Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-09-09
CONN UNICAT TI0N S.
FROM OUR own CORRESPONDENT.
P1cxENs DISTRICT, S. c., Aug. 26, 1857.

rest Of my notes. The internal Improvements
now progressing in this District have SO much
bearing upon the interests Of other sections Of
the State that have thought it not amiss to
make frequent mention of them in my commu-
nications to the Advertiser. Through the kind
ness of friends in this part Of the country, am
in receipt of the Engineers measurements taken
recently at the different points on "Tunnel
HILL" At the Eastern end of the Stump House
Tunnel on the 1st inst, the excavation extended
inward to the distance Of 420 feet; in short No.
l, which was brought to grade last February,
the excavation was sc feat East, and sc feet
West; shaft, No. 2, was LAG feet down, and 81
feet to be done. No. 8, was SS feet down, and
120 to be done No. 4, was 100 feet down, and
that depth is below the Tunnel roof. AT the
Western end 172 feet have been eXcavated. 1t
will be seen that there are now six faces upon
which to operate. The work done by the pre-
sent contractors is about three times the amount
of that done by Bangs & Co., and they George
Collycr & Co., have been operating only about
l3 months. 1t may be added that much Of
their work has been merely preparatory-such
as putting up machinery, &c.
When was at the IIll,n the other day,
several parts of the new machinery attracted
my attention. At shaft No. s. there is pump,
III successful operation, capable Of bringing up
I4O gallows of water in a minute. I observed
a man at this point up some distance over two
OF three little pieces of scantling over the shaft,
adjusting some portion Of the pump. HiSaGllity
and GOODNESS in this dangerous situation were
indeed admirable. 1t is said that when blast
misses fire, this man will start down immediate
y to apply another match. y scientific gentle
man, who was my cicerone on this occasion, told
me that this burly Englishman, whose pcrfor-
nance on the scantling had been admiring
was one of the Crimca soldiers. At No. 2, you
can see Collyers pe By the way, o friend Of
mine who heard George talking about his pet,
not Ions since, thought that bear, bulldog
or something Of that sort was meant. When
the weather became hot, the operatives in this
deep chaft finds it impossible to work without
better supply Of fresh air than Lad hitherto
been afforded. To effect this purpose, q fam
capable Of making 1900 revolutions in aninrte:
was procured, and connected by flue with the
steam engine in use here. The fan is turned by
IN oscllating cnsnc-a most beautiful specimen
Of art. A hat full of rocks poured out in front
Of this FAM were blown away almost like chait
OF course a long fluc is necessary to convey the
'nonntan atmosphere down into the shaft The
health Of the people at Tunnel Hill is fins, and
the climate is exceedingly pleasant. Negroes
arc worth here from SIS to $50 per month;
white labor is worth from Sl.25 to $500 per
day-paid monthly. 1t is now generally CON
ccacd that the price Of provisions will Dc much
lower at the Tunnel next year than they have
been heretofore; and this will enable the laLorcr
to clear more money.
At Clayton, Ca, I had the pleasure Of meet
Ing with several Carolinians, who have made
this place their home Indeed, through the IN
fuencc of the railroad, Rabun is now socially
and commercially par of South Carolina. And
yet this County showed not little of the
Georgia spirit when called on last winter to
subscribe to tue capital stock Of the Blue Ridge
railroad Company. The situation Of Clayton
is romantic and peculiar; and it is no doubt des-
tined to become quite place Of resort whent the
locomotives wake tue echoes Of its ovcrshadow-
ing mountains. 1t is nearer the Talulah Falls
than any other point on the rlilroad-being
only about 12mies distant. The most remark
able features in the Landscape are the four dciieS
by which Clayton is accessible TO the outer
world To the North, is Rabun Gap not tar
off; South, is the valley Of the Sticoa; East Is
the gap formed by the War Woman and the
East prong of the Sticoa; and to the West Is
the pass of the IIorselat (horscs, | suppose are
apt to thrive here), which also flows into the
Stcoa. The Pinnacle, the Black Rock, Tiger
tail, and the Scrcalncr are the principal peaks,
which stand sentinel at these four narrow de-
files. Dy-thc-by, tue history Of the mountain
last mentioned, which looms up in the immcdl'
ate vicinity of the War Woman Tunnel, is not
altogether void of interest. When the Indians
were accustomed to trade at the Oconce Station,
the nature of the country compelled them to
pass through the valley in which Clayton now
stands. A caravan heavily laden with furs and
giuseuy was tempting prize to the gangs ol
scmi-savage whites, who ut that period infested
this region Of country. Robbery and murder
were of frequent occurrence in this secluded
vale. In one of these affairs, number OF In
dians we're killed, and two that were brothers,
taken prisoners. Both Of these had their hands
tied with leather thongs, and in this condition
they were led along the trail by men on horse
back. When they had all reached the foot Of
the mountain, now called the "Scrclm lmcr," ono
| OF the men, who was leading captive, spurrcd
his poncy TO make him jump across rll, but
the Indian failing to spring with the horse, the
rider was .iirlcd oil into the water. SprlnglnG
up in frenzy Of passion: 'c knocks the Indians
brains out with one blow Of his heavy rifle
This cruel deod so aroused the spirit of the
other Indian that his hands, to use his own Ian
guage, slipped out of the leather fasteninss a:
though they had been oiled. Dashins off across
the brow of the mountain, he yelled so furious.
ly incessantLy that, to the wicked pale Gaccs
who were taken with sudden ranic, it seemed
r