TRANSPORTATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 633 



ninety-two miles, and in October, 1833, the whole road was completed* 

 and opened to the public from Line street, near Charleston, to Hamburg. 

 Cost $951,148.39. It was then the longest continuous line of railroad 

 track in the world, 136 miles, and continued to be the longest until 1840. 

 It was built entirely on piles. In February, 1832, the first United States 

 mail ever carried on a railroad was transported over the twelve miles 

 then in operation nearest the ci^y. Stages to and from Columbia and 

 Augusta completed those routes. 



The Charleston and Hamburg railroad demonstrated both the practi- 

 cability and convenience of this mode of transportation, and the unwise 

 deflection via Kingville of the Columbia branch of the South Carolina 

 railroad shows how completely the previous apathy of the interior com- 

 munities had given place to an ardent desire to share in the benefits of 

 the accomplished enterprise. 



When the railroad from Columbia to Greenville was projected, the first 

 surveys showed a straight and practicable line via Laurens, but so eager 

 had grown the desire for the new accommodation that influences arose 

 strong enough to fasten upon tlie undertaking an egregious and costly 

 route, which exhausted the resources of the corporation, and forced it to 

 build up a territory it could not command, and to occupy a line inviting 

 comj^etition. It is unnecessary to trace in detail the various railroad 

 projects that have from time to time been set on foot. Some failed that 

 should have succeeded, and some were carried out that should have failed. 

 Following the completion of the railroads to Greenville and Charlotte 

 came the great abortive effort to penetrate the Blue Ridge at Rabun Gap. 

 This was rightly regarded as a public work, and on that ground both 

 the State and city of Charleston contributed liberally to its accomplish- 

 ment, but the Avar of secession came on and nothing of importance has 

 been done since to utilize the great outlay made, beyond Walhalla. 



The period between 1834 and 1860 was marked by the gradual devel- 

 opment of railroads, and by many changes within the State, resulting 

 from that development, which deserve careful consideration, as showing 

 the efibcts of physical conditions upon society and politics. 



Before considering these, however, it should be observed that no ef- 

 fective opposition was ever made to any project for building railroads 

 within or across the territory of the State, but on the contrary, the Legis- 

 lature freely chartered, and in some cases substantially aided railroads 

 which diverted business from our own centres and tended to benefit cities 

 beyond our borders at the expense of those within the State. 



Augusta, Charlotte, and Wilmington profited largely by the uncalcu- 



.*The Liverpool and Miincliester railroad, thirty miles long, was begun in June, 

 1S2G, and linished 15th J^eptember, 1830, at a cost of £820,000, about §4,000,000. 



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