Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-01-15
From the Charleston Mercury.
The Blue Ridge Railroad Enterpris


We have spoken of the great importance
of opening this highway'to the West. We
have argued that the road cannot be bdit
unless by the aid of South Carolina. We
have shown that, by ,;ranting the aid asked,
the State will not assume heavy burden of
taxation for her people, But It is urged
that, this granted, after having exhausted
the means IN their possession, thc company
will still fail of accomplishing the enter
prise, and only occdpy position to return
again and again to tlie State foF further, in
definite and ihterminabfe aid years to
come. Let tts probe this matter to the
bottom, and satisfy ourselves fully.
The first thing to determine is the total
cost of thcr road completed. This dcternin-
ed, and ii being asceftained what portion
Iins kccr raised (whethcr already expended
OF in hahd), it would be possible to know
precisely how much more will be required,
and toconsidcr intcligcntly where it can
be obtaincd--how much the State must
provide, aud how she will be able to do it.
The estimated cost Of Che Bl&e Ridge
Railroad, constructed from Charleston to
Knoxville, is 81 ,500,00 This is the es-
innate of Che Company's Chief Engineer;
Col. Walter Gwiffn, of Virginia. 1t is ba-
Scd upon very careful and detailed tables
of tho cost and construction of the road
made by Co. Gwinn. This gentleman is
graduate of West Point and was appoint
cd to tho United States Corps of EniArcrs
In that service he wao actively engaged on
surveys for the great internal Improvements
of the country. After retiring from this
corps, the first IN the army, he has been
employed on the principle works IN the
Southern country. With high scientific
accomplishmtntsa ahSa large experience, he
is now in the mattriey ofliismtcllccs. Fhc
judgment of sEeIl man, based upon facts
carefully obtained Under his own supcrvi-
sion, aua With ample time allowed for cor
rection, is surely worthy of confidence. =
Nor is it only a matter of conjccthraT csti-
matc ar9 calculation. In the work perfor-
mcdaS aiq expendttHre Of two millions Of
dollars and embracing the principal difficult
tics, there is positive and experimental da-
ia affording little room fer error of judg-
mcnt or misenlcWlation In She cost Of com
pleting the %ot&. And 6he reputation alfd
judgment of Col Gwynn is not alone in
voked, His estimate is only conGrmatory
Of thatmadc by My Benjamin III. Latrobc,
I she distinguished Engineer and Chief of
the Baltimore and OHIO Raiiroad-a gen.
tlcman of the highest reputation, and of
/ experience obtained on road built with
tile highest grades and some six or eight
tunnels through the hardest rock Thesc
distinguished engineers differ little in their
calculations from Slieeseimate made by Mr.
George b. LyShgsc, who is neither un-
known nor tsnrespecteG' Such is the ba-
sis OF character and professional ability on
which this estimate. ISappcars sufficient
to satisfy the most sccptical who may yet
be open to conviction. We will, therefore,
rossrd it as settled that the total cost of
the road viii not exceed ST. 5e6,e00.
The next subject for inquiry is, HOW
muelA of this estimated amount has ,llrca-
| dy beeiE raised (whcther already expended
or still remaisinS nhand), and how much
more will be required. Wcuhdcrstand the
President and directors of the Blue hidge
Railfcad CempanS toistatc that SO, $50 700
have already Gceir rt,iscdE flis includes
the subscription of tRc' citSos Charleston,
subscription of the Ssatc of South Carolina,
subscription in, Tennessee, subscription of
cniiGtoH ii Ssst!aS0 iaA 0sis ;ss'c, ;ss'c, Ft:o :t Geo:
gia subscription in North Carolina, Tenn
/ cssee State aid for iron, Tennessee State
aid for bridges, Charleston private subsctlp-
ton, additional subscrip ptions.in South Car
olina, and stock received by contractors for
work done. This leaves deficiency of
s 3, ,944, ,300--calF ~ t,000,0004-the a.
mount that will be required.
Where, then, and how is it to be obtain
cd? Thecempany propose now to the Leg
islature to remove the condition on which
a guarantees was araated for S1,000,000
of the company's bonds. This expended,
there will still bca deficiency of S3 900, 900.
The company propose hereafter TO induce
the State to take s. / 100000 more of its
stock, ifnoed be- a deficiency of 8 2, ,000,-
600 to be supplied. viii still exist. 1t is
not doubted that this amount can be bor-
rowed ON frat nortgageS bonds of the COM
pany, now In their handb and undisposed
of. Before this 50, coo 900 is needed the
grading viii be finished, the masbhry com
pleted, and bridges, drains and eulverts
built The country has just emerged uh-
sscathed.frol a great financial crisis. We
arc now on the food tide Of an increasing
prosperity. The world is at peace, and
before it cScrY prospect and inaucement to
continue as peace Cotton, growing more
aud more in demand all the world ovor,'is
selling at prices to remuncrate and enrich
our people beyond example-Ifor' il is not
based on a speculative niinia, but ON the
soil difoandSition Of a healthy demand and
supply Money is'easS ih'thiScotthtfy and
Il II a.