The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-10-25
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IS We take The following letter from the
Chicago Tribune, of ths 1athy
TO Gss Editoref tho Chicago Tribune. e
y SR: II you will allow me 8 small
space in your deIy-resd aud vaIuabIe
journal, will attempt, as briefly as pos
sible. an explanation of the origin OF
the Chicago and South Atlantic Rail-
road, so far as we of the South are con-
nected with it, and its progress among
our people. iYf;t<3 III
You will see, by the documents ac-
companying this letter, that. as far back
as 1886. the project of connecting the
Northwest with the Atlantic sea- board
at Charleston was agitated. and met a
favorable response from delegates from
nine large States of this Union, in con-
vention at Knoxville, Tenn. Owing to
q great financial con vulsion occurring
Immediately afterwards, tho enterprise
vas suspended, but never abandoned
In 1852, the project was resusoitated,
and the State of south Carolina made it
a State enterprise. Proper charters
were obtained from Anderson, (the ter
minus OF q railroad extending to Charles
ton,) through the States of Georgia,
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; 30 that. soon after
wards, the work was commenced and
gradually pressed forward. The amount
of aid obtained as above, together with
favorable contract made, was then sup
posed to be ample to complete the entire
line between Anderson aud Knoxville
Thirty two miles of first class road, from
Anderson to Walhalla, in South Caro-
lima, and sixteen miles. from Knoxville
to Maryville, in Tennessee, have been
CONSTRUCTED, and are now being success
fully operated. The most difficult por-
tion Of the work lies between Walballa
land the summit of the Blue Ridge
Mountains, at Rabun Gap. distsnce of
32H miles. Upon this portion of the
line, requiring for completion the long
pended; 30 that now the whole inter
vening work FROM Walhalla to Mary
vile, a distance of 100 miles by recent
surveys, can be completed in twelve or
eighteen months with a proper force.
The estimated cost originally of the
whole line. by Col. Walter Gwynn, was
abont $S, 900, 900; expended on it, near
ID, d,000,O00 In the opinion of compe.
tens persons. the remainder of the work
ora be done for about 81. .OOO, 900, by re-
ducing the gauge to four and-a-half feet,
and using cheaper masonry and super.
structures; for the road now completed,
and other work done, are Of tho most
! expensive order, not necessary in the
opening of new line.
The war between the States again sus.
pended operations from 1861 to 1870.
South Carolina. not disheartened, re-
vived the project and granted additional
aid; but. owing to the rapid deprecia-
tion of Southern securities, the aid was
found unavailable. and only about
$500, 900 expended, and the work is now
suspended again. 1t is proper here to
state that this additional aid was in the
form Of the guarantee by the State OF
mortgaged bonds to the extent Of ST..
coo, 600, 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, a notice was published in various
papers. requesting the friends of a
grand trunk road from Chicago to the
South Atlantic Ocean to meet in Au-
gusta, Ga, about the 1st of May last.
Suoh convention assembled. The Hon.
". S. Raymond, from the West, and
other representative mon, were cordially
received by the authorities Of the city
of Augusta and men of influence and
capital. After discussion, voluntary
association was formed to give shape to
the enterprise and bring it into general
notice. Chicago and Augusta were Sc.
lected as objective points-Augusta. at
tho Southern end, for rensons then
deemed good, and which I have not vet
heard successfully oontroverted. 1t
(Augusta) is about lou miles from Port
Royal, on the South Atlantic coast; and, +,
ut 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 of
to Columbia, $. O., and Wilmington, to
Charleston, to Port Royal and Savan-
nah. and, from the latter city. to South
western Georgia and Florida-the diff
ference in distance over this limo to
Charleston being so immatorial as to be
unworthy of notice. The association in
| Augusta suggested as the proper loca