Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-10-01
ALL ABOUT THE RAILROAD.

The Shelby papers of last week contain
glowing accounts of the beginning of work
at Rutherfordton, on the 18th ultino, on
the Atlantic and Northwestern Railroad,
under the auspices of the Massachusetts and
Southern Construction Company.
A GALA TIME.
The Era SAYS the celebration of the oc-
casion commenced in Rutherfordton on
Friday night. The old and historic town
was ablaze with lights, and her streets
were thronged with the best people of the
county. During the day numbers Of per-
sons had come to town from the surround
ing country and neighboring counties, so
that by night Rutherfordton was in the en-
ioyment of great fete. The cornet band
from Blacks was present and gave an open
air concert, after which the air was rent
with the sounds of exploded gunpowder and
it was only when midnight had passed that
Rutherfordton was able to resume her usual
evening quiet.
PREPARING FOR WORK.
Saturday opened clear but with sufficient
clouds in the sky to ward off the heat of the
sun, while no fears of inclement weather
were occasioned. Early in the morning the
roads leading to Rutherfordton were throng
ed with people, carriages and wagons, on
horseback and on foot, all going to witness
breaking the sod on the new railroad. The
band played number of selections upon
the porch of the Rutherford Hotel. About
o'clock the band started off for the point
where the work was to begin. The place
was admirably situated in the woods on
the ridge about hundred yards south of
the Whiteside settlement road and about a
mile northeast of Rutherfordton.
Within an hour after leaving the hotel
there were between two and three thousand
{ho dc
of those present were ladies, whose bright
costumes, merry laughs and soft voices lent
the scene its greatest charm. Cleveland
county was we'll represented by business
and professional men and substantial far
mers, as were Mcdowell, Buncombe and
Mitchell counties and several points in South
Carolina.
THE OPENING CEREMONIES.
After several selections by the band, the
air, "Sweet Bye and Bye" was the signal
for the ceremony to begin. Rev. G. B. JUS
tice, of Rutherfordton, delivered short,
earnest and impressive prayer, invoking
the blessing of Almighty God upon the
great work about to be inaugurated. Col.
r. johnson, general manager Of the Massa-
chusetts and Southern Construction Com
pany, then addressed the multitude. After
congratulations, and sketching brief out
line of the history of the enterprise from the
date of it's inception two years ago, he
too free in the use of the wet blanket. He
said it requires rugged patient to stand it,
and besides capital or its representatives
may be driven away before they become
Injured to the treatment. He had felt that
the cry of Group and wet blankets had pass
ed away, when week ago on last Monday
a new cry of Group was raised from new
quarter. A new wet blanket was prepared,
very wet, designed to be large enough to
take you and me and all of US within its am
pie folds; but kicked out and thank God
relation to the Carolina Central. l have
heard their conversion compared to st.
Paul's, but st. Paul would never have spent
twenty-five years on his way to Damascus!
Seriously, we had hoped to deal pleasantly
with that railroad, reciprocating business on
business principles as we shall be pleased to
do with any railroad with which we connect.
Still, if they prefer to perpetrate quarrel
we are all ready for that l have been told
that they say that they shall build road
from this place to Shelby-all right, gentle
men, then there will be two lines between
those points. BE there two or three lines,
there will be one line running from the
rich coal fields across yonder mountains,
bringing to you its treasures and taking the
products of your soil in return from here to
your neighboring daughter, Shelby, and
from thence through South Carolina to the
seashore. This line will be constructed as
rapidly as prudence and good judgment
shall dictate and although | may be taken
away, possibly, to the golden shore before
its completion, yet thank God 1 have had
part in its commencement and so sure as
yonder declining sun shall rise tomorrow
this line will be built.
Col. johnson was followed by several 9TH
er speakers who spoke enthusiastically upon
the enterprise, when late in the afternoon
noon the first dirt was thrown, and work,
with force of fifty hands was formally
commenced
ANOTHER PROPOSED ROUTE.
The Aurora gives intimation of new
route proposed for the Atlantic and North
western Railroad:
There will be a strong effort made to build
the Southern Western Railway from Gram
berry to Shelby, thence to Spartanburg con-
Meeting with the Greenwood, Laurens &,
Augusta Railway. The Georgia Central,
wealthy corporation, controls and owns
the major part of the new road finished this
week to Spartanburg. Spartanburg is anX-
ious for another Northern outlet and will
give $50,000 to como to Shelby, and sent last