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


necessary to make this enterprise COMP plete
and perfect success for these lines, diverging
at London, each pass through and open up new
sections, undeveloped, though rich in mineral
and agricultural resources the Eastern line
| debouching South to the mountains, upon
Spartanburg, Union, Columbia, and terminal
ing at Charleston; the other, after passing up
the valley of the Little Tennessee through Ra-
bun Gap, throws its business into South Caro-
lima, the heart of Georgia, and many portions
of Alabama and Florida. 1t is earnestly hoped
| that those who are now considering this great
project will see the necessity and lind the
means to construct both, tor they are each
demanded by the constantly-increaslng wants
of mankind and commerce. After you pass
the mountains and reach the territories OF
these Southern States, you will lind a large
space, of hundreds of miles, from the Georgia
Railroad to the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad,
now unoccupied by any direct line from the
West to the seaboard, magnificent empire to
be made tributary to this great. enterprise.
But, if this cannot nov be accomplished, and
it becomes imperative to select one or the other
lines to the sea, then they will have before
them no idle or easy duty; for upon a proper
selection may, and doubtless will, depend a
glorious success or s! humiliating failure
What mean is this Both line will be con-
structed at an early day, from commercial ne
cessity. and if not owned by one corporation,
the party who secures the line having the pro.
per connections and outlets to the natural
markets will be successful; whilst the other
may not be-. I think it may be assumed that
the distances from Chicago to Charleston and
Port Royal, the two prominent South Atlantic
ports sought to be reached, vary so little rs to
be immaterial; that the cost OF crossing the
mountains by either route will not show any
serious difference. Hence the question will
turn very much on connections, and general
facilities, and results of business.
The connections through Knoxville, over the
Blue Ridge Road, to Clayton, Walhaila, and
the products of the West nearer to their real
and best customers.
The four South Atlantic States, viz: South
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, are
cotton-producing, and but little else. What
ever may be the adaptation of their climate
and soil to productions of the cereals, or their
proper policy as people, it is fact that they
have been, and are now, almost wholly depen-
dent on the Northwest for corn bacon, flour,
hav. whisky, etc. It has been stated by the
yery distinguished Governor of the State of
Georgia that these four States consume an
nually of the single article of corn, $50 600 600
when delivered to them. The corn would yield
the producer about $17 600, 900 average prices,
and the balance is taken up, in cost OF trans
portation and otherwise. A similar statement
necessarily follows as to other articles OF food,
etc. From the map accompanying this, you
will see that the line proposed above will throw
Western produce Immediately and over the
shortest lines, to your real customers; whist,
upon the other or Eastern line, it IS said that
only small portion of the consumers OF North
Carolina are properly your customers for grain,
and, as a general proposition, that, every mile
YOU diyerge Eastward, you are throwing your
products upon people who raise surplus OF
the same articles or, in other words, carrying
Goals to Newcastle. But, on each of these lines,
as soon as the mountains are crossed, the peo-
pla propose to construct short lines to connect
with the seaboard, thus from Spartanburg to
the Base of Butts Mountain from Clayton to
Athens; from Walhalla to Augusta; from An
derson to Augusta and Aiken; and the only
aid asked from the Northwest is to help us
through the mountains, on either line--those
great barriers, placed there originally by
Nature for wise purposes, but now to be over
come and subdued for our mutual good and
benefit
I have not space to indulge in the vast ad-
vantages which will spring out OF this great
work when it is an accomplished fact But,
that it will exercise q powerful influence over
our people, politically and commercially, cal, can
not be doubted II has been often and fifty
asked, why the South and West, the great pro-
ducers of our great staples-cotton, rice,
tobacco, and corn, wheat, pork, &C., should
always be at the mercy of the wild, irregular,
and speculative business of Eastern cities In
1857 the failure of few insurance companies
was the commencement of a widespread and
disastrous financial convulsion, resulting in a
loss to the Southern people, in the fall of prices
on cotton, of nearly one-third OF the whole
crop; and, proportionately, it must have
affected the West.
Again, but few days ago, the failure of a
single banking-house has produced q tremor
all over the country, bringing loss and ruin to
many.
Why should this be? The great staples of
the South and West represent labor-gold-
and, when sold, should be returned in gold.
If the South and West should unite in the
construction of such road as this, bringing
the producers and consumers close together,
the natural tendency and result will be to open
up from Southern ports, direct trade with vi
foreign countries who deal in gold, and thus
VIC may reach a, commercial independence
which will save us in future from the disastrous
effects of these notwithstanding financial
convulsions But, if such grand advantages
arc to be attained, the West must lead. The
South is helpless almost hopeless. This let
ter is addressed to you in the hope of turning
Your vol readers more directly to this proposed
railroad, and also to correct errors arising from
the imperfect report of our proceedings, mainly
in transpositions of names, and confusion OF
positions taken by many Of us on the different
proposed lines. ). W. nAhNieoN'
Chicago, Oct. II, 1873.
MILK AND TYPHOID FEvER.-Since the