Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1860-09-15

newed in 1854. | cannot obtain copy of
the petition, if any was presented but it is
probable that the petition, bill and proceed
ings of the preceding session were again
brought forward In the meantime that is
in July, 1854, meeting of the Stockholders
was held in Charleston, to which the Pres-
dent and Directors made report. They
state in it that MIR. Lythgoe, the Chief Engi-
neer of the Company, with his assistants, had
made final location of the road in South Car
olina and Georgia. and also, in part in North
Caroliua and Tennessee The resources of
the Tennessee Company were shown to have
been largely increased by liberal grant of
aid by that State, while the means of the
Company so far us related to this State, Geor-
gia and North Carolina, remained the same as
they were at the date of the former applica-
ton to the State for aid, viz the City Sub
scription S1,049,000; individual subscrip-
tions S15l 900; Contractors Stock and Bonds
S3,OO000O, and the State Guaranty, under the
Act of 1852, Sl,250000. The Report re-
commcnds that the application should be re.
ncwed to the Legislature for additional aid to
the amount of one million of subscription,
and guaranty of the Company's Bonds for
one million more The charter requires that
the Company shall make an annual report to
the Legislature, and it may be assumed that
the Company accordingly did submit that re-
port to the presiding officers, andsto the mem
bers of both houses.
The Committee of Ways and Means, BY
their Chairman, the Hon. j. f2ard 3i,ddlctoa.
made favorable report on the application -
The report brings to the attention Of the
House that the Company had completed
its surveys" and located their entire line, !"
which " set at rest all question respecting the
p@cticablity of this great work But, al.
though practicable it is difficult and costly
Although costly, it will fall far short in cost
illness to those great railway lines which con
meet New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore
with the great aud fertile valley of tue West 3"
"Thc whole line, of railway proposed to be
brought under the control OF your memorial
lists will when completed bring Charleston
into connection With Knoxville. The CON
ncction Of Knoxville, by completed and pro-
jcctcd lines OF railway, will open to the South
| west, Northwest and Northeast, boundcss
fields OF enterprise to the commercial spirit of
Charleston. But mot to dwell longer upon
merely material aand commercial interests
your COMMITTEE venture to suggest that there
are social and political considerations of vast
moment, which should urge us to aid this en-
terprlsc, even should its achievement involve
large expenditure of money" The Com
mittee recommends that the bill should be
passed, with some unimportant amendments
1t was passed under the title of " An Act to
authorize aid to the Blue Ridge Railroad in
South Carolina"
No comment is necessary TO lead the dull
est mind to conclusion. The petition of
the Company, the replies of the President to
;he Inquiries of the Senate, the report of the
President and Directors to the Stockholders in
July, 1854, and lastly the report of Mr..
Middleton, from the Committee OF WAYS and
Means, all make it manifest, beyond doubt or
contradiction, that the Legislature was fully
informed of the design and purpose of the
Company, with the funds that could be OBJ
tanned in South Carolina, and contributions
which could be obtained in the other States
through which the road WAS located TO con
struct the entire road from Anderson to Knox
vile, and that this purpose was as we'll known
and understood by the Legislature as it was
by the officers of the Company. The cost of
the entire road was exhibited to the Legisla-
ture, and the deficiency Of the means of the
Company compared with the estimated cost of
the whole road was presented to show the nc
cesslty of State aid, and the measure of nee
essary assistance. Aid was granted to the
measure of the Company's wants to complete
the entire rond, and it is an imputution of
consummote stupidity and folly in the Legis-
lhture to affirm that they restricted the ex-
penditure of the aid which was granted to the
construction of the road in South Carolina
The completoR of the road in South Carolina
would be worthless towards the accomplish
ment OF those great advantages of a free and
quick commerce between South Carolina and
the regions West of the mountains, which are
strongly set forth in Mr.. Middleton's report
| Ii was expressly to secure those advantages
by the completion of the.road to Knoxville,
that the Legislature granted aid to the Blue
Ridge Railroad Company in South Carolina
But to put it in still stronger light, if that is
possible, the absurdity of the supposition that
the Legislature intended to restrict the expen-
! dlture OF the aid granted, within the limits of
South Carolina, it is only necessary to advert
to the facts r. scented in the memorial, that
the estimated cost of the road in South Caro-
lima was $4,000 ,000j that under the contract
with BaDgs& Go. one.half the cost would be
paid In the Stock and Bonds of the Company
secured only by mortgage of the road. $50
that the Company required only 81 100000
to meet the cash payments, and that they ac-
tpally exhibited to the Legislature cash re-
sources TO meet these payments in thc amount
Of the City subscription, Sl,049,000 and of
individual subscriptions for 1851 900 more,
| OF which twothirds was made in South Caro-
llna, 1t is preposterous to suppose that with
the exhibit of cost and resources, which the
Company made to the Legislature, they should
ask aid to construct tho road in South Carol-