The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-07-18
.gThe BIne RitiEe. L J. Rnilro..I., IL, !. !,

MB. EDITOR: Your usual kindness
in publishing whatever will forward
the interests of the Blue Ridge Rail
road, induces me again to cali your
attention, to this subject. Hereto
fore, the friends of this enterprise
have looked mainly to its great
Western connections for its principal
business and income; not relying, to
any great extent. upon local popula-
ton or local trade. But the increas-
ing interest now felt and manifested
in the development of the mineral
and agricultural resources of our
mountain country, is Indicative of
what the future of this part of our
country will be.
send you two most interesting
letters on this subject, and will fol.
low it up, with other short commu-
nlcatlons on the climate, mineral.
agricultural and manufacturing re-
sources of Anderson and Pickens
Districts, and Rabun County, Geor-
gia, demonstrating the great necessi-
ty for the Immediate completion of
this railroad. J. w. HARRISON.
President Blue Bridge Railroad.
ANDERSON, June II, 1868.
WALHALIA, s. O., May 12. 1868.
Gen. j. ". Harrison, President of The
Blue Ridge Railroad.
DEAR SIR: While advocating the
completion of the railroad hence to
Knoxville, Tenn, I feel assured you
will not lose sight of the value of the
different metallic belts, that will be
traversed in its Northwest course.
Having bestowed much attention
upon the mineral belts of this coun-
try, the practical developments made,
authorize me to offer to YOU the
assurance that they are both rich
and extensive. Iron and iron ores
are abundant; but, unless n cheap
supply of coal can be obtained along
the line of road, cannot be worked
advantageously. Hence, we are not
able to reap any benefit from these
vast beds, although lime abounds in
their vicinity, until n carboniferous
formation along the Blue Ridge
Road can be reached. The existence
of copper in this part of the State.
as we'll as in the adjoining Counties
of North Carolina, has been we'll
ascertained. The veins are numer-
GUS, we'll defined, and explored to q
depth of several hundred feet. Want
of fuel, prevented their being active
ly worked; for the crude ores must
be smelted, ere the regulus can be
shipped. The transportation over
the mountain roads, from the mines
to tue railroad at Walhalla, would
prove more expensive than from that
point to the smelling works at
Baltimore. L have no expectation
of finding coal in this section, but
West of the Blue Ridge I have OBJ
served that the primary formation is
frequently overlaid by the seconda-
ry; and the indications are, that the
railroad may be instrumental in
opening that valuable system. Our
mining interest would then become
paramount to any other; while the
carrying of ores and coal, in search
of each other, would be q considera-
BILE item in the revenue of the road.
The discoveries and inventions of the
day, would place another very heavy
income within reach of the railroad
company, by their carrying the gold
ores, or rather the auriferous quartz.
to points at which the new process
of desnlphurizing them, and thus
llberating the minute particles of
gold, is in operation. The auriferous
quartz, along the line of road, is in
exhaustible; and much will find its
way North, when you consider that
shipments already made have yielded
upward of $500 per ton, while the
reduction at the mines amounted to
only seventy-ive dollars per ton.
Our mountain roads are so difficult
that the transportation of engines,
stamping works, &C., is almost i'm
possible; and thus the full develop
ment of all the mines, in this section
of country. is dependent upon the
completion of the railroad. In
White County, Georgia, mining
company are now preparing a ship
ment of ten tons of this quartz for
New York, whence they will receive
some twenty tons of machinery.
Walhalla is their nearest point of
railroad; and L am convinced that
the same belts, whence that quartz
is obtained, abound in the Counties
OF the three States, through which
this road will pass. L have made
Fs.nn 10