The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-05

by the United States government upon
his helpless widow and orphans, aud It ie
not anticipated that much objection win
| be made. Surely none should be made.
The Blue Ridge. RAILROAD Hopes OF It's
Completions
I The recent activity in railroad centres
looking to the establishment of through
trunk lines from the West 10 the Atlantic
seaboard, has aroused the friends of the
old Blue Ridge Railroad TO the impor-
tance Of its early completion, and with q
view of securing attention to this once
popular, but of late years neglected EN-.
terprise, ito claim TO preference ia again
put forth in the most earnest and conf.
dent manner. It is the route selected
by the projectors of the railroad system
IN South Carolina, when that system
tended to the development of the com
mercial and material interests Of the
State. Numerous surveys were made oil
all the gaps in the Blue Ridge mountains
which lie accessible to lines of railroad
crossing these mountains from this State,
and after mature deIiberation it was SO.
iected as the best and most desirable line
to the West, both in its bearing upon the
commerce OF Charleston and its imoor.
tance to the State at large. On the
Blue Ridge Railroad the grade is bat
seventy feet TO the mile, which is lower
than the grade of any line that has vet
crossed the mountaing, and fifty.six-
feet to the miles less than the grade
with which the Baltimore and Ohio road
! passes them. This is, of course, very
great consideration in the adoption of a
route intended for freight purposes, and
4 is one of the greatest advantages the
Blue Ridge line has over others. It Is
also central line passing directly to
Knoxville and the West without
dependence, this side of Knoxville. unon
any other railroad until it gets into this
State, where its connection with Char
lesion is natural and easily controlled by
the interests of the Greenville and Co
lumbia and the South Carolina Railroads.
It's control in the interest: of Charlest,n
possesses US Of the lRaubun Gap, and
shuts off tho Augusta and Knoxville
Railroad, which might in the future
prove :n;n.ical 70 the trade of Cbarlestoi,
and the material Developments Of the
State sa faif3H--i n.
| The soundRess Of these views IL gsaer.
ally admitted, and the trouble Ia ss,.
case is one of finance. The road is an
expensive one to build, and many have
thought it eanier to reach the West ty
some other route on this account. In
reply, the friends of the Blue Ridge
Railroad present the condition of the
road as gathered from the report of the
President, Gen. Harrison, to Governor
Orr in 1868, which may be briefly sum-
med up as follows: Tfl a'tfr 50 iia
| Whole length of road from Anderson
| TO Knoxville i96 miles Of which 81 miles
| lie in South Carolina, II in Georgia, rs
in North Carolina. and "a in Tennessee.
In South Carolina there was originally
3.74S,423 cubic yards Of grading to be
done. of which 80 per cent is finished,
leaving only 762, ,628 to be done. There
was 78718 o,bic yards of tunneling, oil
which 66 per cent. 10 finished, leaving
2S,6S0 TO 90 done. There was %. .49I
cubic yards of bridging and masonry,
} of which ~ per. cent. is done, leaving
1884 cubic yards. In Nquare drains and
culverts there was 1914 cubic yards, Of
which "a per cent. is done, leaving
$40 cubic yards. ai'
In Georgia there was 1852, ,64S cubic
yards, of grading, of which 45 per cent. il
done, leaving TAT 1862. In tunnelltpg there
was A ESQ cubic yards, of which Is per
cent. was done, leaving 81 .657 cubic yards
of which, however, about three quarters
was finished in 1870 $50 that, perhaps
not more than $500 entire yards remain
TO be DONE In bridge and arch mason.
ry there was ,347 cubic yards, of which
46 per cent. is done, leaving 3,970 cubic
yards. In square drains and culvertt
! there was 15, 1926 cubic yards of which IT
per cent is done, leaving 3,795 cubic
yards.
1. In Tennessee there was 1872, 1913 cubic
! yards, of which 80 per. cent. is done
leaving l,257 ,691 cubic yards. In tun
. nelling there 10 1,045 cubic yards yet Il
be done. In bridge and aych masonry
Is per cent. has been done, leaving
l7,744 cubic yards. In square drains ant
culverts 48 per cent. mas been done, leav
ing G, cubic yards. ss'' 2.
e In North Carolina no work has beer
done, leaving 2,146, 1862 cubic yards o
grading, "a, ,49e cubic yards Of tnnnellinR
1861 cubic yards of bridge aud arci
, masonry, and 11,065 cubic yards D
square drains and cnlverts..
i Since this report was made, new lin,
marked out FOR the road avoids the tun
. mel in this State, and passes the mountaii
with o short cut of fifty feet, 10 that th,
! charge for tunnelling in South Caroline
J should be withdrawn. The new survey
| makes numerous improvements upon th
| line and greatly decreases the cost Of it
, complexion, GO that the friends of th
] road calculate that by this SURVEY it cal
3 easily be built through to Knoxville at
cost of two or two nnd a. half million
dollars, at the most liberal calculation.
In order TO put the road in shape fo
Z completion and secure the necessar1
t means, the Legislature will be calleI
, upon 70 give certain rights and immuni
Z ties to any person or nansnEis who ysssiil
j complete It within q definite period, ant
8 some OF the Counties along the line pro
t pose to mako liberal corporate subsorip
) tions defect this purpose. The obiec
! Is q worthy one, aud the Legislatur
7 should not hesitate to grant s1ch priv
4 ieceA IA NAV ha reaaOnable 20 ndyanc
. the construction Of 4 direct, feasible an
. greatly desirable Western connection
sahich i give 20 ttio "a ~. van
( tages her position as o port entities he
I TO, and thereby reflect its benefits upo
: every portion of the State, Thirty-thre
. miles Of the Blue Ridge Railroad ar
, already running in this Stata, and twen
! ty in the State Of Tennessee. The wor
i which he's been done upon the line ia q
. the most permanent ard thorough dc
!. scription, and will last for many years I
e come even without being completed
. Tho road runs through country rich i
{ mineral resources, and will certainly d
!, an immense business ia freights in bot