The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-14
A Chapter of Railroad History.

difference OF opinion. The Latelligencer,
with characteristic frankness, condemns this
paper for "having endeavored to make the
"ouestion of State aid" to the Blue Ridge
Railroad "savor too much of politics" and
candidly avows its belief that the policy oi
TIE NEWS in regard to that important rail-
road is "totally at variance with the true
.sinterests of the State" These views are
contained in leading article which we re-
print this morning.
The Iatelligence1' is in error in assuming
that THE NEWS has endeavored to give q
political caste to the question Of State aid to
the Blue Ridge Railroad. This has been the
aim OF no less person than Governor Scott,
who has thoroughly reconstructed the board
of directors, not in the interests of the COM
pany, but in the interests of the Radical par
ty. A publication Of the names OF the pres
ent directors, side by side with the names OF
the directors two years ago, would show
very clearly what the Radicals have done to-
ward giving the concern political SAVIOR.
THE NEWS, on the other hand, has never
treated the Blue Ridge Railroad as anything
but matter of money! question OF price
and value, cost and profit When Governor
Scott sent to the Legislature special mes
sage in regard to the Blue Ridge Railroad
this paper did not oppose the passage OF a
bill authorizing the endorsement by the State
of 81, 900, 900 of Blue Ridge Railroad bonds.
The heart OF the up-country was set upon
this work for quarter OF q century it had
been the dream and hope of the seaboard.
And when it was stated that $4,000, 900
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 no 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
News in endeavoring to secure the con-
struction of the Southern road from Cincin-
natl to Knoxville the terminus OF the Blue
Ridge line, A more thorough investigation
of the scheme caused this paper to be far
from sanguine in its estimate OF the benefit
to be received by this State from her trans
montane railroad, but nothing was said to
chill the ardor of men of stronger faith.
This was the position OF affairs when the
contract for completing the Blue Ridge Rail
road was awarded to Crissvell & Co. That
bargain has not been justified and cannot
be; bat what We have to deal with now is
the fact that the awarding OF the contract
made it evident that the road, without de-
pots, rolling stock, and other equipment,
would cost $4,000, 900, besides the S3,OO0,-
900 already spent. Until the road was COM
pleted it could earn nothing, for the country
through which it passes, after leaving Wal
halla, is mountainous waste. The road
could not be finished in less than two years,
and the State would have had to provide for
the payment OF interest on $9,O00,000 OF
bonds amounting at six per cent. to $780,
900 dollars year-one half the whole
amount paid in State taxes in 1869. This
financial view of the subject was enough to
compel THE News to withhold its further
support of the road until the State was in a
more prosperous condition. But when, in
addition, there was the certainty that the
road and the laying out Of aai':e million dol
lars would be controlled by GOVERNOR SCorT
and MAYOR PILLsDURY, il became the duty
OF this paper to expose me huge job on all
occasions, and to attack it in and out OF
season. This vas the least that we owed to
the people whom we represent.
At the time that the contract with Crissvell
& Co. was made, the IntelligenceT ar
gued, as it argues nov, that it must have
been q marvellous proper contract or it
would not have been accepted by President
Harrison and the Executive Committee.
There is no force in this q. .gument Govern
or Scott and Mayor Pillsbury represent Off
cial,y about seven-eighthS OF the stock of the
road. They can make and unmale directors
as they please Mr.. Harrison is president
it is true, but he has no more real power
than is possessed by one OF his own cross
ties. All his tact and energy so for nothing
when pitted against the votes Of Pillsbury
and Scott. We assume, therefore, that Mr..
Harrison with other directors, consented to
accept the Crissvell & Co. contract in the
same way that he consented to the election
of colored director at the meeting lately
held in Charleston. He could not prevent
the acceptance OF the contract or the elec-
ton of the colored man, and it did not suit
him 10 resign. It was easier to bow than to
break. We are compelled to put the case in
this way, because ii President Harrison
avows that he sustains the directors in all
that they have done, and approves of theii
action in every Important particular it may
become the pleasure OF the people to call upon
hias-anl not ufon Mayor or Governor
for an account Of the mo;nentous interests