Nothing in the General Railroad Law shall be taken as in any manner abridging or controlling the rates for freight charged by any railroad company in this State for carrying freight which comes from or goes beyond the boundaries of the State or on which less than local rates on any railroad carrying it are charged by such railroad, but such railroad companies shall possess the same power and right to charge such rates for carrying such freights as they possessed prior to December 19, 1892.
S.C. Code § 58-17-1820