The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-30
Editors.
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.

Although our readers are not un-
familiar with the merits of this under
taking, which has for its object the pene-
tration of Blue Ridge mountains by q
directrailroad from this point to Knox
vile, yet We deem it proper, in view of
Of the Convention which meets here to-
day, to again urge the Importance of
active, earnest cooperation and assist
ance upon the citizens of this town and
County, as we'll as the State of South
Carolina. There can be no doubt that
the town of Anderson will be greatly
benefited by the completion of this
direct railroad link between the great
Northwest and our State, but we are not
the only parties interested. Every town
along the line of the Greenville and
Columbia and South Carolina Railroad
from Charleston up are vitality interested.
To the city of Charleston the advantages
of the road are too manifest to need re-
counting. The commerce of the city
would be greatly enhanced by the ship
ments of grain and bacon from its port,
aud at the same time very large area of
inland trade would be secured to that
city as an almost inevitable consequence.
The very articles consumed in this State,
corn, -four, bacon, &C., would be laid
down at greatly reduced prices through
out the entire State, and at the same time
our business would be greatly advanced
by the return of our products and i'm
ports in exchange.
We now use Western corn, -four and
bacon in large quantities and at high
prices, in consequence of high freight
tariffs rendered necessary by the distance
of these commodities from US, and we
are not able to secure any western trade
in return, because of our ineligible posi-
ton with regard to freights. The COM
pletion of this road would open up an
extensive section of country in Tennessee,
Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, which
would find Charleston its nearest market
both for shipping and purchasing. The
position of Charleston with relation to
the West Indies is such as to secure the
entire control of the business in sugar,
molasses, coffee and other tropical sup
plies, and it would become competing
market for other lines of goods. Then
the advantage will be two-fold: First,
in the reduction in the price of articles
consumed by us; second, in the increase
of trade brought to this section of the
country by opening up connection
across the mountains.
The history of the three roads across
this chain of mountains is such as to in
spire confidence in the success of this
road, and to satisfy the most skeptical
that it will greatly advance the material
prosperity of our State. The Baltimore
u Ohio road has made Baltimore the
Chesapeake & Ohio road has recently
been completed, and the State of vir-
ginia and city of Richmond are reaping
the benefits; and the Georgia & East
Tennessee road, which circumvents the
Blue Ridge, has been of immense benefit
TO the State of Georgia, and is very prof
table to its owners. The Blue Ridge
Railroad will be equally advantageous to
this State and its completion will mark
new era in the prosperity of Anderson
snd Charleston. The people of our
;sstate should be hearty in supporting any
reasonable plan for its completion.