The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1877-08-24
The New Road from Laurens.

| writer in the Greenylle NeUs closes
ticlc advocating the building of Narrow Gauge
| road from Laurens to Grccnville, with the above.
We take issue with the writer upon two points,
i. e., the building of an erpa,sive road and the
assertion that "she would then only have indi-
rect communication with the Air Line railroad"
In the first place our proposition is to build n
cheap and efficient Narrow Gauge road to Lau
rens from here, and having frequently been over
both lines-from Laurens to Greenville and from
Laurens to Union-wc know something about
the distances and probable difference in the cost
of building road to those points. From Lau-
rens 10 Union is 80 miles, and from Laurcns to
Grcenville sc miles. The estimated cost of build
ing narrow gauge road from here to Laurcns
is $4,000 mile, or $l60, 900 for the whole line;
and we are informed by gentleman whose ex-
periencc in building such roads entities his
scrtion to mHch weight, that the road to Green
vile cannot be built for less per mile or $3.50,
| 600 for the wholeine; so that il would cost 500,
600 more TO build road to Grccnvillc than il
would to Union-an item not to be sncczed at,
| in these times that try mems pockets.
| While we acknowledge the lbcrality OF the
Air Line railroad in its freight charges, as COM
|
only one outlet to one important market for the
people Of the upper part of this State. Charles
ton is acknowledged to be one of the best as we'll
as most extensive cotton markets within our
reach, and we advocate the building of cempe-
| ting lines Of Railroads in this section of our
| State, not to take drive business from that to
other points but TO enable TO reach that ocean
outlet rs cheap and quick as to any other port.
Experience has taught us that we can expect
no favors from the old roads leading to Charles
| on unless we force them to it, and we c,n only
| force them to it by building roads that will give
us as quick and cheaper facilities of transporta.
| tion to other markets-in a word competing
| lines. We DO not oppose Charleston, but the
Railroads leading to and from her, by their un.
just discrimination, compel to defend our
selves against the unscrupulous corporations
that arc robbing of our means and enterprise
daily. !
Suppose Laurens was to build n road to Green
vile, it would open new Market to
her; and the game oppressive freight charges
would still be made against her people by the roads
below to Charleston. Such Il road would not be
a competing line in any sense, so far as Laurens
was concerned, and would secure to her people
only an i'dircct communication with any impor-
tan market.
Now, the Narrow Gauge roau we propose to
build will be cmphaticaliy n competing lnc
and will go, we have doubt, direct to the Air
Line road. 1t will leave the head of the Lau-
rcns road, with its freight at fair prices, come to
Union and cross the s. L. & G. r. r., and on TO
ba and Augusta road, and there have the choice
of going to Wilmington, Augusta, or even Char
lesion markets. From Union the road will run
up some distance toward GaTney City on the
Air Line road, and the people of tha: section and
Rutherford, \. g.. propose to meet us there. If
the great OBJ cct is to reach the Air Line road the
Laurcns people can do SC by this route almost
as quic! as they could by going to Grccnvillc,
and if they wished to send or receive freight to
or from Charleston, Wilmington. Augusta, At
lanta, or any Northern market, this route gives
them quick and cheaper route to either point.
What makes the general prosperity of Green
vile, Spartanburg and the towns along the Air
Line road? Why, the fact that that road eros
scs the heads of the roads running through this
State, and is competing line. Another road
and cheap running onc--crossing those same
Iaurcns, Cross Keys, Union and Chester, aid
connecting with outlets to the North, South East
and West, at almost all those points along its
line, would carry with it, from end to the
other, the same advantages, the same thrift and
prosperity that the Air Line road has to every
point along its line.
We ask our neghbors of Laurens to think
over the matter maturcly before they decide up
the location Of their proposed road. Union
will meet them at least half way, if they will
join us.
We have received handsomly printed copy
of IL new book, just issued, entitled Thirty
four Years" 1t is "an American Story of thir-
ty-fyur years E upper South Carolina" and "ln-
scribcl to the Beloved Physician, the Earnest
Scientist the Polished Gentleman, the Beautiful
Christian, DR.. Lionel Chalmers Konncdy, of
Spartanburg.
We have not had time TO read the work nor
have We room III this issue to say more than,
from It's Table Of Contents" we should think
the people of this part Of our State will find it
uncommonly interesting reading The story
commences with the heroincs birth at Spartan
burg, in 1888, and closes with an incident in
McDougalrs drunken raid upon this village, in
l77l-during the Ku kux arrests. We are
confident it is n work that will bc found intensely