The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-05-04
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.

COL y, w, Gaut, PRESIDENT OF tne
Knoxville Board of Trade, who presided
over the recent Railroad Convention at
this place, made a verbal report to the
Board of Trade at its meeting on the 9th
ult. He was quite earnest in advising
that the measures inaugurated at Ander-
son be pushed forward with vigor and
energy, and his report has created more
interest in the revival of the Blue Ridge
Railroad than was ever before manifested
in Knoxville. His statement to the
Board of Trade was entirely satisfactory,
and is condensed Us follows: In COM
pany with two other delegates from East
Tennessee, he had attended the railroad
convention recently held at Anderson,
S. c., which he denominated an assem-
blage of earnest men, working for the
accomplishment of great end. He
spoke of the cordial reception and kind
treatment by the citizens of Anderson.
The number of delegates in attendance
was large, and steadfast cooperation was
promised by the business men of Charles
ton and towns along the proposed route.
The proposition .of DR.. Morrow, Presi-
dent of the Knoxville and Charleston
Railroad, was something tangible, and
the delegates realized the fact that, in
order to secure this long-desired connec-
ton, the chief hope of its success rested
with the people OF the Carolinas, espe-
cially of Charleston. He referred to the
published proceedings of the convention,
which demonstrated the large amount of
work already done, and the immense sum
of money expended by the State of South
Carolina in work upon portion of the
line, which, together with its road-bed
and franchises, could now be purchased
for 100000. If this purchase was made
it would be an opening wedge of pretty
good size, and would inspire confidence
among the people along the line of road.
He called attention to the approaching
convention which meets in Charleston
on the 25th of May, and thought it was
highly important that Knoxville send a
strong delegation of those who have the
interests of the town and community at.
heart, and who would make faithful rep
resentatives. In conclusion, he remarked
that the more he sees, hears and reads of
the proposed Blue Ridge Railroad enter
prise, the more interest he feels in it. If
the road is built, it will give Knoxville
the exclusive control of the trade for one
hundred and fifty to two hundred miles
across in the North Carolina direction,
and the benefits to be derived were in
calculable.
The thanks of the Board of Trade were
returned to Col. Gaut for his untiring
energy and Jealous efforts in behalf of
the great enterprise, and motion was
adopted to authorize the appointment of
full delegation to the Charleston Con-
vention. Col. Gaut and Mayor Carpenter
were designated by resolution as part of
the delegation.
East Tennessee evidently means busi-
ness in advocating the project to revive
the Blue Ridge Railroad. The towns
and counties in upper South Carolina
ought to arrange at once for strong dele
cations to meet with the large and inhu-
entail representation from Knoxville,
and we have no doubt that Georgia and
North Carolina will be present in ade-
quate force. Walhalla, Anderson, Able
vile and Newberry should unite their
strength in this movement, and lend
encouragement to whatever schemes may
be devised 10 secure an early resumption
of the work. All are interested in re-
moving difficulties and overcoming OBJ
stacles in the path of its progress, and an
earnest, Jealous and faithful effort in this
direction cannot fail to produce an i'm
mediate impression, so that tangible
evidence may be presented to the world
that the Blue Ridge Railroad is once
more an active, vigorous enterprise,
worthy of the confidence and support
of the people for whose benefit it is to
be constructed, and enlisting the sympa-
thies and assistance of capitalists from
abroad, who can be made to understand
its prospective advantages as profitable
investment of labor and capital.