Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1854-02-15
From the Lexington Telegraph.
11uMpIA AND HAMBURG RAILROAD

"P. G." think the discussion about the
route, somewhat premature; but as your
correspondents have advanced an error, cal
culated to injure the Ridge route, | have
thought proper, to try to correct part Of
them, at least.
Both of your correspondents seem to
think the Ridge route scarce of timber
That is certainly a very great mistake, u
say mistake, for am assured my friend "P.
O." would not wilfully state falsehood.)
Timber is abundant all the way from Lees
vile to Lofts; there is timber enough within
sight of my house door, to build the whole
road between these points. can furnish off
my own land, without the least inconveni-
ence, timber for five miles Of the road and
not stick of it have to be moved over
three miles,-and | am small property
owner compared with number of my neigh
bors Nearly every man owning land on
the Ridge, between those points, assure me
they have a large surplus of timber; and
numbers of them, like myself, regret we can
make no use Of it, as we have no streams to
saw it and raft it away. Fine timber is OF
much less value in our settlement, than in
and aroune my friend P. G." Two of nv
neighbors, Mrs. NJ. Watson and Maj. T.
Watson, have just girdled within sight of
my window, timber enough to build at least
20 miles of Ridge Rail Road, and that of
the finest kind; in fact, | am authorised to
say, by nearly every land owner on the Road
between Leesvile and Lofts, that, should
the road be located on the Ridge route, they
stand ready and willing to grade and furnish
abundance of fine pine timber, each through
his own land at the Engineers estimate, and
take stock in the road for their labor and
timber, and give the right Of way through
their land gratis, and then furnish abundance
of timber for repairs and raising steam.-
Nothing could sound more ludicrous to US
here than, scarce Of timber" Well and
pleasantly do remember the bright blue
eyes that brought my friend on the " Ridge
road,"-no wonder he did not see our splen.
did pine forests that abounds every mile
from the Ridge to Aiken. And as for stone
why have enough on my own tract, OF fine
granite, to build small city, and it can be
blocked out thirty feet long ifreqnircd. But
we have no use for stone or brick for cul,
verts. 1t is not necessary to cross single
stream large or small from Leesrille TO Lofts
1t is not even advisable. What then does
my friend want with culverts--to play bo
peep2 1t is not necessary to cross single
stream large or small, from Lexington &. II.
to Hamburg. stand ready to prove what
say, if my friend will ride over tho road
with me. Now, know the country as well
as the road, having certainly travelled over it
more than three times as often as any other
man dead or living, and hunted over and
through all the woods adjacent to great
part Of it. The distance from River to River
via Mrs. E. Watson's, Ridge, taking the
lower road, according to actual measure.
ment and mile posts, is seventy miles and
perhaps quarter The deAections will be
considerable on either route, and to use the
language of an intelligent Rail Road man,
"he that talks of building Rail Roads on an
air line never built Rail Road"
Our other friend &C" says, there are
few points on the Sand.hil route, more than
three miles from saw mill, and the land is
very poor--it for nothing but Rail Road
tracks. Now" G." is correct there, GER
taiuly. 1t therefore may be termed the Hy
dra DeSertG route; that is, a succession o
barren sand hills and water courses. Every
stream must have its trussel and its stiff
grade to get up from it on each side. But
this is not proper time for the discussion o1
grades,--the level alone can tell that cor
rectly. Yet this we all know, such coun'
try furnishes neither passengers nor freight
but there are certainly many streams te
cross. If you head Congaree Creek ano
its tributaries you are on the direct road tc
the Ridge. Why then turn off and encoun
ter the head waters Of Black Creek, come
plumb on Lightwood Creek, North Ediste
River, Chinkapin Creek, South Edisto River
Shaw's Creek, Itself Il little river) and ther
Horse Creek, or Bridge Creek, with their
swamps all the way down them to Ham
burg! The Road, believe, could not b'
built short of seventy miles from River tt
River, and the Ridge route would not exceee
seventy.three or four at the outside.
believe the latter can be built TO
two hundred thousand dollars less than th
former, and would most certainly be run ii
less time, because there would be no trusse
to slack up at, or bridges to run of.-Ih
Ridge route would make at least fifty thou
sand dollars year, more than the other
it would be fed by Lexington C. H., Hol
low Creek settlement, Clouds Creek, DR..
Creek and Mine Creek-all rich, and thick
" settled on the north side Of the Ridge
and Edgefeld C. H., with its back countr.
quite rich and populous, and a Plank Roa
already completed to the Pine House, I
point on the Ridge road, and now extend
ing in the country back of Edgefeld.
1t would have another feeder in the RI
bun Gap Road, crossing it at or near Lofts
and which would be a pleasant route tror
Greenville, Anderson, Abbeville, Cokesbur
and Greenwood, and the way from Tenne!
see, in the event of disaster to the Columbi
aud Greenville Rail Road, for what has bee
we may reasonably look for again, and tn
difference in distance, via Lofts, will mt
exceed five miles, and one Of the fine
Ridges in the world for Rail Road, a
the way from Greenwood to Lofts, an
from Lofts Columbia. Is it possible the
that any Company of intelligent men eou
make such a blunder as to take desc
route, across number of streams, whe
they can pass over 6ue, level country liz
the Ridge route, with less money, make be
> ter time and receive more into their treasul
/ when it is built. and, what is of greater il