The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-10-30

,sssl; eeliFsoas the chicego Tribune Oct. Is:
The Chicago and South Atlantic Railroad.
To the Editor of the Chicago Tribune:
SIR: If you will allow me a small space IN IN
vour widely-read and valuable journal, will
sttemnt 81 briefly as possible, an explanation
fthodgn s.odg Of the Chicago and South Allan
tic Railroad, so far as we of the South are
concerned with it, and it's progress among our
people. :. -,
ing, this letter, that, as far back as 1885, the
project of connecting the Northwest with the
Atlantic Sea-board at Charleston was agitated.
and met favorable response from nine large
States of this Union, in convention at knox-
Vile, Tenn. Owing to a great financial con-
vulsion occurring Immediately afterwards, the
enterprise was suspended, butneYer abandoned.
In1S52, the project was resuscltated, and the
State of South Carolina made it State enter
PRISE Proper. charters were obtained from
Anderson (the terminus of railroad extend
ing to Charleston, through the States of Geor-
r;a North Carolina, and Tennessee to Knox
Vile. Large aid was granted by the State of
South Carolina, the City of Charleston, the
State of Tennessee, and private individuals ;
so that, soon afterwards, the work was COM
menced and gradually pressed forward. The
aid obtained as above, together with favora-
BILE contract made, was then supposed to be
ample to complete the entire line between An
derson and Knoxville. Thirty-two miles of
frst-class road, from Anderson to Walhalla, in
South Carolina, and 16 miles, from Knoxville
to MaryyilIe, in Tennessee, have been con-
structed, and are now being successfully opera
ted. =
between Walhalla and the summit OF the Blue
Ridge Mountains, at Rabun Gap, distance OF
32s miles. Upon this portion OF the line, re-
quiring for completion the longest time, large
amount has been expended; so that now the
whole intervening work from Walhalla to
Maryyille distance of $50 miles by recent
surveys can be completed in twelve or elgh-
teen months with proper force.
The estimated cost originally OF the whole
line, by Col. Walter Gwynn, was about sS,000,-
GOO; expended on it, near $4,O00,0OO In the
opinion of competent persons, the remainder
Of. the work can be done for about four million
dollars by reducing the gauge to four and
half feet, and using cheaper masonry and su.
perstructure; for the road now completed, and
other work done, are of the most expensive
order, not necessary in the opening OF q new
line. a, :,
The war between the States again suspended
operations from 1861 to 1870 South Carolina,
not disheartened, revived the project and
granted additional aid but, owing to the rapid
3enreciation of Southern securities, the aid
wasfound unavailable, and only about $500, 600
expended, and now the work is suspended
again. It is proper here to state that this ad-
ditional aid was in the form of the guarantee
by the State of mortgaged bonds to the extent
of 1000. 900, but these bonds have been re-
turned to the State and Cancelled, and no longer
exist, either as debt against the Company, or
as a liability of the State.
About the beginning of the present year,
notice was published in various papers, re-,
auesting the friends of grand trunk road
from Chicago to the South Atlantic Ocean to
meet in Augusta Ga, about the first OF May
last. Such Convention assembled. The hon.
VS.. Raymond, from the West, and other
representative men, were cordially received
by the authorities of the city of Augusta, and
men of influence and capital. After discussion:
a voluntary association was formed to give
shape to the enterprise and bring into general
notice. Chicago and Augusta we selected as
objective points-Augusta at the Southern END,
for reasons then deemed good, and which l
have not vet heard successfully controverted.
n lAupusta) is about 100 miles from Port
Royal. on the South Atlantic Coast and, at
this point. YOU can strike deep water nearer
than over any other route. The shipper to
Augusta has, from that point, four great lines
of railway, leading off to Columbia, 5: C.,
and Wilmington, to Charleston, to Port Royal
and Savannah, and, from the latter CITY, 70
Southwestern Georgia and Florida.the differ
euce in distance over this line to Charleston,
being 20 immaterial as to be unworthy of no.
fice. The association in Augusta suggested,
as the proper location Of this grand trunk
road. the following, viz: From Chicago to
Lexington, KY; thence to Knoxville, Tenn. /;
thence over the Blue Ridge line, to Clayton,
Ga: thence to Augusta, Ga, over the shortest,
cheapest and best line; with connection
from some eligible point south OF Lexington,
XIV. through Cumberland Cap in the dlrec-
ton of Asheville, N. G..
The proceedings of this meeting in Augusta
thoroughly aroused considerable portion OF
the people of Georgia. South Carolina, North
Carolina and Tennessee. Public meetings nave
been held, surveys Of new lines made, subscrlp,,
tions of stock and pledges OF aid taken, and
many able and interesting reports submitted
to the parties in this city interested IN and
managing its affairs; and it has so far pro-
crossed as to call together, in the last few days,
convention of representative delegates IN
this cify from seven different States. All this,
as we understand it, at the invitation of North
western W men, as represented by the, Hon. w;
S. Raymond and others, in correspondence and
attendance in person at the Convention IN
Tberefose we of the South, from our stand
noint think it mistake to say that the propo-
sition to build this road came from our section,
and that it rests with the South to build TINS
road from the sea to the lake. And, it 1t is
expected that the people Of the South directly
interested in this great enterprise shall turnlsh
ans ~ o onIv look to Chicago, the mighty queen,
w ,Ue1 H. renly that given one-half the cost of the
work w IN cash in hand, it would require no
eytraordinarv financial skill to raise the other