Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1878-02-07
Cinclnnntl's Great work.

Cinclnnntl's Great work.
CHATTANOOGA, January 22.-The
greatest public work now in progress in
America Cf we except tho Southern Pacific
Road) is the Cincinnati Southern Railway,
from Cincinnati to this city As to
whether this gigantic undertaking is wise,
mankind will not be agreed until the road
is completed and in running order and
balance struck between receipts aud ex-
penses. Alone and unaided Cincinnati has
undertaken to build frstclass ruilroad
from that city to Chattanooga, 386 miles,
over and through aud under tho roughest
country east Of tho Mississippi. 1t is a
more difficult country than lies between
Philadelphia and Pittsburg. The first 100
miles and the last seventy arc not 80 bad,
but the intervening stretch, say between the
Kentucky and the Tennessee Rivers, is
perfectly barbarous, if that term may be
used in describing the physical features of
q country. Sixteen mllionsof dollars have
been expended aud the road is not done.
This large aum represents heavy slice of
tho accumulated savings of Cincinnati, and
if the road is not success she will not
recover from tho blow for generation. If
it is a success she will be the happiest city
on tho continent and before her will be a
future Of dazzling brillanoy. For forty
years she has beon talking Of Southern
road, wishing for it, resolving about it,
surveying lines aud doing everything but
build It. 1t was not until 1869 that she
put her shoulder to the wheel in business
way, cutting short the talk and beginning
work.
In the building Of this road we have
curious Instance of how easily State costi--
tuition may be evadcd when 10 the way of
grent enterprise. The Ohio constitution
forbids cities lending their aid to railroads
So Cincinnati did not lend her aid to the
road; she just went ahead and built it! See
the distinction? In 1868 lot of engineers
''estimnted" that the rood could be built
foE al0, 0,a0e,0Go. Yeu learned. ia Phila-
delphia long ago that the estimates Of engi
necrs c.nuot be depended upon as
steady thing, aud Cincinnati is now wrest
ling with the same experience. In the
epring of 1869 an clcction vas held as to
whether tho ten millions should be voted
by the city. Such was the enthusiasm for
the road that the proposition was carried
ten TO one. Tho reaeon for this crying
demand for the Southern road is because
Cincinnati is practically cut off from the
South and Southern trade by Louisvllo.
Louisville sits upon the only route loading
Southwark and gobblos much of the trade
which would othorwiso goto Cincinnati.
It is charged that tho Louisville line dis
criminates against Cincinnati, giving her
fosa SD1,o oo1p oA 4 l.
Besides, it is 446 miles from Cincinuati to
Chattanooga, the centre Of the Southern
railroad system by tho present Louisville
route, whereas by tho new Cincinnati road
it will be but 1856. Quite asaving 10 this
ago Of breakneck srasping for trade.
The city voted the $l0,000,O00 asked
for, which was supposed would build the
road, and the work was commenced In
the spring of last year it was found that the
8l0,000,000 were expended and the road
not two.thirds done. This was sad nows
for Cincinnati, the saddest ever brought to
her doors in her experience asa city. The
engineers estimates had failed to make the
connection BY an immense uargn--some
86,000,000. There was call for Sc, ,000,.
COO more. The slO,000,O00 had
been wisely and economically and honestly
expended, but tho tunnels, tbo bridges, the
outs and fills had swallowed It up, so the
money was gone aud no road. 1t was not
tho fault of the trusteos who expended tho
money; it was tho fault of tho country In
being so rough--so many streams to Gross,
go many streams to dig under, SO many cuts
to fiji.
Meanwhile, since tho frat burst Of enthu.
siosm when the 8l0,O0O,O0O wero voted,
tho panic came aud laid its heavy hand
upon tho businesa of the country, the qucs..
ton was whether Cincinnati could afford
further to burden herself with taxation
undbr any oiroums;anoes That was one
side ofthe ooso. On the othor hand, che
had hor darling road half completed Ia lonk
string Of outs and fila and bridges and tuo-,
'nels through the Wilderness, mainly incom-
plete and all worthless unless. the road was
finished, OF what atlvantaae waa n atr;no