The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-31
THE G.. G.. & N. RAILWAY CO.

From Its conception 10 eo"PAetoh
It's Trials, TribulatiOns and Final
Triumph-A Portion Of n Great
System Handled by Mastery
Minds.
Elberton Star.
The great railroad system had been In op
Grafton Tor number Of years, sweeping tue
entire eastern section Of our county anc
winding itself like vast Anaconda among
the Mills and fertile valleys OF Maryland and
Virginia, IL yet wanted southern ontlet. Luz
rival system, the Richmond and DanVllle
had command of resources that 10 ~ were
with It's existing limitations impracticaole
but there was nothing impossible 10 pluck,
energy and capital. These this system eltnei
had or could control. Why should IT moi
have direct communication With the sGutn1
OF New Hampshire and clnsp the coast thai
was washed by the gull OF Mexicof and bind
1t 10 Its already far reaching and rich line Of
One effort OF will and exercise OF power
would rIvet q chain at Monroe that would
end at Atlanta, and thus meeting with other
i lines, form the desired connection.
i They had capital 10 Invest, and WlLn tne
present prospects this corporation could 1nd
l no more profitable or advan tageous Invest
ment for IL; hence this branch OF the great
ouentiy developed, and through strong and
persistent opposition the project forced Its
| way TIL 1t overcame all obstacles natural, In
cldental and competital, and To-Day tnis
| plucky line OF the vast Seaboard ALT Line
system stands on before the world an accom-.
plished realization OF the proud hopes and
| bold venture OF this successful, brainy and
enterprising corporation.
The vast amount OF opposition the road had
| TO meet aud overcome IL scarcely TO. be reck'
oned by The casual observer, First, was the
ompromising resistance OF lts lormldaole
rival, the r. and D, that iought1t even 10 ls
completion.
But the corporation formed for the con.
structIon OF this line were not to be discour-
aged or submerged by any rival system or
corporation. IL was formed by men who
were clear headed, brave dannt ess and
plucky, and they had taken In the situation
and counted the cost and measured arms
with all opposition and were prepared loi
conquest, knowing no such word rs defeat
or failure. So pushing their way on they
reached Chester in south CaIolina. where
suddenly and Unexpectedly the ROAD mel
pended Tor twelve months. The r. and D
built side tracks and threatened to parallel
The entire system with tracks or their own
however. never put into execution, aud bar.
riers being removed or surmounted, the road
was rapidly pushed through till 10 The spring
Of '92 the aim Of their hopes were now reach
ed, and they trininphantly knocked ut the
| Georgiu metropolis, At But mere oo'
1 st4cles agaiu presented themselves, Tor nav.
| Ing reached Inman Park, they found II I'M
possible 10 enter the city on Georgia railroad
right OF way, rs this road took very arbitra'
ry and decisive stand In the matter, thus
making IT necessary 10 seek some other en-
trance into the city.
The best aud most practicable plan that
presented itself now Was 70 construct belt
| line around Atlanta, connecting on the west
side with the Western Atlantic and coming
| into the union depot over The W. ana A.
| track.
| This mammoth undertak ing was accom plish.
ed In the ipcreditably brief period OF uinety
days, and thus were they afforded conuec-
tion with all lines leading westward from
| Atlanta.
Millions Of dollars have been spen by this
| line In perfecting Its terminal arrangements
| In Atlanta, and when completed they will
certainly lar surpass anything OF The Kind In
| the south.
they had connecIion with only one road, the
| Western Atlantic. Now they exchange with
every road that enters Atlanta, except the
/ r. aud ID.
this line has enjoyed constantly increasng 6
business, both freight and passenger, and It's
growing popularity Is source OF sincere
Qualification TO It's proprietors and patrons.
| Contrary 10 the general rule, Immediately
upon the com pletion OF this line, very last
| freight and passenger service was inaugural
ed. thus revolutionizing the time In move.
mentof business between eastern points and
| Atlanta by decreasing II al least twenty-four
hours.
The energy and pluck OF the road In this as
well as every other particular has Won the p
plause of the entire business world, and this
new and growing system stands out to-day as
an evidence OF superior ability ond uncom.
promising energy Of It's founders and officials,
and now challenges competition or opposl.
tgn from all or any S1 OF the %ofa
cupancy, but this system contemplates further
southern extension, which will no doubt be
| accom- pished In the not very distant future.
The method employed by this system is
/ 10 10 no Cd N fif.t a
In conducting Its business 1t seeks TO afford
the best possible service to Its patrons with
the least possible friction. Realizing this the
patrons feel that their interest 1s well looked
after and that Is indeed iden tlcal with that oi
the road. This Ia clearly demonstrated by
| the good ill that exists between the line and
all lis patrons. This friendly and harmoni.
GUS state OF affairs exists as the practical re.
suit OF the policy and motives which govern,
con troll and impel the road-ior II exists and
Is operated as an Investment and not as
speculative enterprise. It's chief object IL to
| build up and not destroy.
The main trunk OF this system runs be.
tween Atlanta and Norfolk, Va, at which
latter point II has direct connection with the
| Bay line for Baltimore. the Clyde line for
Philadelphia, the Old Dominion for New
York, the New York, Philadelphia aud Nor:
| folk railroad for New York aud New England
points and the Merchants and Miners Trans
portation for Boston and Providence. II also
con meets at Weldon, n. C.::with the ATLANTIC
Coast Line, and thereby forms all al rail-
route through Washington to New York aud
J all points In the east
| This line runs through one OF the richest
and most prosperous countries In The south.
| 1t traverses q territory whose agricultural
and commercial resources are unlimited. and
both the intellectual and hnancl al condition
| OF It's people will compare favorably with any
section embraced in the United States, and
| this road Is rapidly developing and bringing
into effect the natural advantages OF the sec.
tion 1t has invaded. This Is especially evil
denced by the rapidly growing towns that
| have sprung up or taken on new life ana that
are fostered and stimulated In every posi-
BILE way by this line. This roud ny the vast
| facilities IL offers IL ushering into existence
new enterprises and developing new indus.
tries and thus increasing the wealth, prosper
| ity and general status OF the territory through
| which 1t passes.
prosperous and growing towns. Mon.
| roe has about three thousand Inhabitants.
Next we ind Chester, q live, progressive tow n
of about three thousand Inhabitants. Clln-
| ton Is also nice little town. Greenwood IL
a place of some Importance. Abbeville, since
The location of the shops, has taken new life
and energy. Calhoun Falls has fine hotel,
| and many are inspired with confidence as TO
| It's future. Elberton is the next point OF In
| terest on this road, and here we find thrift
". th the load and this line has no more po-
lite, efficient and popular agent than Mr..
Webster nor one who has the Interest OF the
road more at heart. Indeed all the officers
connected with the road at this place are
men who reflect credit on their en-
| ployers ana tne puslnees ehIrusIeu "
Leaving Elberton the next large town just
thirty.fVe miles distant IL Athens. This Is q
place that now boasts the name OF city, and
but between Elberton and Athens little
towns are forming around each station and