The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-02-03
Railroad MOvemcnts-Thc West and
Charleston.

The early completion Of lines OF rail
way connecting tho whole Northwestern
railway system with K.oxvile ia now
assured. At the annuh. meeting vt
stockholders held last week, the Direct
"rs of the Kentucky Central Railroad
we're authorized to extend their line To
connect with the Knoxville branch Of
tho Louisville and Nashville Ra oal
The extension will be from Lexington To
Roundstone, n distance of 5S miles, or
from Paris to the same point, distance
of II miles. The cost will be about
$500 300. By building from Paris in
stead IF running down TO Lexington, the
Kentucky Central will get nearly
straight line to Knoxville, and the Paris
route, for that reason, will most likely be
chosen. In the Presidents report to the
stockholders the reasons for pushing to
the South nre frankly given, and they
dispel sOme of the clouds which have
surrounded recent railroad movements in
the West. The new combination which
looks to Charleston rs the objective point
on the South Atlantic is not primarily
Cincinnati PROJECT, for the benefit of that
city. The active force is tho Louisville
and Nashville itaiiroai which needs an
independent route to he sen. This road
has determined to extend Ms Knoxville
branch from Livingston. the present ter
minous, to the Tennessee line, where il
will connect sth the Knoxville and Ohio
Railroad, which will be built rs rapidly as
practicable from its present terminus mt
Caryville To that point. The completion
of tho Louisville and Nashville extcn.
sion and of the Knoxville and Ohio ex-
tension will put Louisville and the whole
West and Northwest in close connection
with Knoxville, while the Kentucky
Central by its extension to Roundstone
will connect likewise with Knoxville.
At Knoxville, connection is made with
the Tennessee and Virginia Roads, and
freight and passe agers can 20 down to
Chattanooga and Atlanta or up to Balti-
more, Richmond and Norfolk. But there
is little to gain if the new line is to halt
and be DETECTED at Knoxville. Atlanta
and tho Virginia ports can be reached
without this. Tho purpose is to get to
the South. Atlantic without touching
Chattanooga and Atlanta. As wo have
asserted confidently for years short,
direct, and independent line from tho
Northwest to the South Atlantic coast is
an imperative necessity. Thousands of
miles Of railroad with an enormous busi.
ness cannot afford to be dependent on .he
single railroad which connects Chalta-
nooga with Atlanta-the only railroad
connection, at present, for the Northwest
and Southeast. between Lynchburg, Va,
and Montgomery, Ala.
In short time. under tho arrange
ments which have been made, the rail.
road business of tho Northwest and
West will be ready to pour down to
Knoxville. What ncxt?
There are, Mt least, three projected
routes frnm Knnx.ille 10 the South AZ
lantic. One of these Ia by way of the
East Tennessee aud Virginia Railroad to
Morristown. and thence to Wolf Creek.
From Wolf Creek to Hendersonville,
s:S::y Tires uiiits, Tue fuali rru,aus iu 90
built. The Spartanburg and Asheyille
Railroad is in operation from Spartan.
burg (where it connects with Charieston)
70 Hendersonville, and the grading Is
done to within few miles of A.hevilie.
II will take less money to reach Char
leston by the Asheville route than by the
Blue Ridge routes; and We are Informed
that by building nbput seven miles of
new road between Spartanburg and Hen
dersonvilie the grades can be Iightened
sufficiently to allow heavy freights to be
carried economically and easily.
A se ,ond routo is by the Blue Ridge
Railroad. This road Is in operation
from Anderson to Walhalla, and from
Maryville to Knoxville. A rough es,i.
mate 10 that the road can be cor. pleted
for about $3,00O.00O, but the Knoxville
and Maryville Railroad Ia now owned by
Mr.. Sibley, of tho Air Line Railroad.
This route, If the Savannah Valley Rail-
road be built, or a line from Ninety.six
to Aiken be constructed, will give the
shortest practicable route to Charleston.
Several million dollars havo already
been spent upon tho road.
Another route is by the Eastatoe Gap,
which Senator Butler describes, in n re-.
cent letter to Senator Pendieion, as fol-
Iowa:
"Our people on tho south or east eide
OF the Blue Ridge range OF mountains
arc extremely anxious 10 mako some
direct railroad connection with Cincin.
natl and the Western cites. The chief
obstacle to this very desirable end--the
hitherto impossible barrier of the noun
taIns, has been lately overcome By the
discovery ofa pass through which rail-
road may be built, rs / am informed,
without tunnel or trestle, and with a
grade Of rot moro then seyenty-Aye HeeA