The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-18
TO BE RUN BY ELECTRICITY
MUCH STOCK HAS ALREAD1
BEEN SUBSCRIBED.
WILL OPEN UP THE MIDDLE WEST
And Make More Popular Ih's aeaut'-
fuI9 Portion of the Switzerland
of America The Southern
Railway Interested.

HLawise means much for the rest of the
State as well. For by it the most beau
tiful portion of this Switzerland OF
America" is to be opened up and made
accessible to the rest of the world
A joint stock company is being form
ed to build railway line from Morgan
ton to Blowing Rock, to be run by cleo
tric or compressed air motor power.
Already much of the stock has been sub
scribed and capitalists at Morganton,
Raleigh and New York are engaged in
the promotion of the scheme. Among
those here actively interested IN the
promotion of the plan is Mr. L. ~.
Bruner, late secretary of the State Board
of Agriculture.
In addition to this the Southern Rail
way Company is very much interested
in the project as it promises to become
a very important feeder to its line. And
it is probable that the Southern will, in
"A few wears, follow the example of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad in supplanting all
its short branch lines with electric rail
ways.
1t is believed that this plan of uniting
these two popular resorts-MOrgantOn
and Blowing Rocks entirely feasible, to
the mutual advantage of both. 1t is just
twenty-six miles as the crow flies from
Blowing Rock on the crest OF the Blue
Ridge to Morganton, the queen city OF
the middle west, and by the tortuous
course of the common roads 1t Is thirty
six miles, and many weary hours by pri-
r. ,%ar,n tod and
proposed, if the various interests cluster
ed around the enterprise be enlisted, to
build and equip an electric trolley line
uniting these points. The advantages
are many, the possibilities Of a success
full financial venture are well assured.
Such a line connecting Morganton and
Blowing Rock will greatly facilitate the
travel to and from these points, and 1T
will greatly reduce the expense now so
burdensome to the thousands who go
from the lower warm districts to the
mountain tops to enjoy the ozone, pure
water. and for health and pleasure.
Such a line would concentrate all the
travel from Blowing Rock, Lnyille,
Boone, etc, to Morganton and thus pro-
mote all of its business interests and
make it more than ever favorite with
those who do not like so elevated sum-
mer residence as the resorts beyond. 1t
will make Morganton a great depot for
all mountain produce-cabbage, potatoes,
buckwheat, apples, chestnuts, chickens,
eggs, butter, etc. etc. So far as freight
and passenger traffic are concerned, 1t
would make Morganton one of the most
important stations on the wstern division
of the Southern Railway system.
When one comes to investigate the
- I'm, baf road
could be built and operated to the great
convenience of the public, and at a
profit, and at less expense than one would
suppose possible, the character of the
ground considered. Perhaps during part
of January, February and March, but
little business would be done; but for the
rest Of the year the freight and passen-
ger business would be ample to render
renumerative the necessary outlay; and
Just here it may be remarked that it
would give to Blowing Rock and its
hotels, electrict lighting.
The proposed plan is to build from
Morganton northward across the Ca
.tawba river land it is possible that an
arrangement could be made with the
county commissioners Of Burke to allow
the trolly cars to pass over its magnif-
cent iron bridges over the Catawba and
Johns rivers), then pursuing the gen.
~eral course Of Johns river north towards
Globe, which is about the same elevation
as Patterson, on the Boone turnpike.
From Globe the route could follow the
west side Of the spur known as Rocky
Knob, or nearly parallel to the line of
the dirt road running from Globe to
Blowing Rock.
The last six miles would be the most
expensive, as well as the most difficult
for location and construction, but those
competent to pass judgment upon the
practicabiity of the question, pronounce
it entirely feasible to establish a grade
adapted for the use Of trOlly cars. 1t
would be necessary perhaps to lengthen
the distance several miles to accomplish
the ascent of the Ridge, but even this
would not make the total length Of the
line more than thirty to thirty three
miles.
The construction during the last few
years Of graded turn-pikes, such as the
Yonahlossee and Boone roads, and the
newly made pike from Green Park, two
and a half miles southeastward, demon
strates most satisfactorily the possibility
of grading at a comparative low cost a
road bed for the use Of electric cars.
The total cost of making these roads in
that rough mountain country, when
divided by the number Of miles con-
structed, shows that the cost has been
much less than $1,000 per mile.
The present travel to and from Blow
ing Rock during the summer months is
between four and FIVE thousand persons,
including the ordinary travel from that
remote region eastward to the marts.
Looking at the passenger traffic alone,
it seems but low estimate to place the
annual number of 5000 each way. Sup
posing the trolly fare to be only $3.50
each way, including baggage, we have
from this source a gross income of $15,-
900. The freight traffic both ways,
carrying all sorts of merchandise to the
mountains and returning with the pro-
duce of mountain farms, would yield
the first year no less than $500, equal
to one-half the above amount. So that
5t is a low estimate to place the gross