The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-05-13
The Blue Ridge Railroad.

tined TO connect the cltes OF the w est
with our own city by the sea. For more
than thirty years the problem of its con-
struction has agitatcd the best intellects
of South Carolina, and step by step the
work has been carried forward until
point is reached which renders it abso-
lutcly necessary to finish what was so
auspiciously begun, or sacrifice at one
swoop all that has been invested in the
enterprise. The total amount thus far
expended, in round numbers, is So ,25O,-
600, with which sum the road has been
completed, and is in running order to
Walhalla. while more than half of the
tunneling and grading for the remaining
distance to Knoxville has likewise been
performed. With desire to perfect tho
scheme the special session of the General
Assembly of 1868 pledged the faith and
fands of tho State to the punctual pay
mcnt of such additional bonds as might
be issued by the Blue Ridge Railroad to
an amount amply sufficient to cover the
cost of completion-say four millions OF
dollars.
Governor Scott, we learn, is en- route to
Cincinnati, to make an arrangement
anon. the capitalists of the West: with
tho view of pushing forward the work
from that end of the line, and TO secure
the capital which it is believed has been
awaiting Investment in this enterprise.
The road has recently been re-slrvcyed
bv it's engineers, Colonel Lowe ard Major
Lee, and the report made by them as to
its condition is eminently encouraging.
Nothing therefore remains to be done, but
to 80 to work and the people of South
Carolra, and especially the citizens of
Charleston, are called upon to do their
share of the duty. The wiscst financial
policy suggests that this duty should be
performed promptly. Already the Com,
pany OWLS seventy thousand acres OF land
along the route, and have the promise OF
three hundred thousand acres more, us
soon as the work is fairly resumed With
the opening of the road this immense
body of land will necessarily attract
thousands of emigrants, and in the settle
,nonts they will establish, the manutac-
tories they will erect, the water power
they will dc7elope. the mines they will
open, and the stock farms they will create,
we as community will enjoy thefatness
of q region of country rich i'll its reseur-
ces which has hitherto been as scaled
book. Aside from this, the exports ofthe
great West such as corn, wheat, flour,
Jacon, lard, tobacco, whishey, lime, salt,
mules and cattle, which now find an out
let through New York and Baltimore on
tho one hand, and Mobile and New
Orleans on the other, will naturally seek
the shortest route to tho sea across the
mountains. (
Again, Charleston must become not
only the gateway through which the
West will supply the markets of the globe
with her produce, but through which it
will receive in return the wealth OF dis
tapt peoples, for the Western importer
we'll understands the economy in time
and freiahts that would result from the
opening of this direct highway 10 the out
side world. Charleston now possesses
one of the most available harbors on the
Southern coast between Norfolk and
New Orleans, and it requires no far-sceing
eve to discern future in which, with the
openine of the Blue Ridge Railroad
through to Knoxville and Cincinnati, our
city will become not merely a most i'm
portant railroad point of distribution, but
!, gathering spot for ships from every
quarter of the globe, assembled to ex-
change the products OF other climes tor
those of the United States.
These arc facts well appreciated by our
cap talists, and they should be more fully
impressed upon the representatives Of ev-
cry department of trade, because all will
alike enjoy the benefits destined to follow
the early completion Of this Blue Ridge
Railroad. 1t is to be borne in mind, how
ever, that until our own people speak
with emphasis and furnish practical proof
of their interest in the work, neither Gin
cinnati, nor Knoxville, nor Louisville, nor
Chicago, nor St. Louis, will put their
hands in their pockets and supply the
capital required. Who among our cili.
zens will move first in this undertaking? I?
Among all the schemes OF the hour TO
which men are bending their attention, is
there one so important in its every aspect
as this? Is there one which promises Il
more abundant reward IN the shape of
material commercial progress and local
wealth The matter is of such stirring
Importance that the press of the State
should lift its voice with one accord and
ureo every community to aid in pushing
forward with all practicable speed, the
construction Of this great national high,
way. President Harrison, and the Board
Of Directors, are quietly but cncrgetically
doing all that lies in their power, but
without something like show of inter
est and OF co operation in South Carolina,
and more especially in Charleston, not
only will delay result, but in the cnd-for
this road will be built-thc immense in
tcrest involved will pass out Of our con.
troll into the hands OF more active, ener-