April 18, 1863, The Charleston Mercury
The schedules of our local railroads, and their various connections, which went into effect towards the close of February, have been working with admirable satisfaction since, both to the several companies and the travelling community. Our railroads had been overtaxed by the immensely increased passenger and freight transportation incident to the war, and the blockade by water communication, so that close connections were rarely made, and a trip to Richmond or any distant point, which should be accomplished in twenty-eight or thirty hours, more frequently took three or four days. But since the running time has been lengthened an hour or two on each road, the trains can accomplish more, and there is a certainty of reaching your destination at a certain time, which greatly relieves the anxiety of previous travelling. Some of the Eating Houses on the several roads, notwithstanding the difficulties and disadvantages under which they labor, manage to feast the traveller bountifully. The Dinner and Supper House at Chester, on the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad, Mr. GRAHAM’S Breakfast House at Sumter, on the Wilmington and Manchester Road, and the Kingville Hotel, are specially worthy of mention. We have recently seen some beef on Mr. KENNEDY’S table, at Kingville, equal to the best Fulton Market. The Wilmington and Manchester Road has lately added several new and elegant passenger cars, manufactured at Wilmington, to their rolling stock.