The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-05-05
The Development of the Railroad Cam.
paign.

The Railroad campaign, so far as il
affects the Carolinas and Georgia, devel-
ops rapidly. Three combinations are at
work, and an idea of their plans can now
be formed. The three combinations are:
l. The South Atlantic alliance, consist
ing of the South South Carolina Rail-
road, Central Railroad of Georgia and
the Georgia Railroad, with their branches
and leased lines. 2. The Richmond and
Danville system. 8. The Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, with the Virginia Mid
land.
Taking up these combinations out of
their order, we find that the Baltimore and
Ohio, via the Virginia Midland, is strik-
ing out for the Southern and South At
lantic trade. The extension of the Mid
land Railroad from Danville to Mocks-
vile is determined on, and connections
will be made with Charlotte, or Spartan
burg or Greenville. The objective point
appears to be Atlanta, but Port Royal is
also taken into account. There is some
talk of utilizing the Augusta aud Knox
vile Railroad in connection with the
Midland extension, but we do not see that
there is any money for the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad in the Port Royal connec'
ton. Augusta and Atlanta can be made
competing points, where Baltimore will
meet the South Atlantic or Wadiey-
Fisher combination, and the Danville
system, but it cannot be expected that
freights will be drawn from the neighbor-
hood of Port Royal and hauled by rail to
Baltimore, or that Baltimore can supply
the South Carolina coast with merchan.
disc and provisions by rail.
The objects of the South Atlantic alli-
ance are obvious enough. They are, to
hold and increase their present business,
and to effect this they will be ready to
strike out for new western connection.
They can, also, reach Charlotte easily
and cheaply by an extension of the
l,South Carolina Railroad from Cam
den. we are not able to say whether
the East Tennessee and Virginia and the
| Spartanburg and Columbia Railroads
will work with the South Atlantic COM
bination, or with the Danyille people.
What Mr.. Cole said the other day about
their lines ending at Columbia, making
it necessary to come to Charleston by
way of Florence, looks like hostile
move. 1t is positively asserted that
persons interested in the Northeastern
Railroad intend to build a line from
Gourdin's on that road to Wedgefeld on
the Wilmington, Columbia and Augusta
Railroad. This road will be about forty
miles long, through a level country,
where little trestle work will be required,
and, it is thought, will cost not more
than 100000. twill give line from
Columbia to Charleston, it is stated, only
122 miles in length, which is less than
the distance by the South Carolina Rail-
road. Besides this, it will bring Claren-
don and Williamsburg within easy reach
Of this market. The people in the coun.
ties through which the proposed road
will pass are so anxious for it that they
will give every facility to the projectors,
and will use their efforts to secure sub.
scription to the stock by the County gov
ernments.
The purposes of the Danville combina-
ton have not been divulged. They have
the Airline Railroad, the Columbia and
Greenville Railroad and the Western
North Carolina Railroad, as we'll as the
Charlotte, Columbia and Augusta Rail-
road. So far as they can get the long
haul for freight by taking it over their
lines, coming or going, they have no use for
| Charleston or any other South Atlantic
port. In saying this we assume that busi.
ness, as far as it can be controlled, will
be moved along the lines which the Dan.
Vile combination are interested in, rather
than along lines which they do not own
or lease. But it may happen to be more
difficult than is expected to force uphill
the business which naturally gravitates
towards the coast. In this event provis-
ion must be made for reaching Charleston
unmolested, which can be done by way
of Florence, or by the Gourdin's connec-
ton. In like manner, if the Danville
people get 70 Augusta they can come on
to Charleston by the Port Royal Rail.
road and Charleston and Savannah Rail
way. One report is that the Danville
people intend to build the old Blue Ridge
Road. The story is that they have
already the control of the outstand.
ing bonds of the road, on the old route,
from Knoxville to Walhalla. From
Anderson they would naturally utilize
their own property, the Greenville and
Columbia Railway. In answer to the
suggestion that there is nothing to gain
by building the Blue Ridge Railroad
for the benefit of Charleston, they say
that there is more business awaiting such
a line than the Air Line Railroad and
other lines running to the Northeast
could possibly accommodate, and that it
would be to their interest, therefore, to
divide business with the Greenville and
Columbia route to the seaboard, con-
Meeting at Charleston with the Clyde
steamers.
We see then that what is now talked of
is the opening or construction of addi-
tional lines of communication with Char
lesion. From Augusta there is prom.
ise of competition by the Port Royal
Railroad and Yemassee, and from Colum-
bia by way of Florence or by Wedgefield
and Gourdin's. Above Columbia there
will be short line from Louisville and
Cincinnati, by way of Knoxville and
Asheville, and a still better line is pro-
jected by way of Knoxville, Maryville
and Walhalla. 1t is evident from all
this that the Savannah Valley Railroad
and Edge6eld and Trenton Railroad, as
we'll as the Zines from Asheville to
Alston, are of the first consequence.
Those lines will be important factors in
future combinations, and their construc-
tion with Charleston's help, so that they
could not be absorbed by surrounding
syndicates, would make Charleston
secure, it seems to us, in almost any con-
tingency.-Charleston Ne,os and Courier.
A Horrible Affair.
A;nnntah ta tho No,ra and Gduricr