The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-11-29
A Railroad to Spartanburg South Car.
80 ...:...- 80. .0ilQa. ...-'f

The people OF EQSenelu, AODeVlHe'
T La,irens, and other counties in South
Carplima, are very earnest In their desire
for railroad communication with Angus
to. In, years past Augusta was theil
market,where they sold their produce
and purchased their family and planta-
Etion supplies. They fully appreciate the
fair and honorable dealings of our: mer.
Iohants, and would gladly avail them
selves again of the advantages OF the
Augusta market if they could do SO by
rail Selfsinterest prompts them to the
effort to secure the building Of railroad
to connect their, section! with Augusta,
and self-interest should move our citi-
zens to meet. that effort iil a generous
manner,I A railroad to .,,Spartanburg,
avery heavy business, that was! diverted
to ,Colunbia!by the Columbiaand Green
vile Railroad, ,TheiamountIof cotton it
would bring TO our market annually, Is
estimated, by cool calculators, as high as
forty thousand bales.' This, at sixty dol
lars per bale, would amount to two mill
lion two hundred aud forty thousand
dellars, a large portion of which would
be paid out for merchandise. 10 secure
this trade is certainly worthy OF our best
effort. ..',;''..>) 60 -'.1t'..'' .. -" =
The distance from Augusta to Spartan
burg is about ono hundred and ten miles.
There are tworoutes proposed for road
between the two points. One from Pine
House Depot, on the Charlotte, Columbia
and Augusta Road, twenty-six miles from
this city, thence Vio the village OF Edge
field, Ninety-six Depot, on the Colum-
bia and Greenville Road, Laurens Court
House, To Spartanburg. By this route
there would be a loss Of nine miles i'll dis
tance between Augusta and the village
of Edgefield, but it would have the ad-
vantage of theline already built to Pine
House, and from Edgetield would be al
most an air line over q favorable loca-
tion,S5,,It is urged, however, that this
routeH Through: q section having rail-
road connection;with US for. a consider
able distance; and we,y therefore, could
not expect it to bring us additional trade
until it passed Ninety-six; and also, that
a rival interest might secure control of
the line, and divert trade to Aiken and
Charleston, by buildings short line from
Pine House to Aiken. This latter point
is worthy of consideration. We think
there is ground to fear such move, un-
less the road from Pine House to Spar
tanburg should become branch of the
Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta Road.
A convention of those favorable to this
route was held in Columbia on the 10th,
and appointed a committee of ten to OBJ
tain a charter for the road from the Leg
islature Of South Carolina. Should the
charter be granted, and we believe it will
be, Augusta will be called on to aid the
enterprise. = -ts,--E .."
The second route proposed is up the
Georgia side of the Savannah river to
Fury's Ferry, o distance of about thir-
teen miles; then crossing the river,
would be located on the ridge between
Stevens creek and the river, to the head
waters of that creek, where it would
trend to the right and cross the Colum-
bia and Greenville. Road at eenwood,
q station eight miles above Ninety-six,
the point OF crossing proposed for the
first named route, thence to- Laurens
Court House and Spartanburg., 4!
= The advocates of thisroute claim that
while it would require more miles Of
road to be e0nstructed, 1t would pass
through country very favorable for a
railroad; and run through section that
is now entirely without railroad .facili-
ties, and hence bring to Augusta lar-
ger amount of trade. The road on the
Georgia side could be constructed at a
tight cost on, tile bank Of the canal. The
bridge oyer the Savannah would be
partly built of rock, k,that could be had on
the spot, and hardly any expense would
be incurred in securing q foundation for
the piers, rs the bed of the river is solid
rock. This route would be located near
Dora's mine, where there is an unlimi,
tell quantity Of 'nagganese, that would
then be made available to commerce.
In addition, it is contended that this
route would forever be secure against
rival interests to our. city. 81: / =: ii
Augusta will not cayil about the route,
but as the people living along both the
routes are our friends wishing
for q closer business and social connec-
ton with us, all earnest In their views,
we suggest that a meeting be held in
this city at all early day, of all the ad-
vocates Of road from Augusta to Spar
and that delegates come pre-
pared with statistics of distance, advall-
tages Of routes, and the probable amount
of stock that would be subscribed. Such
a meeting would make public much
valuable information, and benefit all
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