Port Royal commercial and Beaufort County Republican. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1873-1874, 1873-11-06
WARM SPRINGS CONVENTION.

by remarking that it was called main
ly for the purpose Of consultation and
producing concert of action among the
friends Of the Great Northern and
Southern Narrow Gauge railroad. In
this view, the meeting was a complete
success. Delegates were in attendance
from the various states along the line,
and all manifested an earnestness and
zeal in the enterprise, which indicates
complete success. From Lake Erie to
Portsmouth on the Ohio river, the
route of the contemplated road passes
centrally across the great state OF Ohio,
from north to south, traversing the
Scioto valley, the richIst agricultural
domain in. the state, and comparative
lydestitute of railroad facilities. Cross.
ing the Ohio river at Portsmouth, the
route from that point to the Pound
Gap in the Cumberland range Of
mountains, distance Of over one hun
dred and fifty miles, penetrates the
richest mineral and coal deposits to be
found anywhere in the United States.
That portion of the line has been accu-
rately surveyed, and the coal beds
along the route are supposed to be al
most inexhaustible. These rich mine
ral and coal deposits, lie undeveloped
to-day for the lack of railroad faci!i-
ties, which this projected railroad will
supply. The traffic in coal alone is
becoming more and more important
every year. Sometimes hundred or
more cars are seen in one train, pass
ing over the western roads loaded with
coal. 1t is believed that five thousand
acres of these rich coal deposits.
thoroughly worked would yield a profit
of ten millions of dollars, a sum nearly
sufficient to build and equip The Mar
row Guage railway. Passing through
the Cumberland range of mountains,
the road then winds along through the
rich agricultural valleys and mineral
regions of East Tennessee and Western
North Carolina, traversiDg q noun
famous region of country, and almost
wholly destitute of railroad facilities.
This portion of the road will pass near
the Cranberry mines in Mitchell coun-
ty, N. c., which are now being worked
and are said to be the richest in iron
ores of any in the United States. AT
ter reaching the valley of the French
Broad, the road will pass along the
banks of that beautiful river TO its
head branches, crossing the Blue Ridge
at the Sassafras Gap, thence through
Pickens, Anderson, Abbeville, Edge
field, Aiken, Barnwell and Beaufort,
to Port Royal, s. c. Along this por-
ton of the line we have direct and easy
connection with Columbia, Charleston,
Savannah and Augusta. The valley
of the French Broad is one of the most
delightful and inviting regions to be
found anywhere, especially the upper
portion of it-rich in her broad and
fertile valleys, rich in her lime and
mineral beds, rich in her saiubrious
climate and unsurpassed water power,
rich in her valuable forest growth Of
timber, rich in her adaptation to the
culture of fruits and vegetables, she
needs but The magic touch Of the rail
road to make the picture complete.
Just across the ridge, on the Aslautic
slope, lies the county of P,ckeus, but
little behind her North Caroliua friends
in her beautiful valleys, and mineral
ores. but greatly superior in possessing
q climate and suil alike adapted to the
cultivation OF the sunny staple and
grains and grasses. Her mountain
scenery is unsurpassed. Thence TO tue
Atlantic the road posses through the
best portions of the old Palmetto State,
embracing every variety of soil and
productions, until it lays its weary
head on the bosom of the broad Allan
tic at the magnificent harb0r of Port
ROYAL Then will the north and south
be plnioned together, not by bay onets,
bu, by bonds Of commercial intercourse,
building up social fabric of cOmmu.
nion aud intercOmmunion which may
never be broken.
But can the road be builL2 Why
may il not be builtp If b. Dad gauge
road running 10 Chicago, crossing the
mountains at gaps perhaps less practi
cable than this. and having plenty of
competition, can be successfully ac-
complished, much more narrow
gauge road, costing only half the mon
ey, operated at third less expense,
penetrating rich and uudevelOped
section OF country, with carrying ca.
paciiy equal 20 the average transporta
tion Of any of the broad guage roads
nov in use, and absolutely without
rival. Steps will be taken this winter
to procure charters in South and North
Carolina, the only gaps TO be filed up.
Subscriptions to the road may be made
IN money labor or lands-the western