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

utWeu were present: Otate senator
Siegliug and Representatives Simonton,
Buist, Miles, Rutledge, Ficken, Perry,
Gonzales, Walker, Cassidy, Britton and
Eckhardt, Capt. +. w. Dawson of the
News and Cbi.risr; q. II. Fisher, Re-
ceiyer Of the South Carolina Railroad,
Mr. w. j. Magrath, President of the
South Carolina Railroad Capt. Post,
United btates Engineers, and others.
The delegation from Andefson, q. d.
Murray, 0eh. Humphreys and Mr.. folly,
were also present.
At the suggestion Of Mayor Courtenay
Col. G. III. Simonton was called TO the
chair.
Mayor pourtsSa= Il. explaining the
object of the itieetiiig aaid that d delega-
ti6n sent by the the citizens of Anderson
had found him as Mayor of the city Civ
ing some attention 10 the Blue Ridge
Railroad Question. As soon as the
Western combinations had been an
nounced It he'd occurred to MIN that the
3lie, Ridge was. The iiioab di.eet ahd tie.
fehsible foute between Charleston and
the West. The Anderson delegation
would make some suggestions as to legis-
lation looking to revival Of the fortunes
Of the road, aid the meeting had been
called to hear these suggestions. If
capital could be induced to come in and
bIild the road it was proposed 20 release
the road from its past due taxes and to
offer other inducements. He had, nc
said, never given up the idea that the
Blue Ridge Railroad was the real
road 10 the West. There could be no
doubt that 1t was an absolutely safe one
for the, city and State. 1t was SO con-
stfucted that there was no danger of its
being tapped by cross roads. Once the
freight was put upon the cars Mt Knox
vile it could not be toiiched by compet-
ing roads Until it reached South CaroIi-
ma. 1t was strange that after an aban-
donment for so many years the attention
of the people should be turned back to
the old ling: twas becatsa df the belief
that the Bite Ridge Road was the one
which could bring us ont of our troubles.
He believed that the capital would be
found to complete it if the proper in
ducements were offered.
At the invitation Of the chairman,
Gen. Humphreys presented the views of
the Anderson delegation. He said that
the recent excitement in railroad mat
tets had inspired the people of Anderson
With the belief that tllls Was a.ti atispicious
time to revive the interest in the Blue
Ridge Railroad, and they had appointed
committee to come down to Charleston
and see if they could effect cooperation
on the part of the people of this section
as would accomplish the desired end.
The idea that had been suggested in
,volved, es preliminary. the release
by the State Of tie claim on the road
fof past due taxes amounting to from
Sfn nm IN GEn mn L.
bility Of these ever being paid If the
completed the State could we'll afford to
was to be granted only conditionally
was well known that the Airline Rail
road was anxious now to get possession
of the Blue Ridge, not to complete it,
but to run it as q feeder to their road.
It wac also proposed to exempt the COM
pleted road from taxation for period of
years, say for twenty-five years. The
State would lose nothing by this, because
the road In its present condition paid
comparatively nothing, and the benefit
to be derived by the completion of the
road in the increased value Of property
all over the State would more than coun-
terbalance the exemption from taxation.
In addition to this it was suggested that
certain amount of convict labor might
be furnished TO those who would under
take to complete the road. About rs
per cent. of the large tunnel had been
completed, and the WORK on it was well
adapted to the use of convict labor The
convicts could be easily guarded, ,rd TIE
temperature of the atmosphere was 80
uniform that there would be little danger
to their health. It was asked farther that
the State should pay to any company
completing the road the gum of $780,
900 in five annual instalments, the first
instalment to be paid only upon the COM
pletion OF the road. This would effectu-
ally shut the door against speculation,
and the only question whick remained to
be considered was whether the compile
tion of the road was worth the amount
of money to the State. He believed that
if this legislation was had there could be
no shadow of doubt about the compile
tion of this enterprise, which has been
the dream of q century. It was also pro-
posed to ask legislation authorizing
corporate subscriptions to the work on
the part OF the municipalities interested.
It was believed that Anderson would
readily vote q subscribtion of 5000, 900,
OcoGee would probably give $3.50, 900 and
Abioville 100000. This amount, togeth.
er with the subsidy to be granted by the
State, would in his opinion secure the
early completion Of tbe road. He
believed that Northern and Southern
capital would readily be invested, an6
that the dream OF d century would be
speedily reaiized. The delegation were
here, however, TO take counsel with the
people of Charleston and were aot wed.
ded to this plan. They believed that
the same interest united the people Of
the whole State. They did not believe
that the Asheville route was the true route
sor the city and State. Its disadvantages
were chiefly in thenumerous independent
links which composed the line and in the
differences in the gauges of some of the
roads. Three million of dollars had
already been expended by the State ard
Charleston on the Blue Ridge Road and
it was hoped that this r..:Shs be an Ems ems
picious moment to complete the great en-
tarprise.
Mr. e. B. Murray, of Che Anderson
delegation, said that the estimates OF the
completion of the road had already been
published in the N,,esdBd Courier. These
required $3.50, 600 for grading aud about
$500, 900 for csoss. tiea and rails.-
All that was to be done was TO COM
plete two tunnels, seventy Ave per cent.
of which hRd been built, and to
finish the bridging. Maj. Lee, the en-
gineer, had stated that the road ennld
now Decompleted at q cost of from two
20 two and q half millions. IF Northern
canital failed "a, cflfna in ha ialiaved 4haf