The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-08-01
J}lisrrllat1ru1tg NEma.
From tie Keoaree Courier.
The Blue Ridge Rail Road.

We place before our readers the report OF
the President of the Blue Ridge Rail Road
Company, read at the meeting of ofstockholders
held at Clayton, Georgia, on the 9th June
The business of the meeting was confined TO
the election of Directors, and the location OF
the road at Clayton; and we learn that the
Board of Directors passed resolution, leaving
to the citizens of Clayton the selection OF one
of three lines that have been run adjacent to
that place. The nearest line to Clayton, which
is the longest by four thousand six hundred
feet, passes through lands adjacent to the cor
porate limits, and being, we understand, en-
tirely satisfactory to the citizens OF the town,
will probably be the one adopted.
The President moved on to Franklin lmme-
diately after the adjournment of the Board OF
Directors.
The following is Mr.. Gourdin's Report:
To tile Stockholders Of the Blue Ridge
Rail Road Company:
The Directors of the Blue Ridge Rail Road
Company have respectfully to report, that since
the meeting held in this place, their labors have
chiefly beer. devoted to the organization of the
several Companies that were essential, in con.
junction with this, to complete the great chain
of Rail Roads to connect, through this portion
of the country, the waters of the great West
with those of the Atlantic. At the session OF
the Legislature of South Carolina Immediately
following the organization of this Company, a
memorial was presented, asking charter and
the aid of the State for Il Rail Road from An
derson c. II. to connect with the Blue Ridge
Rail Road at its southern terminus, and the
Directors are gratifed in stating that the char
ter was promptly granted and aid furnished ny
an agreement on the part Of the State to en-
dorse the bonds of the Company to the extent
of 81 ,250,O0O on certain conditions.
The City Corporation of the City of Charles,
ton was also memorialized, and on reference OF
the subject to the people, a subscription on the
part of the Corporation was made Of $500, 900
to the Blue Ridge Rail Road Company in
South Carolina, and $4,000 to the Blue
Ridge Rail Road Company, or in other words
it was agreed on the Part of the Corporation to
assume the stock which had been subscribed
by few of it's citizens to secure the charter.
Soon after this period, say in the month fully
last contract was made with Messrs. Bangs
& Co., Of the State of New York, for the con.
struction and equipment of the entire line OF
Rail Road from Anderson c. II. to the State
line of Tennessee the Hon. w. Fl. Thomas
(under authority to him as Presdent acting
for the Tennessee River Rail Road Company,
agreeing to unite his Company with the Com
pany in South Carolina and to place the con-
struction of the road under the Contract made
with Messrs. Banks & Co.
The contractors have agreed to receive in
payment for the construction and equipment OF
the several roads one half in cash and the other
in the bonds and stock of the several companies
united in equal amounts of one fourth each.-
1t was further agreed that the work should be
commenced on the lst day OF November last,
but this time was, by agreement, extended to
the lst day Of January, 1854.
The Legislature of South Carolina was again
mcmorializcd for farther aid at its last session
in November, with view Of obtaining sub
scripton on the part of the State in addition to
it's endorsement of the Company's bonds as
before granted. The bill introduced for this
purpose passed the Senate, but failed i'll the
House.
The hopes and expectations Of the Board of
Directors, however, were, and are by no means
dampcned by this disappointment, as there
were causes which contributed to this result
which they are assured will not exist again !;
and it must not be inferred that the vote in the
popular branch of the Legislature is conclusive
that the people of South Carolina are opposed
to legislative aid to this great enterprise, in
some more substantial form than the endorse
ment Of the Company's bonds. There were
several projects opposed to us the last session,
which it is believed will not oppose US again.
Many thought that we should enter more thor
oughy on our work, and make more progress
before asking for further Legislative aid, and
others that our surveys and estimates were too
general, and not sufficiently minute and in de-
l to Judge satisfactorily of the cost of the
road.
AS the entire line in South Carolina is now
under contract, except the Tunnel at the Stump
House Mountain, and as this as well as the en-.
tire route through Georgia, will also be under
contract in few days, this objection will soon
be removed; and, in relation to the last, the en-
tire line being finally located between Ander-
son and Franklin Except 4 small portion ADA
cent to Clayton kept in allegiance with view
to consult the interests and wishes ofts inhab-
itants,) and as the remainder 'of the route
through North Carolina and Tennessee to
Knoxville, (the Knoxville and Charleston Rail
Road having also been brought into union
with the other companies, and under the con-
tract with Messrs. Bangs & Co.. will be final.
ly located also in the next few weeks; and
moreover, as the surveys and estimates through
South Carolina and Georgia, (where the most
difficult portions Of the work are located) have
had the confirmation of B. H. Latrobe, Esq,
the distinguished Engineer of the Baltimore and
Ohio Pail Road, this objection will also be