Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-11-24

weekly, with occasional extra trims to meet
the eXegencies of the trade and travel. No
accident whatever has occurred to the trains,
and there has been all increase of trade and
travel
TIE repairs Of the road have been incon
siderable
In my estimate | cndeavorcd to make the
plan OF the road maintain proper relation
between the original cost and tic cxpcndi-
lures for working the road So far, am hap
py to say, my object has been attained The
road when opened to Knoxville will be com
pIcte in all its parts, with the lightcst grades
and easiest curves of any railroad from the
Atlantic borders to the Western waters.
10 the equipment of the road during the
present year there have been added one first
class freight locomotive, and one second class
passenger coach. These, together with the
two locomotives and the cars reported on hand
IN 1899, with the addition of one first class
passenger coach and two box cars, will be suf-
hclcnt for operating the road between Andcr-
son and WalhaIla with tri-wcckly train. If
daily train should be necessary, there should
be added an additional locomotive, another
first class passenger coach and two box cars.
The locomotive "Bluc Ridge has been
running on the road for upwards of three
years, engaged in the hardest kind of service
as passenger and freight train, hauling rock
up the steer grades from HAYNES OuorS and
us a gravel engine. The AVERAGE RIM has
been about fifty miles per day. maxine in tbc
aggregate 81 900 miles run with not exceed.
ing ffty dollars $500 for rcno;rs
The performance of the locomotive, " Fort
llill," which was placed Oh the road in Au
gust, 1858, has also been quite satisfactory.
The locomotive " Chutuga" has inst been
put on the road.
These locomotives were manufactured bv
Mcssrs. Richard Norris g. Son
Although the subject of the Blue Ridpc
Railroad admits of great scope and omnlico.
ton, | do not deem it necessary to add any
thing to what | have heretofore taken occa
sion to say in regard to its Importance TO thc
State and country in n commercial noliticol
social and economical point of view. | would
invite attention, however, (nnd nothino morrN
to the omission of one jmportont considcro.
ton which has been ovcrlo1kcd in the discus.
sion to which the Blue Ridge Road has given
rise and it may be sioniGcant lust Mt this
time to avert to it. / allude to the impor
t,ncc of the road in military aspcct-to
which my attention has been particularly di
rectcd by the pcrusal of an orotion ON q State
Pride" delivered recently before the society
of the Military Institute mt Charleston bv the
Hon. Wm. ID. Porter
In this view of the case, | am induced to
state some of the more important considera-
tions which have occupied my mind ON the
subject
The facility of Transporting troops and mu
nitons of war afforded by railroads, has open-
cd new views in the conduct Of military on
erations Their wonderful capacity for move
mcnt imparts greater efficiency to piycn
force, thus lcsscning the number of troops re-
quired in the field, and thus in effect incrcas.
ing the war powcr-onc of the most impor-
tant clements, indeed. the vital element of ma
tional power; for such is the cupdity and ag-
grcssiyc spirit of man, that no nation can cx-
ist which does not possess military power
adequate to the maintenance of its rights
In & country sparsely pcopled like the {" IN
per division of this State, the road, by the
facility it would afford for the transportation
of willing and ready drafts from the ncghbo
ring States, would be for all purposes of de-
fence more effective than a Gordon of forts,
and knitting together, as it would in close
bonds five kindred States ready to give succor.
it might be likcned to wall of safety to the
whole State.
Therefore, in military point of view the
Blue Ridge Railroad may be regarded as the
"Appian Way" which by means of its quick
transportation us the "nain trunk" in com
bination with connecting railroads within and
without the State would ncutrali2c one ofthc
great advantages nf an assailing force, Gn all
most evorv n.,rt of tlo ctto &C. r.,u m - .