The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-04-06

poluGuCn9 upoH d oIahuihS SoniAuis'S0
said: That he had inquired into the
condition and prospects of the Blue
Ridge Railroad, and the possibility of &
new corporation obtaining possession O.
it. he had not been very successful, bu
had some information which he woult
lay before the Convention in writer
form relative to the subject. There are
difficulties at present; the road is in
volved in great complication, in conse'
quence of complex litigation, but he hoped
these troubles would soon be removed
He was satisfied there is spirit on the
part of the people to complete the road
despite the political and social troubles
and misfortuues by which they are sur.
rounded. He said he had heard thai
this was a movement in the interest Of
the bondholdcrs, but that such was moi
the case. This idea is entirely erroneous
for the projectors of this undertaking are
neither bondholders nor stockholders
He thought there should be committee
appointed to ascertain and report what
aid can be obtained in the several States
interested, and he was satisfied that what.
ever was done by the other States would
be met by this State. He thought il
would be q profitable investment fol
Charleston if her people were to give
one-fourth the value of their real estate,
if needed, for the completion of this road
Charleston would be repaid in one year
by the increased population and business,
without considering the increase in the
value of her property. All the parties
along the line are interested in opening
up this highway to unlock the products
of the Northwest, and let them flow un-
trammeled into this State and Georgia.
Charleston should be awake instead of
asleep over these interests.
Mr.. Walker, of Charleston, moved the
appointment of separate committee
from each State to ascertain and report
what would be done by each, and in sup
port of his motion said that Judge Reed
had libelled Charleston, and that he was
the one who was asleep and not Charles
ton. The Blue Ridge Railroad was
Charleston's first love, and although bad
ly Tilted, she was ready to return as soon
as open arms awaited her, but that
Charleston does not understand this
movement. Not that she does not appre-
ciate the Importance of the Blue Ridge
Railroad. She knows well the additional
prosperity 1t would give her, but her
people are not yet alive to the who, the
how and the when. She does not know
who is controlling this movement; what
are the prospects of and the means to be
used for the completion of this road, nor
when it is expected to begin or consum-
mate the undertaking. Therefore, he
wanted to hear from each State separate
ly. A joint committee could not make a
report that would be read with the in
terest which separate reports would have.
He said that speeches from men might
be listened to, but would not be read,
while a business report would command
attention.
Prot. Smith moved to amend by ap-
pointing a committee of one from each
State to form joint committee to report
upon this project.
Col. Rucker moved to lay the amend
ment on the table, but when DR.. Love
suggested that the adoption of this mo-
ton carried the original with it, the
mover withdrew his motion.
Capt. Robinson favored the joint COM
mittee, because he thought it would give
the advantage of consultation, which
would result more satisfactorily, and the
action from the various States would be
more harmonious.
Col. Thompson favored the joint COM
mittee, for this was one enterprise, and
should be considered by q committee from
all interested in its success. 1t was an
indivisible undertaking, and ought to be
so treated. The speaker then adverted
to the report of which Judge Reed had
spoken, and said that this move was not
a selfish one. No man in the present
was connected with the pres
ent Blue Ridge Railroad, and all were
working for their own and their country's
good in advancing this attempt to further
its construction. As to Charleston's ig-
norance upon this subject, he could only
say it WIS her own fault She had been
invited to Walhalla and Knoxville and
other points in the interests of this road,
and if she had stayed at home, while
other places were active, she could only
blame herself for being more ignorant of
this enterprise than other Southern
States. He said that the remarks of his
friend from Charleston Mr.. Walker)
that Judge Reed was the one who was
not awake were incorrect, for he had
never been asleep on railroad matters,
and he ventured the assertion that his
young friend would not be here to-day
but for the influence of his friend, Judge
Reed. He favored Prof. Smiths amend
ment.
Maj. Cannon wanted separate reports,
for he wished to see what each State was
willing to do. The committees might
meet together, but ought to report sepa-
rately.
AN IMPORTANT TELEGRAM.