The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-02
Railroad Mass Meeting at Breyard,
North Carolina,

Pursuant to previous announcement
the citizens of Tfansylyauia County met
this day in mass meeting for the purpcse
of advancing the interest of the Bolton,
Williamson and Easley Railroad, which
is to pass through the Blue Ridge Noun
talns at Eastatoe' Gap, and down the
French Broad Valley via Brevard to
Asheville. There were also present cit;.
Zens from Buncombe ana Henderson
counties, in North Carolina, and Pickens
and Anderson countica, in South Caro-.
line.
The meeting was called to order at 12
O'Clock m. by Hon. J. A. Paxton, upon
whose motion Ephriam Clayton, of Ashe-
VILE, was called to the Chair. D. T.
Bradiny, OF South Carolina, and J. A..
forsythe, OF North Carolina, were ap-
pointed Secretaries. On motion of Mai.
4. II. Russell, Of South Carolina, Col. 4.
E.. Bowen, President of the Road. was
called upon to address the n. Getting. Col.
Bowen was greeted with applause. and
very concisely and eloquently laid before
the meeting history of the enterprise
from its inception to the present time.
He spoke of his effort and failure to OBJ
tain charter from the South Carolina
Legislature for o Marrow Guage Road
through the Sassafras Gap; Of the SUBJ
sequent passage Of the charter of the
present Road and the fortunate discovery
by Capt. VIM. L. Kirk, Chief Engineer.
of the Eastatoe Gap. He assured his au.
dience that South Carolina intended to
build the Road to the line, and asked
North Carolina to put her shoulder to
the wheel and meet us. He said the
hoad was now an accomplished fact, and
ere long the whistle of the locomotive
would be resounding over the fertile VAL
ley of the French Broad, bringing wealth
and happiness to It's citizens.
Maj. Thomas B. Lee, who had been
employed by the Company to assist En-
S:ae0T Kirk 10 make re-survey of the
route across the mountains, was then an
troduced and read the following report: /:
I BREVARD, TRANsYLvANIA Co., N. c.,
September 10th, 1879.
fIo The President and Directors Bclfon.
tpatfian,stoD and Edsley Railroad:
GENTLEMEN In accordance with in
structions received from you, have, in
company with yyca- Engineer, hfr. VIM.
L. Kirk, made full and careful recon-
noisance of the route of your proposed
Road from Bolton, 8. c., to Asheville,
N: O., crossing the Blue Ridge Noun
ttains at the head of the Eastatoe Creek
into the valley of the middle fork of the
French Broad River.
From Belton to Easley, Us miles), q
smooth and continuous ridge presents it.
self, which can be graded at very small
cost.
From Easley to the foot of the noun.
tain grade, (19 miles), the ridge is de-
Vlatec from and several streams, waters
some heavy work, particularly between
Town Creek and IL Mile Greek. Proba.
bly, cheaper route can be had West of
this by passing the ridge lower down.
and running up tributary of 12 Mile
Creek to Moseley's Gap near Holly
Spring.
From the foot of the mountain grade
to the top of the Blue Ridge at Eastatoe
Gap, (!2 ::::!!eeSS11, The work is heavy and
expensive, but accessible at all points.
The curvature Is large, but need not ex-
ceed radius of 678 feet at any point,
easily passed by locomotives and not at
all uncommon on Railroads. The grades
ere remarkably light, not exceeding sey-
enty-five feet per mile, the average grade
being about sixty.five feet per mile.
This will enable you to pass the divide
with cut about forty feet deep. The
descent from the Gap to the Valley of
the French Broad River is comprised in
q section of six miles, and involves
heavy. work, yet lighter and freer from
rock than the ascent on the Eastern slope
CT the mountains. This section viii re-
guire q grade of seventy feet per mile.
This, however, may be reduced to sixty
five feet by lengthening the line, but
do not think this viii be advantageous,
but would rather advise shortening the
route, (Which can be done at great re-
duction of COST and using q grade of
seventy-five feet per mile. The descent
from the mountain may be made on
either side of the middle fork, passing
over ground very aimilar in Character
but it will probably be found that the
route on the Eastern side is shortest ant
cheapest. From the mouth of the mid
die fork to Brevard, and down the West
ern bank of the French Broad to the
crossing of this stream above Aeheville,
many small streams are passed, but aone
presenting any berious difficulties, yet in
creasing largely the cost of the work.
The grading hero is light. Five miles
below Brevard an alternate line presents
itself, which by many is regarded as
shorter and cheaper than the one have
suggested down the valley of the river.
1t begins at the ford Of Davidson River,
leaving the valley of tho French Bread
and passing up q ANAL stream for two
miles to high divide between this creek
and Boylston Greek, stream running
nearly parallel with the valley OF the
river for some eight miles. The pro-
posed route crosses this divide and fol-
lows the valley of Boylston Creek nearly
to Mill River, when it passes into the
river valley again after crossing the Mill
River. This route should be carefully
examined by an instrumental survey be-
fore its merits or demerits can be passed
on. 1t will probably require grade of
seventy-five feet per mile for two miles,
aud heavy rock cut before the valley of
the Boylston can be reached.
Accompanying this aubmit an esti-
mate of cost of grading your Road from
Belton to Swannanoa Junction near,
Asheville, distance Of so miles. Ihaye
estimated labor at nna dollar ner dsy.
The estimate is an approximate one, aud
is made on comparison of cost of lines
already constructed over country precise-
ly similar in character to that over which
yours passes.
In conclusion, gentlemen, permit me
TO add my testimony to the skill, energy
and indomitable resolution displayed by
your Engineer, Captain VIM. I. Kirk, in
finding out and bringing to the notice of
the public this roAte over the Blue Ridge,
the lowest and npre easily passed than