The news & observer., 1897-07-01
THE BLOWING ROCK RAILROAD.
Mr.. Boyden Thinks the News and Obser-
yer Has Underestimated the Traffic.

Mr.. Boyden Thinks the News and Obser-
yer Has Underestimated the Traffic.
To the Editor: l have seen and read
with interest an article headed From
Morganton to Blowing Rock" which ap-
reared in the Raleigh News and Obser-
YER on the 18th instant. The author OF
that article estimated the receipts of
railroad connecting these two points,
thus: From the carriage of passengers
at $4,000 and from the freights S7,5OO-
all together, for the first year, grand
total of $22,500 AS to the receipts
from Nle passenger traffic, his estimate
is rather below than above the mark,
but as to the receipts from the freight
traffic l feel justified in saying that, IN
nv humble opinion, he has fallen far be-
low it. Some three years ago careful
estimate, made by a Blowing Rock mer-
chant. placed the tonnage in merchandise
and farm produce, passing over the
Caldwell and Watauga Turnpike, at not
less than FIVE million pounds per annum.
That this amount has been very largely
augmented by reason of the better freight
and shipping facilities now prevailing
facture and shipment of lumber, now be-
ing cut by the many saw-mills operating
in the mountainous portions OF Caldwell
and by some in Watauga county, is ad-
mitted, by every one conversant with the
facts. For example, one mill, located
few miles from Boone, about twelve
miles from Blowing Rock and thirty
three from Lenoir-the nearest railroad
depot-has a contract to cut and deIVer
in Lenoir four hundred thousand feet OF
ouartered oak lumber-for the handing
of which he pays $11 per thousand feet
or s.. 400 to complete his contract. Ihls
quantity of lumber would make 100 car
loads of four thousand feet each, and
at SIT per car, would pay the proposed
Morganton and Blowing Rock railroad
the neat sum of $1,700, and save to the
mill man a (wagon) haul of at least
twenty miles.
Now then, there are fifteen mills rum
ming in the counties of Ashe and wa
tauga, each cutting, or capable OF cutting,
from four thousand to eight thousand
feet daily. the whole output of when
is hauled for 80 to 40 miles, over mlser-
able roads, to Elk Park, n. e., ana
Hampton. Tenn, thence goes over the
narrow gauge railroad to Johnson City,
where it strikes one of the main line of
fine Southern" From Johnson City,
am told, the freight rate to Eastern ana
Northern markets is greater than from
Morganton-one advantage for TINS route
over the other. Now all the output of
these fifteen mills would be diverted to
the Morganton and Blowing Rock route,
because of the shorter and better wagon
roads shorter railroad haul, and there
fore less freight charges
So if one small mill can load and pay
seventeen hundred dollars freight on one
hundred car loads of lumber per annum,
fifteen mills would pay fifteen times as
much. which would be $25,500. To this
add 81 800, the freight at 10 cents per 100
pounds (for the 81 miles hauD from
Blowing Rock to Morganton, of five mil
lion pounds of merchandise and farm pro-
duce, proper, and you have the sum of
$50, 900 as the receipts from freights
alone Increase this amount by $15,OOO,
the income from the passenger traffic, as
estimated by the writer of the News and
Observers article, and you have S4S,5OO
as the probable earnings of the proposed
railroad for the first year.
In my estimate no account has been
taken Of the probable freight receipts for
the carriage of horses, cattle, sheep,
minerals, shingles, timber in the log and
medicinal roots and herbs, all which, to-
gether, would yield considerable income.
In my estimate as to freight receipts
on lumber, 1 have only counted on 1OO,-
900 feet from each mill per year, whereas
in truth and in fact, the capacity of a
small mill is that much or more per
month, or 100000 feet per year. II
these facts don't show that such a road
would prove to be a paying investment
to its builders, the writer would like to
know what facts would.
Yours truly,
JOHN A. BORDEN.
Blowing Rock, N. c., June "a, 1897.