The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-03

1atler OF GnlS hlcnuONu auu AoiAnoSs Ao oeoo
1t is even so In the month of January, 1887
MIR. Thomas r. Giles, the son of Governor
VIM. B. Giles, and Mr.. Gustavus A. Myers,
both young men, entering the carriage Of the
latter drove to Hanover Court House. There
they entered the stage for Aqua Greek, having
engaged seats before leaving home. Among
the passengers was gentleman who kept his
head bowed down upon the leathern strap
which served as back to the middle seat. He
was evidently plunged in deep thought, and,
though he spoke not word, the occasional
conyulsive clenching of his hands showed IN
ternal agitation of no ordinary kind. MI
Giles having observed him attentively, said to
his friend, Mr.. Myers:
sThat is John G. Calhoun"
sI think not" was the reply.
ssI know it, and will prove il" -.
Mr.. Giles then began to talk in rather loud
tone about the resolutions in favor of nullih-
cation which John Randolph had but short
time since induced the citizens of Charlotte
county to pass, expressing his dissent from
them. ~.
Mr.. Calhoun, for he it was, at once raised his
head. -,
aDo YOU know Mr. Randolph, sir?"
"Yes, sir, 1 know him quite we'll"
eDo you live in his district :"
"No, sir, but in the one adjoining it."
"I am surprised, sir, that one who knows
that great man so we'll, and who Lives so near
him should disapprove his course"
Mr.. Giles, in order to draw the eminent Car
Gilman out. defined his position as best he
could, and Mr.. Calhoun waxed eloquent IN de-
fense of his own views. When the stage
stopped in Fredericksburg a great number OF
citizens called on Mr.. Calhoun at the hotel,
and in the course of conversation Mr. G. asked
who that young man was, pointing to Giles.
Hearing his name, he at once stepped up to
him. offered his hand, said that he knew his
father, Gov. Giles, we'll, and expressed his re-
gret at having spoken perhaps with too much
warmth. =,
aNo.n said Giles, ''it is who should apollo
pize, which now do most sincerely: 10 be
frank with you, the discussion was the result
of plot on the part of my friend Myers and
mysalf to- draw Fea out"
@Well.n said Mr.. Calhoun, laughing, "I
must confess that was fairly caught"
On re-entering the stage conversation was
resumed, and the subject of railroads was
brought up, Mr. Giles saying that he expected
to 90 from Ellicott's mills to Baltimore on per-
haps the only railroad then existing in Amer
lea. Mr.. Giles did 60 that distance by rail,
but the motive power was mule. Mr. Cal
houn, addressing his young auditor, said:
"Did you ever hear of Atlanta z"
'Never in my life," said Giles.
ssYou will not find it on any map OF the
United States. It is hardly to be called vii
lage there is tavern there and little else,
but that place is destined to become one OF the
great railroad centres of the United States..,.
He then explained at length the peculiar
geographical situation of Atlanta, just where
the Appalachian range, terminating abruptly,
afforded q natural gateway for the products of
the Southwest to the waters of the Atlantic,
and to the great markets on its coast.
"Now." he continued, eff you will take
large map of Georgia, find Atlanta, make dot
defining its position on the map of the United
States, and place one end of string at Rich
mond and the other at Atlanta, you will see
the natural route of an important railroad, and
you will see not only where it ought to 60, but
where it actually will go. You, MIR. Giles, will
live to see that road built may not: 1t Will
pass your own residence, Amelia 7. D.; 1t viii
pass Burke's Tavern (now called Burkeville
Junction:) it will 20 by Danville, by Green's
boro. by Charlotte, N. c., and thence to At
lanta, Georgia"
This in substance, and almost in words, was
MIR. Calhoun's remarkable prediction, made
one January night forty years ago. MIR. Giles
was so impressed by it that as soon as ne re-
turned home he began to agitate in favor OF 1t,
and to solicit subscriptions for road from
Richmond to Danville, that being sufficiently
great undertaking to be attempted at the out
set. Nearly every one ascribes to the late
Whitwell p. Tunstall the paternity of the
Danville road, but the truth is that, while he
fought it through with indomitable courage
and rare tact, to Mr.. Calhoun first and after
wards to Mr.. Giles, Lewis E. Harvie Benjamin
M .Tones. an engineer, and Mr. Clifford, an
Enelishman, the people of Richmond are in
debted for highway which has proved more
valuable to her than any other, and without
which her proud position as the capital of the
Southern Confederacy could not have been
maintained year. The gentlemen just named
called meeting at Farmville, but the friends
of other lines assembled there in such numbers
that the meeting was adjourned to Charlotte
Court House. Thither came Tunstall and
Vincent Witcher to oppose it, but they were
converted into its warmest champions. Tun-
stall and his road were much divided while in
progress, but no sooner had it touched the fertile
valley of Dan River than such volume of
trade was poured into Richmond which 81
lenced all satire forever. Danville was reached,
but the objective point was Atlanta, and from
that the friends of the road never swerved
North Carolina opposed the extension to
Greensboro, but the war came and made it a
military necessity. After the war the struggle
was to get possession or to obtain lease of the
road to Charlotte, and to raise the means to
build the prolongation to Atlanta. Col. Bu-
ford. who succeeded Mr. Lewis E. Harvie as
President, devoted himself to this by no means
easy task with such assiduity and incessant
labor as to break down his health for long
time and almost to destroy his life. His health
is restored, and he will be happy man some
day this month, perhaps not week hence,
when the last rail is laid, the last spike driven
and the Richmond and Atlanta Air Line is
an jaI accompH.
A Nashville young lady explains that she
writes to the young man she likes best only
once a day, and says she doesn't think that
any too often, now that the days are so long;
She is willing to admit, however, that it would