The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-07
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.

THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.
The proposition 10 build the Blue
Ridgc Railroad by convict Labor 10 Eli,
State Is now befoee the Legislature in q
tangible shape, under resolution offered
by Mr. Werner, Of Oconee, authorizing
the Governor TO furnish 200 able bodied
conv' rs to any company who will guar
autee the completion of the road within
four yeAts. This Is not as liberal as we
were ir hopes the General Assembly
would be towards the completion of this
grand national highway, and we trust it
will vet be amended so as to give two
hundred convicts absolutely to tile enter
prise, and furnish them with clothes and
rations during the time they are engaged
in this great State enterprise, taking stock
in the company to the value of the labor
so furnished. This is the policy which
North Carolina has pursued with her
convicts, and it is we'll worthy of our
imitation. No State has ever been great
in its railroad facilities, and the commerce
consequent upon the possession Of them,
without pursuing most liberal policy
towards the work Of building the main
links OF the system. In our former days
of craftsmanship and prosperity South
Carolina pursued the most liberal policy
towards the construction Of railroads,
looking TO the development Of general
system, but since the war this policy has
been dissipated, and now there is scarcely
q hamlet which has rot a railroad charter
and is not jealous of every other route, 30
that the State is not united on any rail
road system, and as consequence our
cities and our commerce are fast dwind-
ling into insignificancc. 1t may be o
startling statement, but it is nevertheless
fact, that there is not radial and t,r.
minal railroad center within the State:
Columbia is only way station upon the
several lines passing through it, while
Charleston has but four lines Of impor-
tant road, and none of them are great
through lines, but are entirely roads with
" the State. The South Carolina line is
lost at the foot of the Blue Ridge, the
North Eastern line is lost ut Cheraw, the
Augusta Division Of the s. G. r. r. only
controls to Augusta; and the Savannah
& Charleston road is only short link,
giving neither increase nor impetus to
the trade of Charleston. The great
through lines fit through South Carolina,
bearing their treasures Of trade and
wealth into other States, apd subsidize the
territory Of South Carolina to distant and
foreign markets. They are dissipating
instead of building up the commerce of
South Carolina, and 1t is time for our
people to realize the injury that is being
done the future prosperity of the State.
The Air Line road, for instance, benefits
Greenville, Spartanburg and some local
points, but 1t Injuries other points from
Charleston up at least rs much as the
!: local benefit it confers. The Same is true
cf the O.. 9. & A. r. r., and of the W.,
g. e A. r. r. We do not object to
numerous railroads, but we should as a
State locate such through lines as to con-
troll the railroad system, to build up and
not tear down our State commerce. We
are interested in having great metropo.
] iis within Our own limits, and nature has
; given us Charleston as the most suitable
point to build up.
/ The completion of the Blue Ridge
Railroad would link Chicago to Charles.
ton by direct rail, and would necessitate
the deepening of her harbor by national
appropriations, which would render her
.hs cival of DaltialoIs or New York in
: point of commerce and shipping. Such
q transformation would give new life to
the industries of our whole State, and
give new and multiplied influence to us
in The nation and the wo:!a. There il
nothing 5hoft OF the Blue Ridge Railroad
which can secure this great desideratum
for South Carolina. Our statesur-.: fore
saw and appreciated this fact, and stead
lily worked for its contamination. If It
was important in their day, it is an abso-
lutte necessity in ours. and we hope the
present. General Assembly will, ignoring
all local interests, unite In forwarding
with liberal hand the construction of
this absolute necessity Of our age. The
State had better build this road and give
it away than to let it fall through, or be
constructed through the State of Georgia.
1t is the last chance for commercial great
ness to Charleston-it is the final .oppor-
tupity for permanent and increasing
wealth and prosperity to the whole of
South Carolina as State Of business i.a-
portauce. If the members of the Legis.
lature fail to DO liberal towards it, they
will commit blunder which it may
never be in their power to repair.
STATE DEMOCRATIC EXECUTIVE
COMMITTEE. =,