Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-06-23
fBy Request1
The Blue Ridge RAILROAD.


We are informed by good authority that the
progress of the work on the Blue Ridge Road is
very satisfactory. In consequence Of the limi-
ted amount of funds at the disposal Of the Compa-
ny, after the adjournment of the last session OF
the Legislature, the grading Of the road in South
Carolina and Tennessee was suspended, except
only on the embankments at Seneca River and
the Whitmire Fill, and in two very deep cuts be-
tween Walhalla and the Stump House Tunnel. II
was very important that the work on these en-
bankments and cuts should be continued, so as to
give time for the banks to SETTLE and for the cuts
to be exposed in order that if their should be any
cavng Of the slopes of the cuts it might occur and
the road bed be cleared before the time for laying
the track. ...
The contractors for the bridge masonry, over
Seneca River, and Twenty-si1 Mile Greek were
not required to suspend work, but tie work, at
Seneca was restricted within the means Of the
Company. The bridge or viaduct, across the
valley of Twenty-Six Mile Creek is the heaviest
and most costly structure on the road. Of five
piers which are required, three are finished, the
fourth is partly done, and the foundations of the
fifth are nearly completed. The contractor has a
large quantity of rock dressed and prepared to
work into these piers as soon as the foundation of
the fifth is completed. Two abutments and five
piers are required for the Seneca Bridge-one
abutment "a very heavy work, and two piers are
inished-the other three piers are partly con-
structed. The progress Of the work will appear
from the statement that of the masonry required
more than three thousand six hundred cubic
yards ore finished, and only about nine hundred
cubic yards remain to be done.
The failure Of the Legislature, at its last ses-
sion, to give additional aid to the Company, made
it necessary also to suspend work on all the tun-
nels except the Stump House Tunnel. This is
by far the greatest and most expensive work to be
done in the construction of the road. Is has been
the "lion in the path" the bugbear with which
the adyersares of the road have sought to avert
the sympathies of the people ofthe State from the
enterprise. 1t was constantly objected that the
excavation Of this tunnel was physically imprac-
ticabe, or atleast that it could only be finished
at enormously indefinite cost and time. The pro.
gress of the work has triumphantly repelled this
objection. During the month of May, two hun
dred and thirty.fve feet Of heading was driven in
the tunnel. By the requirement of the Company,
the force of the contractors was then reduced by
the dismissal Of nearly two-ffths ofthe workmen.
Two hundred and seventeen feet were driven in
the month Of April. If Messrs. Humbird, Hitch
cock Co., the contractors, had been permitted
to work q full force, they would have made good
Legislature at the last session, that in sixteen
months from that time they could complete the
Stump House Tunnel On the first of this month,
three thousand seven hundred feet of heading had
been excavated, leaving two thousand one hundred
feet to be done. The engineer in charge com.
putes that even with the force, recently more re.
duoed, four thousand FIVE hundred and fifty feet
will be excavated by the first Of November next
leaving only thirteen hundred feet more of head.
ing to be done.
The Company has acted judiciously in applying
the limited means which they possess to the more
difficult and toilsome parts of the road. There is
no difficulty in obtaining contractors for grading
and that part of the construction con be rapidly
done. The progress which has been made in tht
most costly and difficult obstacle to the compile
tionof the road must he very gratifying to its ad
1ocates, and should temper the opposition of thos
who, from misapprehension Of difficulties and ex
pense, are indsposed to continuing the enterprise
South Carolmian.