The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-19
CHARLESTON AND THE WEST.
The Asheville Route.
Correspondence Ne,rs and Courier.

Correspondence Me,rs and Courier.
SPARTANBURG, Feb. 6, 1880.
To the Editor of the Ne,rs and Courier i:
We have felt in common with the rest of
our fellow. citizens, and especially with
those of your city, a very deep interest in
the questions and matters affecting our
railroad connections growing out of the
combinations and syndicates, both real
and coniectural, which concern our
Western lines already built, and those in
process of construction. 1t is not our
purpose to advocate or oppose, in this
communication, either of the particular
routes, the claims of which have been
advertised recently by the respective
friends of each, but merely to correct a
very grave Misrepresentation made by
one of the over ardent in regard to an ex-
isting line, and that our friends OF
Charleston and elsewhere, who have so
,nobly contributed to the building of the
Spartanbnrg and Gsheville Railroad,
may be put in possession of the facts,
which will show that this line is in no
sense for all practical purposes failure.
The following in the Ne,cs and Courier
of the 4th inst, is what appears to be an
editorial:
(Fron, the Pickeas Seltinel)
"The newspapers are discussing the
probability of reviving the old Blue
H.idge. route and the completion of the
Spartanburg and Asheville road. As to
the latter we believe it will be completed,
as there are only few miles of grading
to finish between Hendersonville and
Asheville, as the road is already running
to- the former place. But with maxi
mum grade of 237 (the lowest estimate)
feet to the mile for FIVE miles over the
mountains, for all practical purposes this
road is failure. This is acknowledged
by nearly all competent engineers"
Our friend then goes on hopefully to
discuss the construction of the Atlantic
and French Broad Valley Railroad from
Belton to Asheville. We shall certainly
rejoice in the realization of the most
sanguine expectations expressed in re-
gard to this line. Every citizen should
heartily endorse, and, as far as he is able,
assist in efforts to construct any and all
lines having for their object the develop.
ment of the resources and the natural
welfare of the State; and no pet schemes,
local interests or prejudices should inter-
vene in the consummation of any great
and worthy public enterprise. We do
not believe for moment that our neigh
Dor, the Sentinel, Intentionally misstates
the facts in reference to the Spartanburg
and Asheville Railroad, as given above;
but, all the same, its statements mislead.
Our friend has only accepted as true what
he has obtained from some one who evil
IDENTIFY does not know the facts. The
steep grade referred to is small fraction
less than three miles, and its average grade
t,oo hundred and one feet to the mile for
that distance. The ruling and maximum
grade on the whole line, except this three
miles, is less than that of the Augusta
and Charlotte Airline, and of the lines
west and northwest of US. This grade
has been operated now for nearly two
wears. An engine with Is by % inch
cylinder has been carrying with ease fifty
tons net freight over this grade without
help. An engine with Is by "a inch
cylinder has carried seren hundred pas
senqers in one train from Spartanburg to
Hendersonville, N. O., over this grade
without help, making the trip over the
steep grade in fifteen minutes. The
schedule time for the regular daily pas
senger and mail train, with four loaded
freight cars attached, drawn by the Is
by % inch cylinder engine, is sirteen min
utes over this steep grade. 1t is also true
that this grade exists only one way, and
that going west. There is no correspond
ing descent on the other side. So that
the smaller engine referred to above can
carry with ease, from Hendersonville
coming South to Spartanburg, thirty
loaded cars, and consuming only one good
fire of rood for thirty miles of the forty
eight miles distance between the two
points named. An engine of the capacity
of those which take Is cars from Spar.
tanburg to Richmond will carry with all
ease between 80 and S5 loaded cars from
Hendersonville to Charleston. Is this
for all practical purposes" "failure?"
Two eminent ciuiI engineers, now general
superintendents of leading railways in the
South, have pronounced ita great success,
to say nothing of the chief engineers of
the road who located the line, and whose
superior in mountain work and location
cannot be found in the Union-whose
achievement in this line has ELECTED the
highest praise from the first men in his
profession. No appeal to engineers, how
ever, is now necessary, no theory to be-
discussed. The practical operations Of
the line are offered. The working of the
line has been safe, economical and regu-
lar. During the past summer the average
number of special excursions was three
per week, besides the regular mail and
freight trains, and there is no record Of
accident to life or limb since the line was
opened to the travelling public.
Every water station on the road is sup
piled by pipes from bold springs, and not
a single pump is used on the whole line.
Railroad men know the item sayed on
this. On the steep grade the train IS
under complete control and management,
is stopped, ascending or descending, and
started again, on the steepest portion, at
the discretion of the engineer. Nor has
the power of the engines been fully tested
on this grade, tue object having been to
work the line regularly and economically
and aboce all safely. 1t is not doubted
that if the locomotives daily used were
put to their full capacity they would
largely exceed their present work. There
has yet been no necessity for this.
Greater speed and larger loads doubtless.
in the language of the engineer, might be
permitted with success, but the policy
has been TO work the track with perfect
safety, to risk nothing, and "to obtain
and hold up the public confidence" 1t
behooved US TO build cheaply, but we have
bull ,csN Interested railroad capitalists
and officials of the Northwest and West,
who have not long since passed over the
line, have said that they did not doubt
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