Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1853-12-09
RABUN GAP ROAD-GOY. MANNING'S
MESSAGE.

Gov. MANNING, of South Carolina, which re-
lates to the Blue Ridge or Rabun Gap Railroad.
1t will be read with great interest, and is wor
thy of special attention.
The prospects of obtaining the necessary
means to build the Road are much more latter-
ing than we have heretofore supposed. The
entire estimated cost of constructing the Road
from Anderson, S. U. to Knoxville, Tenn, is
put down at S7,5OO,OOO, and $6,7OO,OOO have
been subscribed, leaving only about 100000
yet to be taken. ii
If this be so, there is already a sufficient
amount subscribed to build the Rssafrom Az
derSon S. c. to Loudon Tenn. AFes assert,
and stake our reputation upon the & ssrtion,
that, according to the late report ef.ssa1s eiF
FIN, the distance between Kuoxyi aud the
North Carolina line on the Rabes 9 4p route,
is from Is to 20 miles greater, than it's from
Loud9n to the same point on the North Caroli--s
ma linel II s6fy, four and three quarter miles
from Knoxville, and thirty-ete rom Loudon.-..
This gives lsa pAess i.s.iissal 81 the lsstsEE
which at Capt. GRfrFi IS .is,Ate tt4l.soeo
mile) for building asss seiping the Road On
the Knoxville route, Aasensss t, sight landed
and nine thousand iieo haadsed AID MY do1-
lars, which win Be sayed BY conneetiag with
the Tennessee River, and Che East Tennessee
and Georgia Railroad aeI.oudonl a Think Of
this, we Legislators of Teanessee4-ye men hav-
Ing capital to iATest in Ralroads-,hinISof it,
we say, ye people of Charleston, and - Presi-
dent and Board of Dirstsors of the Blue Ridge
Railroad - -
Blu; this is not ALI Loudon is some. 20 or %
miles nearer LouisviHe andsGipeihnati, than
Knoxville, and vilt|& Ear tlssas he eember-
land Mountains, inslelE inore,(ay5rab!e for the
construction of RailHpad exteag to the
Ohio Valley Thus, the Loudon routeshortens
the distance from louisville and Cincinnati to
Charleston, about forty maessover, the. Knox
Vile route; aud makes saving of near ttco
millions of dolIarS!!
Petitions are now circulating for Charter
for aaJunction Road from Loudon to intersect
the Knoxville and Charleston route at or near
Harvey Brights, which will secure the adran-
tages above .enumeuatsd. a Charter for Road
frOn.Louds.g'p:t I1enisI.' ss, In the direc-
ton ofsSonierssft, siil 6e asked for, and
we hope the LegislatutS i !. sant both, as they
viii not cost the State anytibissS. On the con-
trary, the State wih,save several hundrea thou
sand dollars, if what issaid above prQvss to be
corrett upon actual surveys being made. All
we ask is, that the Legislature will not deny what
the God of Nature intended We should have,
when he built the Cumberland and Allegheny
MountainsI We say, let all the routes be open
to competition until all are properly surveyed,
and then let the best be adopted
But we are OBTAINING the reader too long
from the extract from Gov. MASSlxG's message.
Here it is:
By the act of incorporation.o the Blue Ridge
Railroad Company, passed by the last General
Assembly, the guarantee Of the3State upon the
bonds of the Company, to the extent of 81 ,250,-
Q00>was secured, upon the following conditions:
First, that 100000 should be previously sub
sfriBtd to the capital stock of the said Blue
Issdge Railroad Company in South Carolina, by
responsible persons, companies or corporations
Secondly, that such subscriptions should DC
made, or aid furnshed.to the Railroad Compa-t
MES in North Carolina and Tennessee, design
ed % connect witt. that portion of the Road "
ing Ia this State, as would give reasonable asa
surance of the construction of the said North
Carolina and Tennessee. Roads. These condi-
lions have been complied with. The city of
Charleston has subscribed s50QQQO 20 thatpor-
ton of the Road lying within 7this State; and
,,oo,, T. -
for the construction of the entire Road%from
Anderson, in this State to Knox It'll ID Ten
nessee, which renders the conpeet 81 Not only
reasonably assured, but as certain as ans enter
prise of such an extent can be- By the terlas
of this agreement the contractors are tosreceivea
in payment one-half IN. cash and the other half
in capital stock and rnartgaged sbonds Of the /
Company. by ibis mode of payment the ulti- i
mate estimated cost of the Road is brought
much more nearly within the scope Of the re-
sources of the Company than is usual IN enter
prises of such magnitude. At rates agreed ups3
on with contractors the entire cost of the Road
from Anderson to Knoxville. in Tennessee, TOD
gether with necessary appearances, including III
terest accruing upon the bonds of the CompisuF
until the completion Of the Road, will amel;6
70 the sum of about S7,500,O00. TO me i 81
OUTLAY theEompany estimate their rescued as |
follows VIZ: -
Subscription by the city of Charleston
to the Blue Ridge Railroad in South
Carolina. SSUbyUuU
by the same to The Blue
Ridge Railroad in Georgia,.....s..... $4,000 |
Subscription of Knoxville and Charles
ton Railroad Company,.s..:..s...... 100000
Other subscriptions, estif.ated at...., Isl 900
State endorsement of bonds Of the
Company. Il, 25O, 900
Estimated amount of stock and bonds. al
to be issued to Messrs. Bangs s. co.
beng one hale of's7 500, 900. $50 OOO
100000 |
1t will thus be seen that the means of the |
Company will fall short of the estimated cost of
the work about 100000.
This enterprise is undoubtedly the wisest and
the greatest which has ever been proieetedsin
this State. and the ultimate results viii be as
beneficial to her interest, proportionably, as the
great western lines of road to New York, or the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad now are to each /
of those cities respectively, and commenced |
under circumstances much more favorable TO its Y
Ii IS more important measures
than theapropdsed Charleston, Louisville and I
Cincinnati Railroad, because it's shorter
route, embracing all the advantages of the 9th
U, and is less liable to the diversions otthe ]
Trade from the yallies beyond the AlleghahieS,
owing to its peculiar location. BY an arrange \
ment shortly to be contaminated. the charters