relation to the above table, it is to be observed that there is a residue of at least one-third of the entire property of each county not subject to taxation.

Exports of Tobacco-Virginia and Maryland Inspections. 175

ART. X.-AGRICULTURAL IMPROVEMENT AND

PROGRESS.

TOBACCO TRADE OF VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND THE WEST-RULES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NEGROES-CULTIVATION OF COTTON IN TRINIDAD-GRASSES FOR THE SOUTH-STRAWBER

RY CULTURE.

IN volume iii. of “Industrial Resources" substituted by western tobacco, while will be found full statistics of the To- the great mass of the crop of Virginia bacco Trade of America and the world. and North Carolina is manufactured at Those for Virginia, Baltimore, New- home. Orleans and New-York are now given in detail, which will complete the subject in every respect. We are indebted for them to a report to the Virginia State Agricultural Society, by Mr. Mordecai.

VIRGINIA.

-Foreign Export. Manufactured
Inspected. Leaf and
and shipped
Years. Hbds. strips. Stems. const wise

1841...56,146...34,445...6,074....22,010

1842...52,156...32,765...3,245....18,120

Stock

1st Oct.

The inspections of Virginia embrace the crop of North Carolina, which is nearly all brought to our markets.

there is probably equal to 7,000 or 8,000 In addition to the quantity inspected,

hhds. manufactured from loose tobacco. Of this a large quantity is brought to our markets during the winter and spring, and 35,000 to 40,000 boxes, made chiefly 8,719 from uninspected tobacco, are sent from ..11,100 the Roanoke country to Petersburg for ..14,363 shipment to northern markets, besides a 21,873 large number of boxes sent from the 1846...42,679...21,200...3,220. .24,537 .19,110 1847...51,726...16,560...5,488. .36,149...18,127 same quarter by wagons to the southern 1848...36,725...13,256...4,030. ..24,954.15,979 and western interior, to supply retail

1843...56,788...36,236...2,000....18,880 1844...45,883. .20,496...2,687. ..24,449 1845...51,126... 17,471...2,182....24,890

13,420

. 11,500

1849...44.904...19,643...3,430.. .27,720
1850...41,950...10,560...4,501. 28.276 .14,450

1851...32,598... 3,953...3,850....28,953

..14,353

1852...51,806...13,771...5,019....38,853 .13,535 The proportions inspected at the several markets for the last four years are as follows:

dealers.

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Years. Bremen. 1847..22,967.... 7,819....11,388....9,413....1,895 1848..12,787. 7.910.. 3,103....4,959. 131 The foreign export was thus distribu- 1849 18,821. .13,783. 8,725 .9,562.. .1,033 1850..15,864. 7,814. 5,973. .8,177... 6,540 1851..12,654.... 9,694.. 4,154....2,327....5,292

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Great Britain.. 9,667.... 4,992....1,908.... 5,416 Av'rge.16,018.... 9,404.... 6,668....6,857....2,978 Do. for orders..

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