Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-04-29
interest in the scheme. The meeting adj
journed amid great enthusiasm, with every
n.nnnnt c.,n nf I,ltiInofa Sl1nnacc

JOuliICO oIilu SlSdt
present prospect of ultimate success.
THE FEELING IN LAURENs.
Laurens county, S. c., was represented
in the above meeting by Messrs; Ferguson,
Gray and Johnson, and after their return
home the Laurens correspondent of the
NeWs and Courier writes as follows:
Our delegates are enthusiastic over the
enterprise, and they express very great con
fidence in the early completion of this great
Southern trunk line. The road connects at
Roanoke with the Norfolk and Western
and Shenandoah Valley roads. Southwark
there are four proposed lines, all except
one having Atlanta as the objective point.
Almost every town in North Carolina was
fully and ably represented at Roanoke.
Laurens, Cross Anchor, Union, Spartan
burg, Greenville, Lancaster and Camden
were all at Roanoke urging the Importance
of their respective lines.
The indications are that the lower or
Charlotte route will be adopted. From
Charlotte the road will either go to Camden
or ii will come to Laurens via Union. we
are determined that the road shall come
the Laurens route. Our citizens will have
a public meeting in the Courthouse to-mor-
row to rake such steps as may be necessary
to secure our line. This road when COM
pleted will be the greatest Independent
line in the South.
The organization of the company was ef-
fected in Roanoke by the election of ID. +.
Houston, Of Roanoke, president, and H..
Lester, of Henry county, vice president.
Thirteen directors were also elected. The
president is a native of Pennsylvania, is
manager of a large car factory and founda-
ry, and controls a large amount OF capital.
The vice president is a large tobacco manu-
facturer, and is of the best moral character
and business qualifications.
The enterprising city of Roanoke has a
population of seven thousand five hundred.
The dwellings and business houses are all
new and we'll built. Four years ago the
population was four hundred, and the grain
was growing where now stands the prosper
Gus city. Mr.. Houston, the president of the
proposed railway, has been instrumental
in the building up Of the city, and no doubt
is, felt but that his magic touch will have
the same effect on our great through South
line of railway.
"a HUGE OCTOPUS"
The editor of the Charlotte Observer, who
attended the Convention, writes upon the
subject of the proposed road as follows:
The Richmond and Danville system was
which, with it's tentacles, had embraced all
| u L i CIo Glltll Y "SkS Nv ~ eNJ NO
petition. The necessity of a rival line SEEM
ed to be the chief burden of the speeches on
the floor of the convention. Whatever d.
versity of opinion existed on the various
subjects suggested, and the many and con-
ficting interests represented, the delegates
were at least unanimous in that one idea.
The management of the new road at every
step inquired where they could find a con-
nection independent of the Richmond and
Danville system.
We propose to offer a solution to the
question this morning.
1st. Let the people of Mecklenburg, IN
North Carolina and Lancaster and kershaW
c%outies, in South Carolina, build a line be-
tween Charlotte and Camden, via Lancaster.
I'd. Let the people of Mecklenburg, in
North Carolina, and York, Union and Laur-
ems counties, in South Carolina, build a line
between Charlotte and Laurens.
AT present we are "bottled up" The
visitor cannot come into or 20 out of Char
lotte without crossing a railroad track. But
Charlotte with her six railroads is "bottled
up' nevertheless. Let the road to Camden
be built, and that will let us out Via the
South Carolina Railway, and let the road
to Laurens be built and that will let US out
to the Georgia Central Railroad system in
that direction. Camden is only seventy
five miles away and Laurens is only a few
miles further off. A line to either point
will give Charlotte an outlet, and a line to
both will give us two, besides opening up
new fields to the trade and commerce of the
l~iveliest city in the South Atlantic States.