The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-09
A PLEASANT TRIP TO BREvARD.
The Railroad Areeting-Improvemen OF
the French Broad River-Mountain
Scenery, Sc, sc.

The Railroad Meeting-Improvement oi
the French Broad River-Mountain
Scenery, &C., sc.
MR.. EDITOR: In order to attend the
railroad mass meeting at Bre7ard, N. c.,
held on the 10th inst, in behalf of the
Easley, Bolton, Williamson and French
Broad Road, it was necessary that the
Blue Ridge mountains should be crossed.
Hence, we chose the route along the sur
yey of Capt. Kirk for the aforesaid Road.
This survey WIS made thirteen months
before to the North Carolina line, but
the Directors had ordered completion
of the survey to the valley of the French
Broad, and had employed Maj. T. B.
Lee, an old and well.known Civil Engi-
neer, to accompany Capt. Kirk and
verify said survey. This was done to the
entire satisfaction of the Directors, and
con6rmatory, ofthe general fidelity and
correctness of Capt. Kinks previous sur
vey. This was very gratifying to all the
parties concerned, and to none more so
than the officers of the Road. The meet
ing at Brevard was largely attended by
the citizens of Transylvania and adjoin-
ing counties, and an enthusiastic interest
manifested in the enterprise. On that
side of the mountains there seemed to be
no croaker. and the people there are re-
solved to do their utmost to meet the
South Carolinians on the top of the Blue
Ridge. Capt. Ephraim Clayton, of
Asheyille, an old and experienced con-
tractor, presided over the meeting, and
Gen. Vance, Capt. Atkinson and others
added greatly to the interest of the meet
ing. The President of the Road, Col.
R. E. Bowen, introduced the subject of
the meeting by giving brief history Of
the Road from its inception to the present
time. Then followed Maj. Lees report,
certifying to the general correctness of
Capt. Kinks survey, and verifying the
astounding fact that the Blue Ridge can
be crossed at the Eastatoe Gap, with an
average grade on this side of IS feet to
the mile, and down on the other side to
the valley of the French of70 feet to the
mile; that the work on this mountain
section is remarkably free from rock,
and, except in one or two intances, Of no
great magnitude, and can be accom-
plished at an average cost of three thou
sand dollars per mile; that the country
through which the Road will pass is rich
in mineral ores, gold, iron, coal, corun-
dun, mica and lime inexhaustible; that
with convict labor the Road can be built
at cash advance Of 25 per cent. on the
original cost, and that the whole Road
from Belton to Asheyille, N. c., a dis
tance of SO miles, can be graded at q
fraction over three hundred thousand
dollars.
Asheville, like Atlanta, is sort of con-
verging point for al the Western roads,
reaching out from North and South Car
olina and Georgia for the trade of the
great West. From Asheyille to Wolf
Greek, distance of some 40 miles, will
be the only remaining link to bring us in
connection with the great network of
railroads, running East and West, and
North and South, and connecting the
lakes of the Northwest with the cities of
the South Atlantic. Wilmington, Port
Royal, Charleston and Savannah will all
reap rich reward from the proposed
rail connection with Asheville. Atlanta
and Charlotte, two rival inland towns of
great commercial importance, will also
have opened to the enterprise of their
merchants new and important field of
trade.
After the reading of the report, Col.
w. S. Pickens, of Anderson County, S.
c., made one of his best speeches in be-
halfo the enterprise. he told the peo-
pie of North Carolina that we came to
them in behalf of the enterprise, not as
spectators, not as foreign adventures,
but as farmers, and an important compo-
nent part of the body polite, having no
interest diverse from theirs in this enter
prise. The Coloneps speech was pointed
throughout, and produced a marked
effect upon the audience.
Gen. Vance followed in one of his
happiest efforts, pledging the great State
of Buncombe to the performance of her
whole duty in the prosecution of this
great enterprise; that at FIVE cents per
head, every acre of cabbages would bring
5000, that he was born and raised in an
apple orchard, and that with railroad
facilities, the production of apples would
become an important, pleasant and re.
munerative employment; that Buncombe
could make as fine tobacco as the world
produced, and that about half million
worth had been shipped from Wolf
Creek the past season; that the valley of
the French Broad was an asylum for the
invalid of every cline. He rejoiced that
here, at least, was the safe and sure re-
treat from cholera, yellow fever, &c. ;
that her mountain scenery was une-
qualled; that her pure, gurgling waters,
bursting in thousand rivulets from her
mountain sides, was the greatest boon
ever conferred on mortal man; that he
was in favor of all railroads-was a great
friend of the Spartanburg & Asheville
Road, and equally friend to the pro-
poced Eocfofoa Can Rood tbot II cou1d