Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-07-14
" a r I E II Y.
The Blue Ridge Rail Road.

cup from the LOUISVILLE papers the following
extracts; which. would have appeared last week
but for the mail failure heretofore rcportcd
The delegates from South Carolina wish to
awaken ali interest in the Northwest to aid in
the establishment Of direct railway conrnu-
ncation with the South Atlantic coast The
gentlemen arrived in the steamer United
States from Cincinnati, and bccamc the guests
Of the city at the Willard Hotel The follow.
ing gentlemen we're present:
/ Board of Tradc--IIo Ion. G. A. Trenholm
I and G.. w. Clark.
Chamber of Commerce e-IIon. NJ. c. Nor
dccai,' Mai. T. Willis, w. A. Courtcnay, and
G. II. Vest .Jr.
Blue Ridge Railroad Company--Col. j. p.
Reed. Mr. Hayden, Civil Engineer, accom-
|panicd this delegation
H. Tn addition to the above, Knoxville sent
the following delegation:
Col. @. NJ McG hcc, President of the Knox
vile and Kentucky Railroad Judge G. w.
Jones, Gen. j. A. Cooper, Gen. j.. j. Trow-
bridge Col II. Armstrong, DR.. j. Rodgers,
Capt. a. j. Rals, and Col. A. Terry,
During the morning the Mayor and other
city officials, besides prominent citizens, called
upon the delegations.
/ Later in the forenoon the delegation mad an
interview with the Board of Directors of the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad -.
John B. Smith, Esq, President of the Lou
isville Board o! Trade, in neat and pointed
address, introduced the distinguished stran-
gers, several of whom addressed the large
railroad convention. Gen. Trowbridgc, of
| Knoxville, Tennessee, and Mr.. g. M. McGec.
President Of the Knoxville and Kentucky
Railroad were first introduced, each of whom
addressed the merchants in behalf Of promptly
connecting Louisville with tho soaboard by
means OF the iron horse via the Nashville
Railroad and its branches, and the Knoxville
Road through to the Blue Ridge, thence south
east to Charleston.
Geo. A. Trenholm addressed the meeting
in concise, business like, though eloquent
address in favor Of constructing or connecting
the Blue Ridge Railroad, commencing at An
dcrson, S. c., with tho Knoxville (rcnncs-
scc) Road, and the Lebanon branch of the
Nashville Road. The sum Of three millions
has been expended by South Carolina, Geor-
gia and Tennessee in constructing the road as
far as Anderson and the Stockholders now
tender orc-half of that interest to whoever
joins them in continuing the road to the Ohio
river, avow.ng preference for louisville
The heaviest part of the route has been graded
lor tunnocd Less than five millions is re-
qurcd to finish the road to Knoxville, it be-
ing clearly set forth Ms the shortest and most
direct route to the scaboard, and that, too,
through the only available gap in the great
mountain barriers along the Alleghanics across
the Blue Ridge. With this connection CON-
plete, freight, produce or merchandise from
Louisville could be sent to Norfolk, Va, the
seaboard, without break or bulk, or by the di-
rect route, through to Charleston, South Car
oina.
at noon the delegations were escorted to
the Board of Trade Rooms Speeches were
made by Gen. i. j. Trowbridsc, Col G. II.
McGhee and Hon. Geo. a. Trenholm.
Col. j. T.. Reed was introduced, and made
an eloquent and exceedingly happy speech.--'
, He dwelt upon the advantages that would ac-
crue to the Southwest if this great highway
We're completed so that there could be an in
tcrchaugc of commodities and necessities. -
The South looks hithcr for it's provisions and
produce. Louisville needs Cardinals and
Georgia's cotton and rice. He said that with
. this line completed the traveller could leave
louisville and in thrty.six hours could be in
Charleston. a limo of steamers would be cs-
tablishcd between Charleston and Havana,
and in from forty eight to fifty-fvc hours would
pc IN that CITY. l1crc was great outlet Ior
tho productions Of the Northwest. He spoke
!, Of having machinery manufactured in Louis
Villo and laid down at his house less than four
} hundred miles distant by tho road proposed,
which had been carried two thousand miles
by rail to seaport, thence BY sea to Charles.
ton, and then by railroad distance equal to
, that required to DO covered by rail to reach
Anderson, his home. He alluded to the vast
, system Of railroads which this road would tap,
!. aud thus render great area of country trib-
, utary to the enterprise and opening up new
markets for the produce Of this section. This
route would be tho shortest to Augusta, the
2 central metropolis Of tho Southeast, ,andto Sa.
Il yannah or TO The gulf ports Of Florida,