The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-10-14
\ NEW RAILROAD.

'~NN''s
House. which meeting appointed q COM
mittee to meet DIR. Matthews at Enright's
store on Thursday and confer with him
upon tho prospects Of n road from FL
herton via Enrights to Abbeville. On
Saturday night that committee reported
ia q meeting held in the Court House.
The proceedings Of both meetings are
published to-day.
these facts. That Dr.. Matthews and his
associates have \ charter for n road from
Elbcrtun to the Savannah river. They
propose to use that charter and cross the
river at Col. Calhoun's. They also pro-
pose 10 ask Of the South Carolina Lcgis-
Iatlre a charter to build their road from
the river to Enright's store. All this
they propose, and also to build and COM
plcte their road irrespective Of the fact
whether or not Abbcvillc JOINS with
them. Their purpose is to tap the Sa-
vannah Valley road Mt Enright's. 10
accomplish this they claim to have the
assurance Of the necessary aid. Whilst
it is not true that Col. Calhoun has Of
fercd to build tho bridge across the Sa-
vannah. it is certain that his subscription
will be very liberal. There are posi-
bjiitics Of II Western connection held
out to us by this routc-firSt by the
narrow guage road from Elberton to
Toccoa City, connecting with the Clyde
Syndicate, the Air Line road. and then
il is proposed to build from Elbcrton to
Athens, connecting there with the Geor-
Sia Contra system to the West via At
lanta. AS to a connection to the East,
it is suggested that if the road be built
to Abbcville that there Will he a strong
movement to extend it either by way of
Hodges and Cokesbury or Greenwood
10 Clinton, in Laurens county, thence to
Chester, connecting with the system of
narrow guage roads there and the e., G.
and a. road, and thence to Monroe. n.
g., connecting with the roads to the
East.
These are bcwildering plans and pos
sibilities. The future may develop
them. At present we are concerned
principally with the building of the
road from here to Enright's store. Can
we do it?
To answer that question it is ncccs-
sary to determine first what sort Of road
we will build. We understand that DR..
Matthews and his conductors are strongly
in favor Of the narrow guage. We heard
much Of this subject this summer Mt
Edgeficld ancnt the discussion of the
Augusta and Cdgefield narrow guage
road. If our memory serves us right It
was stated that a narrow guage road
could be built aud equipped at an aver
age cost Of $500 per milo. 1t is demon
stratcd beyond doubt that the carrying
capacity Of the narrow guage is nearly
as great as that Of a broad guase, be-
cause the former does not carry as much
dead weight in engines and cars as the
latter. Indeed some claim that the mar
o. guage car will carry pound FOR pound
VI hciShI Win thc SIdluaIu OI DrOuu
guage. Certainly the construction and
operation of the narrow guage is much
cheaper. 1t runs over sleeper grades.
requires less trcstling, and can run
round much sharper curves with perfect
safety.
On the other hand there is this con-
sideration in favor Of a broad guage. If
the prospects Of connections and extern
sions East and West are ever realized
by this road, the narrow guage would
Ire in the way. AT Athens and at Mon
roe the guage of the roads is standard,
and Of course if this is to be a part of a
through line it ought to be Of the same
guagc.
Then, will we do it?
1t is eighteen miles from here to En-
tights. DR.. Matthews and his friends
don't ask us to aid them a cent beyond
E%nright's. The cost of construction per
mile will certainly not exceed $1,000.
Indeed that is n liberal estimate for the
grading and crossties. There arc only
two streams to cross-Calhoun's Creek
and Little River. Say that it requires
$1,000 more to bridge these streams.
That makes $4,000. Now can there be
any doubt that Abbeville Township
and Magnolia Township can raise that
sum in q series OF four or five wears?