Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1889-11-07
A Grand Railroad Idea.

w. Colcord, Boston, writes as
follows to the Roil,coy Ige: "a
large syndicate is now forming in
this city for the organization of the
Southern Coal, Iron & Railroad Co.,
to construct ut once Il system of
railways in Tennessee and North
and South Carolina, to be known as
the Blue Ridge Railway System.
Surveys arc now in progress. The
railroad will be built from Norris
town, Tenn, via Kansas, Dandriagc
and Scvicvillc to Il point near
Marysvillc, thence to Madisonvillc
and Athens, Tenn, with division
to Marysvillc and Knoxville from
Sevicrvillc over the Blue Ridge by a
tunnel and loop to Grccnvillc, S.
G., and Augusta, Ga, and with Il
division North via Wayncsvillc to
Ashcvi!le, N. G. incorporation will
! take place next week, with election
of officers, and construction will be-
gin ut once ut these points. This
company will operate extensively in
coal and iron and the general dcvcl-
opmcnt of the country along the
route. The capital represented is
over S5,000,00O. l.. G. Wolkins, Of
Boston, is the chief engineer. This
system when completed will connect
all the leading railroad systems of
the South with the Southwest, West
and Northwest
The prospectus of the company
contains the following:
The Southern Coal, Iron e. Rail-
road Construction Company is to
construct Il system of railways. The
great Southwest, West and North
west Of the United States, also the
Mexican Republic, are brought on
an air line with the great seaport
cities Of Europe and South America,
making Port Royal the great South
crn seaport Of the United States
and Grccnvillr, $. c., the great rail
road distributing center of the
Northern points Of commercial I'M
portance. Said system to be com
posed Of the following consolidated
lines: /. The Carolina, Knoxville
e. Western Railroad and Louisville
system. 2. The construction of the
Blue Ridge Loop, from Pigeon Val
ley through Charlotte, N. c., to
Tennessee Forks and Chilhowcc
Pass, Vernon and Jalapa Plains to
Cleveland, connecting with the ST.
Louis ~ East Tennessee Railroad
3. Chilhowcc Pass direct to Marys-
vile, thence to Knoxville, Tcnncs,
see, forming link Of railroads
North, West, South and East.
The Blue Ridge Loop railroad
company is now being organized
and incorporated under the laws oil
the State of South Carolina with
the corporate office at Grccnvillc
Capital. stock S5,000,000, now on
subscription. The system comprises
191 miles, to be doublc-trackcd,
standard gauge railroad, steel rails
20 pounds to the yard. This system
will be constructed by an agreement
. with the Southern Coal, Iron & Rail
road Construction Company through
the Smoky Range mountains, by a
tunnel and loop; so us to obtain IN
easy grade through the difficult
mountain range between the States OF
North and South Carolina, Georgia
Tennessee and kentucky, shortening
the time distance 100 miles bctwccl
the Southwest, West and Northwest
with the South Atlantic States ant
North from the South. This system
will connect at Pigeon, N. c., will
the G.. Is. e W. road and the At
lantic Coast Line Railroads at Green
vile and with the Western Railroad
at Ashcvillc. \. g., to Salisbury, n
G., with the Richmond e Dmvillt
system forming Il direct air line route
from the North to Cleveland, vi;
Pigeon Valley, Chilhowcc Pass
Vernon and Jalapa, connecting at
Cleveland with the Memphis and
Mobile systems and the Georgia and
| Tennessee railroads, also at Chill.
. howcc Pass, via Marysvillc, Tcnn
to Knoxville, Tenn, connecting by
this link four great systems for
through transit. Three powerful
locomotives, steam s!io,cis, track
laying apparatus, the necessary cars
for construction purposes, and 800
tons of rails arc now being purchased
: to commence construction at the
three points, and the surveys arc
completed.