Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-12-21
PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY
JNO. W. & SAM'L B. 0'BRIEN.
LOUDON:
The Importance and Necessity of the Blue
Ridge RaIlrnad--And its Claims
TO Legislative Aid.

The Importance and Necessity of the Blue
Ridge RaIlrnad---Aud its Claims
20 Legislative Aid.
l. A passage across the mountains, connec-
ting the Atlantic seaboard ut Charleston with
the great West, has been urged for the last
thirty years, by nearly every leading man in
South Carolina as a measure absolutely essen
tial to the growth and prosperity Of the State
1t was advocated by Mr.. STEPHEN ELLIorr in
1928, in the Southern Review; by Mr. PIoN-
sErT, in 1893, in his letter to Mr.. JAS. NIcHoL,
SON. by meetings at Cincinnati and Asheville, in
1885; by the Charleston Chamber OF Commerce
in the same year, by a large meeting of the
citizens of Charleston in 1876, and by Con.
vention held in Knoxville in 1886, at which the
Louisville, Cincinnati and Charleston Rail Road
Company was organized. At that time the
aggregate population of the principal States
designed to be reached, say Ohio, Indiana, Hi.
nois, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee, was
2,948,6j5. Now it is $500, Asa; besides Wes-
tern Virginia, the population Of which has al
so largely increased. The population Of the
six States above named has more than doubled
since 1880. and their wealth and productions
quadruped.
The population of Cincinnati in 1880, was
24,e4l; in 1850, 10000. Her capital in man
ufactures in 1886 was estimated at S5,00O,O00;
now it is $35,O0t,01D. Her aggregate trade
in 1880 was estimated at $I2,OOO,OO now it
has reached SGO,CO0,0G1
The population of Louisville in 1880, was
10000; now it exceeds $4,000, and her trade
has advanced in still greater ratio than her
population. st. Louis, in 1910, contained Il
population cf 1919: now 1t exceeds S2,744,
and her advance in trade and manufactures, has
been more rapid even than that Of her sister
cities on the Ohio.
Evansville in Indiana, on the Ohio river,
scarcely known in lS36, is now a hourishing
town with 5000 Inhabitants, with rail roacS IN
progress cOnnectIng ner Win Nashville on the
souih. and with the Lakes aud upper waters of
the Mississippi on the North.*
2. The Blue Ridge Rail Road will connect
the inetrior and the 8eaboard of Sonth Carolina
with the Northern portion of Georgia, Alabama
and Nississippi. 4 section of country of great
fertility and wealth, by branch to the East
Tennessee and Georgia Rail Road at Athens
down to CHATTANOOGA. This section of country
was bevond the reach of the Louisville. Gin
cinnati and Charleston Rail Road, and wond
Of course. he equally remote bv a rail road
along the valley Of the French Broad TO Knox
willie.
3. The Blne Ridge Rail Road will strike
through the very centre Of the great coppcr
region of East Tennessee, aud place the most
distant and the most valuable Of them nearer
to Charleston than to any other port on the sea
board. The conner region Of Lake Superior is
1900 miles from New York. the nearest port on
ttc Atlantic. The copper region Of Tennessee
viii be 800 miles from Charleston. The ca
pacitv Of the existing companies is estimated
at y. 900 tons Of copper ore: equal l4.OO0 tons
per apnum of fine conner. which. valued at
$500 per ton. amounts to. deducting cut ST..
100000. Several companies with capitals of
S5OO,OOO each have been chartered by the
State. which will largely increase the produc-
ton.
AT present the ore from this reoion is sent
to Savannah at an expense of S25 per ton. ard
so lo,gos;t is necessary to breal; borl in the mas.
sapes from ore rail read to another. land we
have to break bulk at Aucusta.D Savannah
muss continue 70 have mononoIv Of this
trade. Charleston can have her full share of it
- construction of tho Blue Ridce Rail
And it is thouobt nv many that bv the
time the road is finished. these mines will furn,
isb the LARGEST portion of ifs business.
A. The Louisville. Cincinnati and Charleston