Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-03-18

hid herself in cave just beneath the :" extreme
verge" of the falls. The sheet of falling water
etfcctually shielded this grotto from observation.
The Indians having tracked the fugitive to the
brink of the prtcipice, and seeing nothing but the
spray on which the rising sun had drawn rain
Gop, said one to another, I" the Great Spirit has
turned Isaquena into water-sprite, and none of us
may have her for bride" But eiuthzat1on has
broken the charm of romance. The water-wheel
of Captain Magener's Powder-mill now Tevoves at
the mouth of the cave where 1saquena was con-
.ealed Into this establishment g. e. the Powder
miN there is no admittance. was allowed to ap
proach the walls of the building and peep through
a glass window at the powder-making apparatus
There is more machinery required for the business
than had imagined. To avoid ignition the ope-
ratives have copper tacks in their shoes. There
are only two workmen employed, and yet they
turn out seventeen hundred pounds of powder per
week
George Collyer g. Co. the present contractors at
the Stump House Tunnel, have about two hundred
hands at work, by relays day and night. More
than three hundred feet of rock have been e1ca-
waited at the Eastern end Of the Tunnel. At the
Western end, the workmen have gone into the rock
about fifty feet though the tunnelling here is not
quite down 10 grade. There are four shafts, No. l.
counting from the East, has to be sunk l6l feet;
No. 9, 226 feet; No. 8, 2l3 feet; No. 4, 189 feet
No. is sunk deep enough for the miners to COM
mence tunnelling; this gives two new faces upon
which to operate The other shafts can be sunk
to grade in the course Of this year. at each end
of the Tunnel 80 feet month can be c1cavated
by the contractor, and 40 feet month can be
completed in each shaft; consequently the work is
now progressing at the rate Of 100 feet every
month. As each shaft is sunk to grade, this pro-
gress will be increased by 40 feet per month.
Collyer has two steam engines and one horse gin
at work. and there is another steam engine OF 40
horse power on the way from Philadelphia. Those
engines are used to draw rock and water out OF
the s,afts The Stump Houss Tunnel is mile
572 feet long, 16 feet wide and 20 feet high This
Tunnel is heavy job, but it can undoubtedly be
finished in the course Of three years. Indeed,
Collycr has contracted to complete all the work
in two and half years from January 1857, and |
believe he can do it. Virginia has let daylight
shine through mountain barrier no less formida-
ble than that of the Stump House mountain; and
with this noble example before their eyes, our peo-
pie cannot harbor such thought as failure. The
Importance of the Blue Ridge Rail Road to the
City of Charleston, and to the Stale Of South Car
olina at large, can hardly be over estimated. The
teemng West stands ready to pour the contents OF
her overaowing granarics into the lap of our COM
mercia Emporium, so soon as the locomotives can
be made 10 scale the heights Of the Alleahanies.
The heart of the State being enriched by this vast
influx of trade, the glow and yigor of an unwonted
prosperity will be forced out to the very extremi-
ties of the body polite.
1t seems to be the general impression that the
commerce of the great Mississippi Valley is amply
sufficient to build up all the Seaports on the At
lantic coast. Tho Cities of Bostfn, New York
Philadelphia, Baltimore and other sea-board
| Marts doubtless impressed with this belief, have
cut their way through the mountains after the gilt
| tering prize held out by the West, at an expense
which almost exceed belief. The New York Cen.
trail Road cost $4,000 900, and owes Bond deb,
| of $4,000 ,0O0 and the New York Erie cost $685.
| 100000, and owes Bond debt of $25, 900 900
| The Baltimore g. Ohio cost $23 O0O,0 600, and owe:
near alO,0O0,OOO. The Blue Ridge Rail Road, al
liberal estimate for first class road, will cost
ss 69l Gil 1t will be seen by this statement that
our great thoroughfare will be comparatively q
| cheap structure There is another advantage or
| our side-Char.esto:, is nearer than any Of hel
rivals to CINCINNATI, the great Commercial Centre
| of the West And yet, strange to say, the Blue
| Ridge Rail Road Company have met with the
sternest opposition at the very period of tleil
greatest embarrassment. But thanks to the liber'
alty of the mountains and the seaboard, the cri'
sis is past and the Road is fred fact. By the
Act of 1854, granting aid to the Company, the
! Comptroller General was directed, when one mil
lion of dollars was subscribed to the capital stock
of the Company by individuals or corporations, to
subscribe five hundred thousand dollars on behalf
of the State; and when the further sum OF hive
hundred thousand dollars should be subscribed by
individuals or corporations, the Comptroller Gen'
era was directed to subscribe the further sum Of
five hundred thousand dollars OH behalf of the
State. The first subscription was obtained, but
the second instalment could not be procured, be,
cause the subscription by individuals or corpora
tions was deficient goo ,O00 At the suggestion Of
! Mcssrs. William g. j. T. Sloan of Anderson, it was
determined some time in January last, by the Di,
rectors of the Company that MI effort should be
made to procure the requisite subscription. That
effort has been crowned with SUCCESS. Charleston
subscribed sl50,000; Anderson District $50 900
Pickcns go 900; and Rabun County, Ga, s20,0 ,00O
The Company now have the control Of s4,6OO,OOO,
exclusive of the amount already expended. These
| ample means ensure the vigorous prosecution OF
the work to state of forwardncss, at which the
| Stock of the Company and Mortgage Bonds can
be made available to the final completion and prop
or equipment of the Road.
But this letter is already too long. You will
hear from me again, when the course Of human
events" evolves any thing in the shape of ners.
Truly yours, E.K
FURTHER BY THE AMERICAN.
HALIFAX, March l3.--Farious circulars quote