The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-03-26
Yours truly,
49,. R. T. McAdcn.
J GRBEswooD, S. c.. !.
-... March 18, 1873. (

". MChDEN, GoS..
Dear Sir Your letter Of the 10Th
inst, suggesting consolidation of
the Spartanburg and Union, with The
Greenwood and Augusta Railroad
Company, and asking my :visws.in re-
!ation to the same, has been received
/ cheerfully comply with your request
So far as your suggestion involves the
extension of our Road beyond this
point eastward, | con conceive Of no
objection on the contrary, It is emf
nently desirable. It would penetrate
an extensive and fertile country now
almost devoid of Railroad facilities.
You will observe by reference to the
map, that Laurens, Union, and York.
Vile are on'a direct line from this
point to Charleston. At Union. q
distance of torty-eight miles, it would
intersect the Spartanburg and Union
Road; or, if desired to run direct to
spartanburg, the distance is ffty-6ve
miIes. Shelton's ferry, or any point
South of'Union. at which to connect
with the .Spartanburg and Union
Road, is too far South, and would in.
volve a heavier cost Of construction,
The more Northerly the route the
fewer streams we encounter, and also
the,les liability to, meet with compe.
tition in future, by the construction
of Railroads. With US, commerce,
like our streams, flows from tha North
and Northwest. The ultimate end
had in view by the construction Of
the Greenwood and Augusta Road
aside from the immediate connection
of all Northwestern South Carolina
with the city Of Augusta, (Which
gives US shorter route to. Charleston
Of twenty-six miles, than by Oolum'
bia), is to supply link in line Of
communication between the city OF
Augusta and the Northwest, by way
of Asheville, North Carolina. I om
informed that the city of Louisville
has subscribed two million dollars for
the. construction of Road thirty
miles beyond Knoxville, for the pur'
pose Of opening up the same line tc
Augusta from the Northwest, via
Ashevile and thence to Greenville OF
Spartanburg. This end will be at
tanned, so far as our Road can effect
it, by its completion to this point
But in the event of. q connection be.
tween Asheyille and Spartantu urg, and
there should be none from Asheville tc
Greenville, the extension Of our line
to Union or. Spartanburg would give
US the advantage, in addition to a
Northwestern route by}Asheville, Of Q
direct line from Augusta North by
way of, Charlotte, as you suggest
thus securing for Augusta o two-fold
advantage more efectually and com.
pleteIy than by any other line thai
could be. constructed, whether the
connection with .Asheville be rnade
from Greenville or Spartanburg. AL
low me to add, that our people. are
alive to the Importance Of this enter
prise. For the. purpose of co-opera
ting with, and carrying on the work
of our company, we have in process
of formation, and will soon have com.
pleted, construction or grading com
.panies, with a capital of fifty thousand
dollars, independent of their stock
formed for the purpose of grading the
Road. The lands on the line of Road
under the new regime, with thriftless
labor, are as truly and really vacant
lands in = the hands Of their owners
as are the unoccupied lands of the
West in the hands Of the Government
This is true Of every other section Of
the South, and since they must ot ne
cessity bear the brunt Of taxation
yet yielding no revenue, why may
they not be utilized by organizing to
make them a basis of credit for the
construction of Railroads, and the
erection Of factories. The consequent
introduction of immigrants to occupy
them would make their value equal
to that Of any section Of the country
A meeting of the stock holders OF
the Greenwood and Augusta Railroad
will be held as soon as tho final survey
is completed, which is now rapidly
progressing. I will, gladly, submit
any communications you may be
pleased to submit.
-u1 & Yours very truly, .;ls,
"& ~ W. K. BLAKE.