The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-02-18
TIE Cincinnati Southern Railway.

The Cincinnati Southern Railway.
The New York Times tells the story of
q project which may help the Cincinnati
Southern to reach the sea. The Blue Ridge
Il. E. Company of South Carolina was
chartered in that state, Georgia North
Carolina. and Tennessee in 1852 The
road was TO extend from Anderson. 8. O.,
to konxvilie, Tenn, q distance of 1876
miles. The object of the ineorporators
was to connect Charlsstown with the
great Northwest by direct line of rails
which would shorten the distance to CHI
cago and Cincinnati over 200 miles. On
the Southern Carolina and Georgia end OF
the line over $4,000 600 vas expended
before the civil war put IN end to the work
Or this sum, South Carolina and Charles
town contributed 100000 and tbs bal
ancs was raised by voluntary subscription
and mortgagsd bonde. now the only exist
Ing liens on the road. In South Carolina
forty-three miles OF the road were com
plsted, connecting Anderson with WalhaI-
10, and this section of the road has been
10 good running order ever since. Beyond
Walhalla the road was graded az far 90
Blue Ridge Mountains, and a tunnel 5000
feet long was begun through the noun
tains. About 4.5O0 feet Of this tun-
uC4 WSEC ptctEu. AOO kGSE EGlDR
bored through flint rock. By means of
the tunael the grade over the mountains
has been reduced to seventy feet to the
mile. an easier grade than of any other
railroad crossing the Blue Ridge and
Allegheniss. In.Georgia two small TUT
nels we're part of the original plan OF the
road. One 10 entirely com pleted, and the
ether verify nearly so. A large part of the
grading in Georgia is also.com plstsd. The
road runs directly through Rabwa. Gap
which admits of a passage through the
mountains at com aratively Itrifling sx~
penss. On the northwestern end OF the
line. eighteen miles of road was completed
from Knoxville 10 Marysvills, Tenn and
this portion has been in running order
since built. At this end of the road
81, 900. 900 was expended by Tennessee.
under the internal improvement act. One
hundred and thirty FIVE miles OF road, a.
originally surveyed. remain to be construo-
ted. Work was being rapidly prosecuted
when the civil war began. and that put
veto on the enterprise which has net
been removed up to tho present time. A
number Of New York and Boston capita
lists ars now preparing to take
road to completion. A prominent
Il Ia
said to Times reporter Sunday; The
importance of the action about to be taken
towards the completion OF the road will
be appreciated by thoee who favor the
system OF railroads connecting the North
west Wit the Southern Atlantic ports.
The Louisville and Nashville and Ken
lucky Central Railroad Companies have
recently cola binsd With the Knoxville and
Ohio Company. and agreed to bald their
direct connection with Rockville, and
contracts for the work are shout 10 be
awarded. The Cincinnati Southern fnds
itself at Chattanooga dependent on The
Louisville and Nashville to reach the At
lantio ports OF the Southeast, and, IL
order 60 make itself indeDsns*nt tho
Cincinnati Southern has surveyed a line
from Emvry Gap directly east to Knex.
villee, forty two miles So. you see. the |
three great Western and Southern cor
porations are making haste to rssch
knoxville. tia northwestern end of the
Blue Ridge Railroad. At Anderson, the
end, there are two railroad
with Charleston. Port Morris, |
and Savsnnsh Ona is over the Green
vile ard Columbia Railroad,
which has reesbtIy heen purchased by
the Clyde patty. 81 ;...is city, and the
cteWarts. OF nlcnmend. The other Is by |
way of Savannah. which is to be built, and
Ibis way will be fifty miles shorter than by
the GreenvilIe road The Edgefeid,
Trenton. and Aiken railroad is rapidly
approaching completion. The South |
Carolina railroad, the great corporation Of
the state lie about to pass into the hands
of New York and Boston capitalists. Tt |
should be remembered" continued the
speaker, that the only compiate railroad
from the Northwest 10 the Southeast is |
the Chattanooga and Atlanta, now con
troled by the Louisville and Nashville
company. The freight business
OF this line is so great that trains
almost touch each other. and facilities for
doing the business OF the section are
totally inadequate. The com pletion Of the
Blue Ridge road will supply a want long
felt. 1t will be trunk line fully able to
compete with the Chattanooga andAtlanta
line, and will reduce the distance from
Chicago and Cincinnati to Southeast ports
by 200 miles. The parties controlling the
Blue Ridge road st both ends are now
organising for its rapid construction. The
estimated cost of the work is % 800, 900"