The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-26
RAILROAD INTERESTS

A correspondent of the Charleston
News and Courier, writing about the rail.
road interests Of that city, says:
The grading upon the Savannah Valley
Road is we'll advanced, and its compile.
tion in few months is assured.
The question which presses urgently is,
whether Charleston is to enjoy the bust.
ness of this fertile aud progressive region,
extending from Aiken through Edge6eld
and Western Abbevilte to the growing
city of Anderson? Most Of this large
area of Suuth Carolina has been for gen.
erations tributary to Augusta, and unless
something is done, and that quickly, it
will be secured to her forever, together
with even those parts OF Abbeville and
Anderson Counties that have always
maintained business relations with Char
lesion. 1t must be borne in mind that
this territory, once lost to Charleston by
an Augusta aud Savannnh connection, is
lost absolutely and irredeemably. The
Savannah Valley Railroad extended TO
Edgefeld, or 10 connection with the
Carolina, Cumberland Gap aud Chicago
Railway at any suitable puint in Edge.
field County, secures Charleston an air
line railroad to Anderson at once aud for
all time Besides, Elbprton, Ga, is Look
ing, and already moving, towards a con.
nectiou with the Savannah Valley
Railroad only fourteen miles distant.
Thus in the near future Charleston will
control two competing stragetic points,
one in Piedmont, South Carolina, the
other iu Piedmont, Georgia. II Charles
ton cannot or will not secure these COM
pet;ng points, most certainly Augusta
and Savannah will take them-aye, and
hold them.
Again, from Anderson, by a peculiarly
favorable line once surveyed, Greenville
can be reached. and the Midland Railroad
realized. The writer believes that the
connections herein outlined would be
worth vast deal more to Charleston
than the. Midland as now projected
valuable as the Midland certainly would
be-because the Savannah Valley route
would secure to her the substantial bene.
fits expected of the Midland, whilst it
also opens to her vast area not tributary
to her in the past, and ensures to her al!
that she now enjoys or has ever CONTROL.
ed.
In conclusion, let me say that prompt
action and little help towards extending
the Savannah Valley Railroad across the
Augusta and Knoxville Railroad at Nc
Cormick's to q connection with the
Carolina Cumberland GAP and Chicago
Railroad in Edgefeld County would
rebound to the great benefit of all con.
cerned, but especially to the building up
of our we'll beloved Charleston. And |
cannot help saying just once more it is
indeed now or never.
These reasons are well put, and it may
be added that this line would have the
advantage over either of the other lines
in making better connections, and in
shutting out future cos. peting lines. By
this scheme, Charleston would reach
directly orirdirectly every important town
in the State that either the Midland or
the G. G. & G. R. R. would reach except
Newberry, and would have in its place
Anderson aud the whole Savannah Val.
ley line.
Besides this, the Savannah Valley line
has the advantage of running through
country in which new road would
secu a better business than it could
command on either of the other lines.
It NO I'D, therefore, be easier to place
the bonds Of the Savannah Valley QUITE
than either IF the others. This il the