The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-04-28
A RAID ON THE SOUTH.
Plans and Purposes Of the Midland Ex-
tension-Through Independent Lines to
Charlotte, Augusta and Atlanta.

tension-Through Independent Lines to
Charlotte, Augusta and Atlanta.
The Baltimore american, in its account
of the Baltimore and Ohio scheme for
to Baltimore the business of
the Carolinas and Georgia, says:
The projectors of the scheme do not
propose to content themselves with a mere
through line 10 Charlotte or Spartanburg,
but intend, if possible, to create q system
of roads which will drain the Carolinas,
Georgia and parts of Tennessee, and
place the Baltimore on new footing rs
a market for Southern products.
THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA.
In order to explain the position of af-
fairs in regard to this road, it may be
we'll to state that when Governor I. j.
Jarvis, of North Carolina was inaugura-
ted la year his party (the Democratic)
made the question of organizing North
Carolina system, of which the Western
North Carolina Railroad was to form a
part, the basis of a great reform-so-
called. After several changes had been
made in other State roads, the Western
North Carolina Road was sold to w. J.
Best, W. R. Grace now mayor of
New York; J. Nelson Tappan and
James D. Fish, of New York. For some
reason still unexplained Messrs. Grace,
Tappan and Fish, after visiting North
Carolina and expressing their willing
ness to ratify the sale negotiated by
Mr.. Best, refused to organize under the
charter granted to him, and he was OBJ
liged to raise the money called for by his
contract with the State from another
source. In this emergency he borrowed
$50, 900 for ninety days from A. S. Bu-
ford, W. P. Clyde and 7. NJ. Logan, who
the Richmond and Danville
Company. When the ninety days ex-
pired Mr. Best was unable to meet his
engagements and compelled to assign all
his right, title and interest in the West
ern North Carolina Road, except $500
shares of the stock, to Buford, Clyde and
Logan, to pay his Indebtedness to them,
and also to secure the completion of the
road to Paint Rock, on the Tennessee
line, and Ducktown, near the Georgia
line, in accordance with the terms of the
contract with the State.
CAN 1T BE SECURED?
1t now appears that Buford, Clyde and
Logan had advanced up to January l
last, $160,O0O in aid of the road, and,
consequently, ct present it is practically
under the control of the Danville system.
Mr.. Best and the officials under him
were ousted, and Col. A. B. Andrews, of
Raleigh, elected in his place. Under the
terms of the contract made by MIR. Best
with the State the road was to be extend
ed from Asheville to Paint Rock, on the
western boundary of North Carolina, and
to Ducktown on the southwestern bound
ary, which would give valuable western
connections. Mr.. Best claims that the
Richmond and Danville people will not
extend the road as called for by the con.
tract, and that as he only turned it over
to them in order to secure the extensions,
if they fail to make them the road must
revert to him.
THE TWO ROUTES.
1t was also learned yesterday that at
the meeting on Saturday there were two
routes proposed for the Virginia Midland,
which were discussed, at some length,
but neithor absolutely selected. The
extension to Walnut Cove-the first fifty
miles-is included in both plans, and, of
course, will not be affected by the inde-
cision as to the route further south.
After leaving Mooresyille, the road runs
to Iron Station, Lincoln County, n. c.,
where the different routes branch off.
They are known as the Western and
Eastern routes.
The Western route, which is the cheap
est, would, from Iron Station, run over
the Carolina Central Road, a distance of
% miles, to Shelby, Cleveland County.
Here the work of building would be re-
sumed, for IS miles, to bring the road to
Spartanburg. At this point re exten:
sion would tap the proposed extension of
the Knoxville and Augusta Railroad, and
passing over the latter road through
Greenwood, Laurens County, S. c., thus
get into Augusta. The second or easterly
route diverges directly south from Iron
Station, and avoiding Spartanburg alto
gether, boldly strikes through the coun-
try feeding the latter city, thus securing
the traffic at first hands. 1t would pass
Gastonia, Castor County, where
the Narrow Gauge Railroad to Chester
and Columbia would prove valuable and
available connection. Leaving Gastonia
the extension would curve around to the
southwest through York, Union and
Laurens Counties, passing through Green
wood, where it would tap the Knoxville
and Augusta Road, thus afordipg the
same connections as the Western route.
It was intimated yesterday by several
gentlemen who are familiar with the in
tentions of the Virginia Midland Compa-
ny that this latter route would be chosen
as one entirely independent of other
roads, and, at the same time, more of an
airline.
DOWN TO ATLANTA AND CHARLOTTE.
As stated an effort is being made to buy
the Knoxville and Augusta road, the
ofwhich to Baltimore interests
can hardly be over estimated, and thus
prevent its being gobbled up by the
Richmond and Danville system. This
road, forty miles of which are built, has
the right of way from Augusta north to
Spartanburg via Greenwood. Nearly
The entire road-150 miles in all-has
been surveyed and graded, and the
work of building is now being actively
carried on. 1t passes through Edgefeld,
Abbeville and Laurens Counties,
which are the best cotton.pro-
iucing regions in South Carolina. If the
eastern route of the Midland extension is
adopted it will only be necessary TO ex-
tend the Knoxville and Augusta to Green.
wood for connection. The Western
route will necessitate its being built to
Spartanburg in order to connect. At
the route Of the Midland
Extension west to Atlanta has been pro-
iected, and partially surveyed through
Laurens and Anderson Counties, South
Carolina; Elbert, Madison, Clarke,
Walton Gw;nnett and DeKalb Counties