Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1879-10-09
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The Railroad to Fair Play.

n Il ~
Nessfs. Editors. i made briof msntion
of the above cntorpfieo ia your columns n
short tmo since, no. thinking at tho tinio Tint
our people would take hold OF tho matter 30
readily; but they seem now to DO wido awake
and determined to push tho enterprise
through at US carly n dato as possible. Sub
scriptiou lists ere already out and shares arc
being rapidly taken up. Tho shares arc put
ut twcnty dollars each. Up to this date,
October 4th, one hundred and forty shares
have boon taken. A good many, in fact
nearly all who havo subscribed, promise. If
There is ono man who has promised to take,
80 | am Informed, ono hundred and fifty
shares. Tho favoritc route seems to bo from
Fair Play to Westminster, as there will be
worry littlo grading. Tho road can DO built to
Westminster for less than half that it would
take to carry it to Seneca City. It is pro.
posed to raise enough by subscription to
grade the road and put down tho cross-tics,
which will require about twenty thousand
dollars. and then turn tho road over to somo
corporation that will put down tho iron and
furnish tho rolling stock. IL the pooplc in
and around Westminster will do their part
the road will certainly bc built, and that, too,
ut no distant day. 1t would DO much moro
convenient to Fair Play to havo tho road run
to Seneca City, for thoro wo would have n
much moro direct route with Charleston, and
Atlanta would not bo at all unconventional.
Tho people here aro determined to have tbe
road, and if tho citizens of Seneca will como
down handsomely, that is, il they will offer suf.
liccnt inducements in the way Of subscribing
enough to make up the difference between tho
cost Of grading tho two routes, sho can get
another railroad, and one, too, that will greatly
tend to incroaso her trade and enhance the
value of her property. 1t will tuko Mt least
forty-iiyo thousand dollars to grade tho road
from here to Seneca, owing to the unovenneSs
Of tho route and tho branches and creeks
that will have to be crossed. No doubt the
trade Of the whole Fork viii be drawn in this
direction with good deal from tho Georgia
side of Tugaoo River. This is q fine farm
ing country and only needs q railroad and
emigrats 70 develop its resources. There arc
immense tracts of forest lands and splendid
bottom lands that would afford lucrative
employment to thousands Of pcrsons. Tho
building Of this railroad will open up part
Of Oconeo that is very lito known to the
outside world, and, too it is the best portion Of
the county. a charter will soon be applied
for and steps taken to put tho whole matter
in q moro business like shape Both on this aud
tho Georgia side Of Tusaloo River, VIC hayo the
finest water power in the State; especially is
this tho case with n small stream or rather
creek about four miles from here on tho
Georgia side, called Shoal Creek, on which
there is already a largo factory for spinning
thread III operation. At some future time
shall set forth moro at length the natural at
the Fork portion of our sistor county, Ander
son, ant, also show the advantages Of having
n railroad r,,nning to Fair Play. We would
like to hayo an expression on this matter
from both Seneca a,l Westminster at as
carly dato MS possible. | Sonld suggest
that meeting be hold on the list Saturday
in November at Oakway for the purro,e OF
discussing the subject aud arranging IL nH'c
definite plan of action for if wo succeed we
must have method. II this time will suit
Seneca and Westminster, wo would be
pleased to hear from them. Fair Play and
the surrounding country will do their duty
aud We shall see what will DO done elsewhere
we shall also expect our friends on the Geor-
gin side TO aid liboraiiy in the building of
this road. as it will perhaps be greater con-
'cn'oncc to them than any others, and doubt |
not that they will aid us. IF wo expect to
develop the resources OF county wo must
build railroads and induce emigr0nts to settle |
among us. Tho South Union community
will bo greatly benefited by this rond,
Is well as Centre, and wo expect
hem nlso to subscribe literally. The |
building of this road will greatly increase
;hc valno of the lands in this section, there
|orc every farmer is Interested in the complc-
ion of tho road at nm carly date Wostmn-
'tcr, from the causes l have already men.
Toned, is tho favorito point with our people,
md tho road will bo built to that place
,ncss Seneca City will offer good induce,
ncnt to run it to that point. Under tho
present plan Of running tho road to West,
Minister We want ono thousand shares and
hoy can be easily raised if wo use proper
'ncrgy. G.
FAIR PLAY, S. G., October l,h, 1870
TET,TSR REMS