The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-14
CHAR1EsToN,. AND THE VEST.
Cincinnati and her Railroad C0nncc-
ttOns The Rival Houtes for n Great
Southern Trunk Line-Strong Argu-
ments In Favor OF che Blue Ridge
Route.

Route.
While the East is in erment over the com.
plction Of the Pacific Railroad. Cincinnati is
thoroughly aroused on the subject OF obtain
ing better facilities of communication with the
Southern Atlantic seaboard. Before the rail
road committee OF the City Council Of Cincin-
natl, in connection with the advisory commit
tee OF the Board of Trade and Chamber OF
Commerce Of the same city, the represent l.
tives Of the various routes for q Southern rail-
road presented the advantages CT their respec-
tive lines at Cincinnati on Saturday afternoon.
ge attendance of railroad men and capital
lists from the South was present, and much en-
thusiasm prevailed. Great confidence was felt
in the speedy completion OF the grand trunk
line from Cincinnati to Chattanooga. Major E..
Hulbart. OF the Georgia State Road, showed the
importance Of Chattanooga as the terminus, it
being the centre from which radiate seven
grand trunk lines, either now complete or in
the process Of construction with the prospect
Of certain speedy completion. DIR. Haggard, of
Louisville, favored line via Danville and
McMinville to Decatur, on the Memphis and
Charleston Railroad. Mr.. W. A. Guns, of Lex
ington, represented the advantages of the Dam
vile and Enemy River route to Chattanooga
w. j. Ramage advocated making Knoxville the
terminus, and said that that city would meet
the road from Cincinnati at the Tennessee
State line. @. Sittil, Of the Cumberland and
Ohio Road, said that the connection between
Cincinnati and Chattanooga via that road
would be made. Governor Bullock, or Georgia
advocated short lineconnection with Cha tia
nooga. Governor Scott, of South Carolina
favored the Blue Ridge line. The meeting ad-
journed on Saturday afternoon, and the COM
mittee will convene again at the call of the
President. In connection with this question,
the following able article from the leading rail-
road journal of the United States will be read
with interest:
TIE GREAT SOUTHERN ROAD AND ITS ROUTE.
From the Railroad Record, May 6.l
Those who like ourselves have felt deep
and tireless interest in the possible future Of a
great Southern road for the benefit of and
created by the imperious need OF Cincinnati
rejoice greatly that one step, and a great one
has been taken toward that object. The Fer.
guson Bill" Gas 1t is called) has been passed by
the Legislature OF Ohio. and is supposed bv
the highest legal talent 70 be entirely constitu.
tional. This act gives power to the City Of
Cincinnati to borrow ten millions Of dollars
and make the road. The constitution forbids
cities to hold stock in railroad and to aid
railroad companies. But in this case the city
will make the road, and it Is believed there Is
inherent power in the city to do this The
steps to be taken, Us we read the law are /
To fix the termini of the road, one Of which
must be Cinclunati; 3. To have vote OF the
people authorizing the construction Of the road:
8. The appointment by the Superior Court, ~
fGub fXsu aSd Tue work; 4. The actual constrnc
lion of the road. e@
In our opinion each of these steps should he
taken as speedily as possible. For in spite of
anything, there will be great delay in COM
had on the route. and three weeks notice of q
vote must be- given. It Will be six weeks be-
fore the full authority OF the city will be gwen
After that several weeks must elapse in sur
vey,ng the route. which ought to be done in
the most careful manner; and then the funds
must be raised, probably in Europe. Mus
much time viii! be consumed. Besides all this,
the public mind is now ready for action; Shakes
peare ga. there is q tide which. taken at the
food. leads ON to fortune, but, If not taken at
the food, may lead 10 very different place.
In every aspect of the case, we had best urge
the matter on. -iD.
The first step taken is to select the termini.
Cincinnati is one. The selection OF the other
is, in ,ct the selection Of the whole route. and
on this we shall make few remarks. What ie
the object of the Southern railroad It is not
to make Southwestern road, nor q South
eastern road. The former we have by the tli-
rect road to Louisville, connecting with the
Nashville and Memphis the latter we shall
have by the Chesapeake and Ohio road. now
making. The object in view, therefore. is not
to attain what We can attain by other roads, but
it is to make direct Southern Trunk Line.
which will give US not only the trade of East
Tennessee, but of North and South Carolina,
and Georgia /; and with the exception Of the
western portion OF Georgia, we can have the
whole trade of that region with the West. Now,
where should ehe Trunk line go to secure this
and it seems to us not very difficult to set,
tie and let us examine 1T step by step:
1. When the Southern roa ] was first planned
in 1884 and was proceeded with in the follow.
it was intended to go to Knoxville, thus to be
connected with the main line IN South Carroll
ma, to 20 through the Rabun Gap in Georgia
the route now called the 'sBlue Ridge Rail.
engaged upon with great earnestness. Knox
vile was then the only objective point with
Cincinnati. Now, let us examine where the
Blue Ridge Railroad will go. The Blue Ridge
goes to the northwest corner OF South Carolina
Georgia, tRabun County, and then passes tn,
Rabun Gap into the Valley Of the Little Ten
nessee. towards Kingston, about forty. miles
below Knoxville: Nov. Nov let ! as 1. mark thi'
tbas il the Trunk Line Hoad were to- strike, strike
say Kingston. on some point makiOg con
nectlon with the Blue Ridge r Rilroad, tha
would be direct line % to the @ South, and woalt
yannah; for, let it be remembered, that Savan
nah is making what is called the Savannal
Valley route, which goes up on the east side O
the Savannah River, till it joins the Blue Ridg,
whi ,h would strike the Btns Ridge Road nea
Kingston, would secure Q direct Southern rOaa
| to both Charleston and Savannah. We shoult
| kill two birds with one stone, which is certain
" desirable.
| : 3. Nov let IN look at the system Of Nortl
Carolina roads. North Carolina has been man.
4 Nf~