Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-09-08
The Blue Ridge Railroad.

no blue Hldge Railroad.
The resaryey of This long talked Of line
continues without any knowledge or intimaa
tlon ne to the real purposes of the Danvile
Syn dioate. It Is generally conceded that the
survey is with the view of ascortaining how
much of the work has been done and what
will be the cost of completing the line. On
this depends thS anal determination of tho
Syndicate. We beaf that Unusual caro- Is
observed in tho survey, and that tho estimates
will be as accurate as science can make
them. For this reason progrcss is slow and
month or moro may pass before the esti-
mato can DO mnde. We understand that 90
far about 80 per cent. Of the work hne boen
done, including repairs to tho grading. Co..
from time and decay. IT is beloved the
limo to Clayton will show over TO per cent. Of
the work done. If th5 road originally wac
not cranky idoa, We may suppose that
company owning this work and all connect
ing limos will hardly regard 80 per cent of
cost hazardous Investment Considering
tho Advantages this company onjoy, tho
length and shortnoss Of tho line its connoc-
tions With tho grain growing sections Of tho
country on tho West. tho soaboard on the
East with tho for,ilo ard undcvclopcd coun,
try it tnvcrses, its completion warrants the
belief Of n paying investment, constantly in
creasing.
The Charleston Ne,cs and Courier on this
subject says:
"Wo think that we mny say that the Dams
Vile Syndicate nro determined to hoyo a line
Of their own across the Blue Ridge to Knox-
villo. and the ron;e preferred is by way Of
Rnbun Cup. Tho Danvile Syndicate owr
tho road from Knoxville 10 MaryvIlo and
bavo nearly tho whole Of the outstanding
mortgage bonds of tho Dluc Ridge Railroad
Company. In acquiring tho Northeastern
Ruilroad of Georgu tAthens to Luln) tho
Danvillo Syndicate agreed to extend that
road to the State line, on the North, within
Eve ycnrs. and this " as tnkcn ns evidence of
u determination to make connection with
tho West ut Knoxville. The advantages of
tho old Bluo Ridge route were then pressed
upon tho Danv,lIe Syndicate. OnIy 32 miles
Of the Bluo Ridge Railroad from WahaIIn
to Audcr>on) me in operation. There aro 1873
miles to build. Uoon the limo about four
million dollars have been spent, and the
work was SO thoroughly done that it is in
almost ns good order rs when operations were
suspended finally ten or twelve years ago. In
eodity and tboroughness tho work done
on tho Blue Ridge Railroad goes fur beyond
what is usually secn in this country. Tho
English railways were taken M the model
and no expense was spared. 1t would indeed
be crying shame to allow the money Inv
ished on the Blue Ridge Railroad to be wholly
wasted ~ vast amount Of tunnelng and
grading has been donc and any company
which follows tho old route will get the full
benefit of every dollar already spent. The
Danvllc Syndicate have been fully advised
on these points, and Il surrcy of tho Blue
Ridge line has been ordered. The purpose is
to ascertain definitely how much il will cost
to complete tho line to Mnryvillc.
Tho Danville Syndicate. wo feel sure.
will build tho Blue Ridge Railrond if they
can do it as chcaply as they can construct Il
similar line from Lula or some other point on
tho AIR Line Railroad, instead of from Wal
ha!lG. "is decision will depend maius
therefore, on tho result of Tho survey nov in
progress. But :. will not Depend upon this
entirely 1t WI be. we think, within tho
power Of the conntes expecting to be most
bcneited by lie B!uo Ridge Railroad to fn-
cilitatc its construction by subscribing part
Of tho cost in bonds or otherwise. The
promise Of liberal subscriptions, wc are
pretty conGdont, will make the prospect
good if the work done on tho line is in as
fine condition MS is generally believed. An"
dcrson and Oconce and Pickens will dnubt.
less be on tho alert. The construction Of the
Blue Ridge Railroad would ut once improve
their condition, give the whale of the North.
western section OF the State fresh start
and bring additional life and activity to every
part Of the State"
a special dispatch from Richmond, Va,
Of September Cd, on the same subject says:
"rhc Richmond and Danvilc Ealr,ad
officials Go not know what will be dnno in
regard to the ,mplc,ion Of the Blue Ridge
Road. Col. a S. Buford the Presiden, Of
the road, is out Of tho city and will not re-
turn for soveru weeks. Col. Il. III r.
Talcott. the general manager, is not Informed
MS to the intentions of his company in regard
to the Blue Ridge R,ad. Cen james Con-
nor, Of South Carolina, tho counsel for the
latter road. who is here. says that engineers
arc hnsily engaged in making survey OF
tho limo for tho purpose of nsccrtaining
the valno Of the works already done and the
cost to finish the road. He does not know
the in,ontions Of the Danvilo Company
relating to the future Of tho prospective
line"
We earnestly hope that this long cherished
enterprise will not bc longer neglected. but
tbat we may soon hear Of the work being
3ctiveIy resumed.
The Oconce Female University opened
at Walhalla last Thursday under chorge Of
Mrs. Cobb, as principal. She is we'll e,lu.
GATED and has sevcrul years experience in
teaching, two years in connection with the
Female College. Her terms arc reasonable
and she literally proposes to teach the