The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-12-23
RATES OF ADVERTISING.
A CHAPTER of Railroad History.

a Chapter OF Rallroao nlstoly'
Between the Anderson Intelligencer and
rbe Charleston NeacS there is an honest
difference of opinion. The Intett'gencer,
with characteristic frankness, condemns
this paper tor "having endeavorcd to make
the question of State aid' to the Blue
Ridge Railroad "savor too much of poll
tics" and candidly avows its belief that
the policy of the NeUs in regard to that
important railroad is ''totally at variance
with the true interests of the State" }"
These views are contained in leading
afsfele which wo reprint this morning
The hatelligencer is in error in assuming
that the Neaos. has endeayored TO give a
political caste to the question of State aid
TO the Blue Ridge Railroad. This has
been the-aim= of no less person than
Goxernor Scott, who has thoroughly re-
constructed the board of directors, not in
the interests of the company; but in the
interests of the Radical party. A publ
cation of the names of the present direc-
tors, side by side with the names OF the
directors two years ago, would sho" very
clearly what the Radicals have. done to-
ward giving the concern o political SAVIOR.
The Ne,cs, on the other hand, has never
treated the Blue Ridge, Railroad as any,
thing but a matterof money y-aiquestlon OF
price and value, cost and profit. When
Governor Scott sent to tho Legislature
special message in regard to the Blue
Ridge Railroad, this paper did not oppose
the passage of a bill authorizing the en-.
dorsement by the State of 100000 Of
Bins Ridge Railroad bonds. The heart
of-the .up-country was set upon this
york; for quarter of century 1t had
been the dream and hope of the seaboard,
And when it was, stated that S4,OOO,ooO
would complete the road, and that the
work could be done in one year, we were
willing that the State. should risk the
millions whose expenditure should pour
into the bosom of South Carolina the
trade and riches of the West. We had
10 thought then, nor have we now, OF
raising clamor against the road, and
when the Cincinnati Convention met, no
journal was more earnest than the. .Ne'os
ID: endeaMoring to secure the construction
of the Southern road from. Cincinnati to
Knoxville, theterminus ofthe Blue Ridge
line. A more thorough investigation OF
the scheme caused this paper to be. far
from sanguine in its estimate of the ben
efitito be received by this State~from her
transnlontane railroad, but nothing was
seit to chill the ardor of men.of stronger
laith.
This was the position of affairs when
the contract for completing the Blue
Ridge Railroad was awarded to Crissvoll
& Co. That bargain has not been justi-
fed and cannot be; but what we have to
deal with now is the fact that the award
ing of the contract made it evident that
the road, without depots, rolling stock,
and other. equipment, would cost S9,OOO,-
sO0. besides the S3,000,000 already spent.
Until the road was completed it could
earn nothing, for the country through
which it passes, after leaving Walhalla,
IS mountainous waste. The road could
not be finished in less than two years,
an the State would have had to provide
for the payment of interest on s9,OOO,OOO
of bonds, amounting, ut six per cent, to
$540,000 dollars a year-one.half the
whole amount paldin State taxes in 1869.
This financial view of the subject was
enough to compel the Neacs to withhold
its further support of the road until the
State was in more prosperous condition.
But when, in addition, there was the GER
tainty that the road and laying out Of nine
million dollars would be controlled by
Governor Scott and Mayor Pillsbury, it
beeanse the duty of this paper to expose
the huge job on all occasions, and to at
tack it in and out of season. This was
the least that we owed to the people
whom we represent.
At the time that the contract with
Crissvell & Co. was made, the Intellgen-
Ger argued, as it argues now, that it must
have been marvellous proper contract,
or it would not have been accepted by
President Harrison :nd the Executive
Committee There is no forco in this ar
gument. Governor Scott and Mayor
hIlsbury represent officially about seven
aiohths of the stock Of the road. They
can make and unmake directors as they
nlease. Mr.. Harrison is president, it is
true. but he has no more real power than
is possessed by one of his OWN cross,ties.
Ali his tact and energy go tor nothing
when pitted against the votes OF Pillsbu-
ry aSd Scott. We assume, therefore,
that Mr.. Garrison, with other directors,
consented to accept the Crisswell q 20.
oontract in the same way that he con-
vented 10 the election of colorcd diree-
tosat the meeting lately held in Charles
ton,s He could not prevent the accep-
sance of the contract, or the election OF
the coJored man, and it did. not suit him
70 resign, IL was eiisier to bow than to
break. We aYs compelled TO put tho
ease In this way, because it President
Harrison, avows that be sustaiDs the di-
roctors in all that they baye done, and
approves Of thcir action in every hePor-