The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-06-27
The spartnnburG and Asheville Rail.

The spartnnburg and Asheville Rail-
road.
Railroads have become necessity for
the prosperity OF the country. The pub.
lie mind is being thoroughly aroused
to the necessity of passage acrosa the
mountains leading to the great grain and
provision country of the West. I have
lately visited the Counties of Henderson,
Buncombe, Polk and Transylvania, in
North Carolina, where they have one of
the finest climates in the world. and
soil that produces corn, wheat, rye, oats
and hay in great abundance; also, apples,
Irish potatoes, cabbage, go. Tney also
raise fine beef cattle, sheep and hogs, oil
of which the South needs. I find the
people OF those Counties alire to the i'm
portance OF railroad facilities, and will
ing to aid literally according 10 their
means. South Carolina is deeply inte-
rested in this extension. Millions OF
dollars have been spent in trying to
make the connection by other routes,
which have only been SO much money
aoasted. The practicability of the But
Mountain and French Broad route hos
been established beyond all question,
| AAASAo SAah Oa0-kAlEo VI b C6utufY HRO,
under the administration Of the lansen!ed
Hayne. The whole mountain range
from Virginia to Georgia having been
carefully examined, and reports made of
such gaps as were thought p,.ac!icnbls
Gen. Hayne, in his report to the stock
holders at Flat Rock, in 1887, said:
"We rest our claims upon The country
and our hopes of success chiefly upon the
fact that this wonderful passage through
the mountains is to be found within
the limits of our charter, lying almost in
direct line between Charleston and
Lexington, and affording unquestionably
the cheapest and easiest and most direct
communication between the Atlantic
Ocean and the Ohio River" He says
again: "We have dwelt on this most strik-
ing feature in the character Of our iiue,
because we believe it to be without
parallel. It has been we'll observed that
it is greatly to be doubted, if the topo-
graphy Of the world affords 30 singular
and striking feature as The valley and
river OF the French Broad" But need
not dwell on this point. will only re-
mark that the convention hold at Knox.
vile, in 1886. was represented by $50
delegates from nine different States, and
after many days spent investigating the
various lines, the Butt Mountain and
French Broad was unanimously adopted.
The route from Asheville, N. c., to
Spartanburg, S. g., was again surveyed
in 1859, following nearly the same
route that had been before adopted,
which reports no grade between Ashe-
vile and Spartanburg coming into South
Carolina exceeding 40 feet to the mile,
and only 2A miles going to Asheville
| An n @1oA
only 63 feet to the mile. Well may it
be said to be without parallel.
Now we will compare distances, tax
ing Cincinnati, Ohio, as a central
point From Cincinnati to Philadel-
phis, rid Pittsburg, is S36 miles
from Cincinnati to Baitimore ria Wheel
ing, is 763 miles; from Cincinnati to
Norfolk, over Covington and Ohio Rail-
road. is 6S3 miles; from Cincinnati to
Charleeton, through French Broad Val
ley and Butt Mountain Gap, is $50 miles
giving Charleston the advantage in
distance of "a miles over Norfolk, 1O4
miles over Baltimore, and lit miles over
Philadelphia. From Morristown, on the
East Tennessee and Virginia Railrond,
TO Richmond. is Alt miles; from Morris.
town to Norfolk, is GIT miles; from Nor
ristown to Charleston, is 3S4 miles-dis-
tance in favor Of Charleston over Rich
mond of 33 miles. and over Norfolk, 133
miles; also. q grade of 40 feet per mile,
against 63 feet per mile on the other
routes Then, take Asheville as oen-
tre. From Ashevilie to Portsmouth, ria
North Carolina Central Railroad, mot
yet tinished.) is 449 miles; from Ashe-
vile to Beaufort, N. c., by same route,
is 4l6 miles; from Asheville to Whining
ton, by same route, is 404 miles; from
Asheville to Charleston, is 300 miles
giving advantage to Charleston over Nor
folk of 149 miles; over Beaufort, lie
miles; over Wilmington, 104 miles, with
advantage OF grade Of 40 over 63 feet
per mile. Thas il will lie seen, that the
Spartanburg and Asheville route has the
advantage of distance, grade and direct.
ness over any route that can bo found to
connect tho State with the West, and by
far the cheapest of construction, with
the further advantage that it runs di-
rec!!y through the centre of the State,
and cannot be tapped anywhere so as to
divert trade from the State. It is mat
ter Of The almost importance. that means
L.