Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1859-03-05

h"'oi"pic h'VhuIoI, We lnlpIt iclcr To the
fact that Virginia at IL cost of $4,000, 600
has brought hcrselfin connection with Knox
vile as the western terminus of her road
and has committed a like cgrcgious hlun-
der. Georgia too looking to the position
of Knoxville, has made it the eastern ter
minus of the Georgia and Fast Tennessee
Railroad. The convention of wise and
sagacious men who assembled at Knoxville
/ more than 20 years ago, all looked to that
city as an important point on the great
highway from our seaboard to the valley of
the West.
The Scn0torsays that New York and Penn
sylvnna sought such cities as Bafiulo, Erie
and PittSburg as the western termini of their
roads; wealthy and populous cities, situated
Oh lakes and inland seas, and surrounded by
millions OF entcrprising inhabitants True.
such is now the condition OF these cities and
the surrounding country But what was
Buffalo when the Erie Canal was projected T?
y little village of fifteen hundred inhabit-
ants, in wild uncultivatcd i0rcSt What
was PittsburG? In 1925 it's population
amounted to l2,500, and the city of Erie was
unknown The railroads have created these
magnificent cities, instead ofthc cities the
railroads. But let us come nearer home
What terminus was selected for the South
Carolina HaiIroad ut that time the longest
railroad in the world? Did that Company
wait until magnificent and Il country swnT-
ming with rich and cntorprisng inhabitants
invited IA terminus? No. They hult road
l3G miles long, through pine barren to II
little town uf 1000 inhabitants. situated Mt
the head of steamboat navigation on the Sa-
vannah river, aut have not the magnificent
results shcwn the wisdom Of the location, and
the power Of railroads in creating business.
wherever located. Augusta and Hamburg
were regarded then as the fixed and pcrma-
ncnt tcrmin of that road and yet see the
different railroads forced out from ths great
trunk, and branching off in every direction
Old places increased in population and
wealth, and new towns and cities springing
up like magic, ut the bare touch of these
great enterprises.
Knoxville has now n population Of 10000.
is already the terminus of two railroads in
operation, with several others projected,
believe five in all. The Blue Ridge Railroad
is scarcely pnt under contract before we find
Georgia. Tennessee and North Carolina Gran
ting charters and organizing companies to
be brought into contact with it, eviucing
most conclusiycly the impetus which the
building Of this road will give to the enter
prise of these neighborng States, and the
necessity for another outlet to their now pcnt
up commerce. But tho Senator refers to the
business of the East Tennessee and Georgia
Railroad, rs conclusive evidence Of the lim-
tod resources and trade of Knoxville and the
surrounding country, and points to the in
come ot that road tur the few years it has
been in operation, as a fact, which should
satisfy the minds of the Committee of the ut
ter hopclessncSs OF the Blue Ridge Railroad
sustaining itself. Let us examine this po-
sition and sec what force there may be in it,
Knoxville is ITO miles from Dalton 10y the
East Tennessee and Georgia Railroad, and
100 miles from Chattanooga by water. The
French Broad lIolston and Clinch Rivers
heading high up in the mountains of Virgin
ia. all run parallel to the East Tennessee and
| Georgia Railroad and down thcm flows
large and and valuable portion Of the pro
duce which is transferred ut Chattanooga to
the Georgia Railroad OfcourSc none OF this
produce from above Knoxville will DO trans
ferrcd at that point, to q railroad, dearer
mode Of transportation for ll0 miles, when
by tloating down these streams 100 miles
they reach Chattanooga, but asmall distance
| farther than Dalton from the sea board, and
| tho freights exactly the same. But complete
the Blue Ridge Railroad to Knoxville, and
! the Kentucky and Knoxville road to Clinton
on the Clinch 20 miles beyond Knoxville,
and mark the result. TGea this produce
! would find, from point 100 milesabovc Chat
sea board, 0G miles nearer than from Chat.
tanooga, and subject to no expenses for
breaking bulk. 1t would be strange indeed,
if it was not all diverted over th route
But again. arc we safe in assuming, that The
business of the East Tennessee and Gcorgin
Railroad up to this time, is the true measure
of even the income of that road for the future?
Suppose any one had predicted the future Of
the South Carolina Railroad from the h.st
four years business, how short sighted it
would have been pronounced
1891 the gross receipts were $lGG.j50
1859 1859 {. (" 34y'5I$ 34y Gii
1881 2SO,2l
1856 100000
from the example then of our own road,
built throngha barren country, terminating
at q small town, and commencing with the
moderate in umc Of Sl6G, $50; now in 20 years
swcled to 81 800 900 may we not reasona-