The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1859-06-24
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.

We are Informed hv good authority that the
progress of the work on the Blue Ridge Road
- very satisfactory. In consequence Of the
limited amount of funds Mt the disposal of the
Company, after the adjournment of the last
session vi the Legislature, the grading of the
ROAD IN South Carolina and Tennessee was sus.
pended, except only on the cmbnnkments at
Seneca River aud the Whi,mire Fill and in
two very deep cuts between Walhnlla and the
stump House Tunnel. 1t was very important
That the work on these rmbankncnts anil cuts
th"ni" he continued, as to give time for the
innk, to s"ttle. and for the cuts to be cxI ,ed,
ia order that If there sli"lI he any caving Of
The slopes "l the cuts it. mi ght occur, and the
read bed bc cleared before the time for laying
she track.
The contractors for the lr,lgc masonry over
Sen"ca ltirer, nnu Twenty six Mile Creek were
not required To suspend work, hut the work nt
seneca was restricted within the means of the
Coin any The b id-e or viatluct across the
valley Of TwcEty.six Mile Creek is the heavi.
est and most costly structure on the road or
hve piers which are required, three are finish.
ed, the fourth is partly dono aud the founla-
H"ns oi the filth are nearly completed. The
contractor has large quantity OF rock dressed
and prepared to work into these piers rs
MS MS the foundation of the fifth is completed.
wo nhntnentS and five piers required for
the Seneca Biilgc-nne abutmcnt, "a very
hra'y work. anal tw" piers tinsh"d-the
progress Of the work vii! appear from the state
ineht that Of Tia" masonry required more than
'hr"e thousand six hundred cubic yards
hnshrd, and only about nine hundred cubic
ards remain to T." cone.
1hc failure OF the I.r.islnture at its last scs
si"n to give additional ril l." the Company.
made II necessary also I" suspend work on all
Tie tunnels cNc"I,r the Stump House Tunnel
rms is ~ ia: the greatest and most expensive
"ork 10 be done n She construction at the
road. It, has been the "i"n in the path.' the
Ougbcar with which ,hr nlvcrsari.s of the road
nave sought TO avert the synpathicS of the
people OF the Stat" Il on the enterprise. 1t WIS
rons;aEty ei:,'"ir.l that the excavation Of this
tunnel was physically mpraciieablc, at
least that it c"u, only hr finished Mt enormous
~ indefinite cost and time. The progress Of
The work has triumI 'hahtlv repealed this "b.
lection. During the month Of May, two hun
.'r",l and tairiy-hv" feet of healing was driven
III the tunnel. by the requirement OF the
Company. the force of the contractors was
then reduced hv The ,lSin issnl of nearly two.
fiiths of the wnrku-n. Two hundred and
seventeen feet were driven in the month OF
April. II McsSrS. lIuni,ir,i, Hitchcock .t Co
III" contractors, hal been permitted to work Il
full force they would hav. made goud ih"ii
&C nfIdcnt assert ion t. the Committee of the
Lag 81 iiGrc nt The last session, that in sixteen
months from that time they could complete
the Stump House Tunnel. On the first Of thi.
month, three thousand seven hundred feet o
he a'ling had been rXcavaicl. leaving two thou
sand hundred feet to toe done. The cn
gne"r III charge computes that even with the
i"rce. Gently more reduced. four th"usan'
five hundred and fifty feet will be eXcavatet
by the first Ct November next, leaving onl
thirteen hundred feet more of heading to b'
done.
The Company has acted julicously in mp
plying the limited means which they pnsseSs
To the more difficult and ioil<omc parts Of tn
road. There is no difficulty in obtaining con
tractors for grading, and that part OF the con
strnction can be rapidly done. The pr"grrS
which has been made in the most costly an
difficult obstacle to the completion of the rou
must he very gratifying l." lis advocates, an
should temper the "pp'eti"n Of those who
from misapprchcnsiun Of difficulties and eN
pense. are indisrosed to continuing the ell
tcrprsc.-(uroiinim.