The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-05-17
AUGUSTA AND KNOXVILLE RAIL.
.i3 ran 5j; ROAD. :. 49,

The friends of this, enterprise 9ini the
States of Georgia, South Carolina, North
Carolina and Tennessee met in Conven-
ton at the Opera House, in the city of
Augusta, on the 9Th inst, and organized
by making Maj. VIC. SibIey temporary
chairman. Aniaddress of welcome was
delivered by Mr.. M. j. Verdy, of Angus
ia, and responded to by Mr.: Samuel Nc
Kinne; of Knoxville, after which the
credentials of delegates were provided
for, and a committee on permanent Or
ganization appointed. ra'';ss'
Pending the permanent organization of
the: body, a number Of gentlemen were
called for and addressed the Convention
upon the general objects Of the road, and
among them was Hon. E. NJ. Rucker, of
this place, whose speech is reported as
follows: sd
Maj. Rucker, in response, said he might
say he had sort of hereditary interest in
this enterprise. A convention on this
subject was held in Knoxville in 1886,
and his father was delegate to that con-
vention. He thought the proposed road
was one of the most important ever con-
templated. Wherever the chain, of the
Blue Ridge Mountains had been penetra-
ted, by railroads, the most beneficial re-
suits had followed. The whole of Ten
nessee, the whole of Georgia, the whole
of South Carolina, the whole of North
Carolina had an interest in the building
of this road. Augusta had been relega-
ted to the back ground by Atlanta, but
this road once built it would occupy even
better position than Atlanta. Then
Augusta will be great distributing point
for the Southeastern States, and a great
deal of! the commerce with the West In
dies will be directed to Port Royal through
Augusta. ,1It, is 700 miles nearer from
Chicago to Port Royal than from New
York, and perhaps to New Orleans. 1t
is important, if this Union is to last, that
it should be a Union inIeverything. This
road built, twill do more to bring us to-
gether in. real harmony thanall the polit-
ical parties i'll the country. Those, cities
which understand the situation should
constitute themselves distributing points,
great commercial centres. It is on ac-
count of the greatthrough lines centreing
Ill AGiaut6 GusaLl BIC Has ulduS suCu pIo-
gress.. Augusta should now inaugurate
q great through line to connect it with
the West, and thus become distributing
point for North and South Carolina and
Georgia. He believed that many thou
sand bales of cotton can be secured to
Augusta if this line is judiciously run !;
aye more, he felt satisfied that large
subscription could be secured in South
Carolina if it. was properly run. he be-
lieved for one, that the road was perfectly
practical. The people in the country
wanted the road built. Augusta's hopes
were their hopes, and her success would
be their success. = ,Ji.. .g..s.;:.;
The Convention organized by electing
the following permanent officers: Presi7
dents r. I. Wilson, of Knoxville, Tenn.
Vice Presidents, Prof. G. D. Smith, of
Franklin, N. c.; DR.. 81. R. Casey, Of
Georgia !, Gen.P. 81. Bradley, of s. O.;
Robert a. Thompson, of s. c. w. G.
Sibley, irof Ga. For Secretaries, W., j.
Ramage, of Knoxville; J. L. Maxwell,
of Augusta. After this o committee on
business was appointed, and the Conyen-
tion adjourned for dinner. n +.
Immediately upon the re-assembling Of
the Convention the committee on busl-