Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-08-27
The Mass Meeting and barbecue,
AT TUNNEL NIL

/
that will long he remembered by the vast
concourso that visited Tunnel Hill. on the
above occasion. Many asccnde,i the moan.
tain on tho day previous, and, on Friday,
from evory direction came thousands of our
fcllOw-citi3enS. The sea- board the middle
country, the mountains, with Georgia, North
Cnrolina and Tennessee, were largely repre-
sentcd. Many others would have bceu pre-
sent, had it not been for the erroneous inn
preston that had gone abroad, that accom-.
modaton could not he had, and the fear of
casulties during the day. There werea
grounds for these fears onaShe contrary,
the vast osscmblaSe, numbering some seven
thousand persons, preserved the best order,
and we have the pleasure of stating, that
nota single unpleasant occurrence happened
to mar the general harmony and good feel
ing that prevailed throughout.
The Hill, as it is now familarlv term
cd, was dcckcd in it's holiday suit. The
bushes and brush had, at several points, been
removed, to give all an opportunity Of view
ing the surrounding scenery and inspecting
the work. Flags were flying from more than
one prominent point. We noticed the Prussian
and British Flags sent up from Charleston
by the Consuls of their respective Govern
mcnts; the Stars and Stripes" waving
gracefully from the highest staff. At shafts
No. . 3 and /, flags wcrc suspended indi:
eating the condition of the work ut these
points Shaft No. 4 was in operation, the
engines and operatives lowering visitors du-
ring the day. Immediately west of shaft No.
., is the highest ground on the "IIill." Here
you have splendid view of the low country
its beautiful green foliage, its hills and dalcs,
and its thousand meandcring streams, ind-
Gated by dense fog ut the time we saw it.
! Walhalla, Fort Hill, Pendlcton, and other
we'll known places, are within the natural
sight. 10 the west, the GREAT WEsr-to
which the united efforts of friends present
were commercially and socially intcnt-
mountains, magnificent in their grand array
by nature presented themselves to the ad-
mlring gaze; though no barrier to the skill
and enterprise our people, they doubtless
affected scnsibly the timid and those who
hesitate. Bald Mountain is, we believe. the
highest in the range, being 5000 feet above
the level Of the sea-.
We have so often described the work. the
amount done, etc, it is not here expected. Suf
fec it to say, that the Tunnel is 1851 feet in
| length OF this, 4. 100 feet have been flushed
leaving only l,76l fcctyet to be worked out.
With means, the Tunnel can be completed
| in twelve months.
At o'clock, a. M, Hon. b. L. PERRY. tho
orator of the day, with the President Of the
Road, visited the Tunnel. Soon after came
Gov. GIsT and suite, with other distinguish
cd guests They entered the Tunnel, from
the east, III a car prepared for the purpose,
and drawn by mules and horses The Tun-
mel was brilliantly illuminated Passing
Shaft No. |, (now completely the operatives
were found at work; and, on the departure
Of His Exccllcncy and the accompanying
gentlemen, they gave for him thrce cheers,
three for the Commonwealth, and another
for the Tunnel. THIS was followed by n
succession Of heavy blasts, laundering out
cannon.like, and reyerbcrntng in the hills
and valies around
! At III o'clock, q large procession was
formed on the IIill," under command of
| Col. ID. y. LEDDETTER, Marshall of the ,lav.
lie was assisted by hisregimcntal staff The
order of the procession was, l. Music, by
the Richland (black) Band. .. Walhalla
Rilemcn II handsome volunteer Corps, COM
manded by Capt. lIENcKEN. 3. St. Patrick s
Society. a temperance association, led hy DR..
}. j. O'CoNNELL its President. 1. Miners,
arc doing our part" 5. Coy. GIsT and suite.
&. Maj. PERRY, the orator of the day, lean
ing upon the arm of the President of the
Blue Ridge Railroad I. Members of the
Legislature. 8. Press o. Delegations from
North Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee TO-
Workmen, with banners and inscription
Our motto is on, ard and Westward" IL.
Pickcns District Band. -. Citzens gen.
orally.
In this order the procession moved to a
suitable grove, one half mile east, where q
stand had been erected for the speakers and
! invited guests, capable of seating two hun-
dred persons. Seats had also been prepar-
ed for three thousand persons. The ladies,
land there was large number prescnt) and
as many others as could be, were seated
Invited guests were called upon by Mr..
SHARPE, Chairman of the Committee of Ar
rangements, to take seats upon the platform,
Col. A. p. Calhoun, Maj. Perry, Governor
I Gisf and suite IuIoo Eroet Mr. perrin Dre-