The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1881-05-27
The Virginia Midland Route,

The Virginia Midland Route.
The telegraphic reports ssnt to.a number of
daily papers, purporting 70 give accounts of
meetings and conferences NTH the President
and others interested in extending the Virginia
Midland route to Augusta appeared SO con.
elusive that the route via Spstanburg had been
decided on that we thought itsalmost useless to
take any further interest in lhe matter. But
recent developments have sAen Us reason to
relieve thnt all those telegrasrs sya written by
one and the samo PERSONA CITIZEN of Spartan
burg, and, as we further believe, were Intended
to so represent the feeling and intention Of those
gentlemen who. by position, wealth and inau-
ence, really control the matter, as to drive oil
opposition to that route out of the competition.
A few days ago Mr.. Yates, Chief Engineer Of
the Virginia Midland Company, visited our town
on prospecting tour previous to commencing
survey of the route in This direction, and num-
Der of our leading citizens had very pleasant
and encouraging conference with him. In order
to know from headquarters how the matter real
ly stood, telegram was sent to Hon. j. s. Bar
bour, President of theV. NJ. Railroad, making
the necessary enquiries, so that our people
may act promptly and understandingly. To
this the following was received in reply, show
ing conciusively, as was suspected here, that
there was no truth in the report that the Md
land Company had committed itself to the Spar
tanburg route:
To MEssRs d. JOHNSON, ,jr.. ESQ.,, R. w. SnAND,
ESQ. AND OTHERS :-Teleeraua reyetD1t Ergi-
ncer Yates holds written instructions on subject
referred to. Present data too indefinite 10 make
commit,als in regard to location of line. Should
your route be not selected we will divide the
risk and pay one-half cost of survey.
Us. BARBOUR, Tres't.
what more encouraging prospect could the
people of Union ask ? We present n route 10
miles shorter than via Spartanburg, that can be
built equally as cheap per mile, running through
the heart of the finest cotton belt in this section
of the State, from Is to 20 miles below the Air
line road, crossing all the roads now controlled
by the Richmond and Danvile Company, at
prominent points in this State, out of the prob
ability that any competing road will ever inter
fere with its business, and at last securing the
same terminus, Augusta. What mors advanta-
geous line can the Virginia MidlandS adopt?
Drawing straight line from Yorkville it will
pass through the best Cotton section of York
County and enter Union County in Pinckney
township, running through the Pea Ridge Sec
ton to near Union c. H., pass out of the Coun
ty very near Cross Keys, from thence into
Laurens County, and through that County into
Abbeville to Greenwood, where it will meet the
Augusta and Greenwood road.
All we ask is that the surveys be made, feeling
confident that the route through Union will
present fully equal and, in many respects supe-
rior advantages over the Spa, tauburg route. OF
one thing we feel sure, the people of Union will
do their full duty in pushing the work forward.
1t will thus be seen that Union is not left out
in the cold, yet, notwithstanding the hard blow
ing OF our neighbors.