The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1870-06-10
Friday, June 10, 1870.
SAVANNAH VALLEY RAILROAD.

We publish elsewhere the proceed
Iings Of the meetings on Tuesday and
Wednesday in behalf of this great
enterprise. The leo has been broken,
and tho "bcginning Of the end OF q
great work has been inaugqr*tcd "A
work which is TO add another link to
bind tho scaboald 70 tho mountains
and unite us together in a network OF
common interests and common bless
in:se The pleeting was composed of
earnest, hopeful, practical workers.
of men Of keen foresight, Of enlarged
IeNpericncc, and of practical energy.
They have Ia Ken the first step, have
put their shoulders to tho wheel and
tho spirit and earnestncss with which
they have entered upon the work af-
ford the best augurics OF success.
1t was the sense Of the meeting.
aided by the researches OF lis best
legal minds, that the old charter needs
confirmation and extension, and that
this must be aprclimary stpp to any
active prosecution Of the work.
Chartered in 1852, with u condition
annexed that the Road Le completed
in ten years, the war intcrvencd to
prevent it's accomplishment, and We
arc now compelled to apply to tlo Icy
islaturc, to relieve us from tho opera
tion Of causes over which wo have
had no control, and which have alike
affected every interest, material as
we'll rs social and political. We ask
merely to he placed in $tutm quo ans
dcilam-to bc rc-instatcd into our old
privileges not To be invested with any
ncA'-to be put into u condition SIM
ply to work under tho old chartered
rights, and to employ the limited
means at our command with renewed
zeal and hopctulncss. Tho claim
seems to be SO entirely equitable, that
IL appeals rather to the sense of pub.
lie justice than TO the Legislative
discretion. Col. Sloan, who has put
himself into position to be advised,
speaks confidently Of the result. The
concurrent scEtimcpt Of those who
control the State Legislature seems
to be entirely favorable.
Is thero any interest in the State
which should be adverse to this enter
prise? Certainly mono which rises
above narrow local feeling and per-
sonal sclfshncss. 10 tho Blue Ridrc
Road it wi III BE q valuable auxiliary.
nay an indispensable ally, To t.Ac Green
villo and Columbia Road it kill DO a
necessary coadjutor in bearing that
Atlantean burden which tho compile.
ton of tho Blue Ridge Road will i'm
pose upon its shoulders. With that
Road it will enter into generous
rivalry and honorable competition.
Either road ought to have nothing to
fear from such, and if it did, it de-
serves to so by tho board. This is
not tho day for Building up sectional
interests and narrow monopolics at
the expense of the public veal.
One Of cur contemporaries (wc be-
iicve only one) tells US that the road
will foster the interests of Georgia at
tho expense Of South Carolina Is Port
Royal a part of Georgia. Is finding
the most direct and cheapest route
from the mountains TO the scnboard
of South Carolina, q building up Of
the interests Of Georgia?
The best men in tho State, men
alike interested in the Blue Ridge and
Greenvillo and Columbia Roads, have
embarked in this enterprise, and we
arc willing to accept their testimony
as to what concerns the truc interests