Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-11-10
THE BLACK DIAMOND.
A GREAT RAILROAD TO BE RUII!T
FROM THE WEST TO PORT
ROYAL. SOUTH CAROLINA.

lCincinnati Enquirer, November l.
One of the most important in
specting parties that ever went over
a projected railway system in this
country was that started from Gin
cinnati on September goth, headed
by Sir Thomas S. Tancred, the cele-
brated English railway engineer and
expert, and in addition comprising
Hon. II. @. Dickinson, of Washing
ton, d. c.; Hon. William Kirkby, of
Columbus, Ohio ; Mr.. w. B. Cren-
shaw, of Knoxville, Tonn., Chief
Engineer of the projected Black
Diamond Railway system Judge j.
II. Simon and S. w. Casson, of Gym
thiana, Ky, and Mr.. Samuel Stairs,
of Dover, Ky. They have made the
entire inspection of 1,240 miles of
the route, 700 miles of it in wagons
and on horseback. Several of the
party were at the Grand Last night
upon their return. The trip was full
of interest and adventure.
Hon. IT. g. Dickinson said to tho
Enquirer man at the Grand last
night:
"The inspection party started out
from Cynthiana, Ky, September 21 !;
from Mt. Sterling we engaged saddle
horses and mountain wagons for
transportation of luggage. From
Mt. Sterling the party followed the
surveys to Irvine, Ky, travelling
along rocky roads to the home of a
mountaineer named Childs, where
the first night of mountain hospi-
tality was accepted. The fare at
dinner and breakfast was not Del
monico spread, neither was it equal
to the Grand Hotel at Cincinnati.
Corn ponc, corn coffee and ample
feed for horses were freely given.
October 9th we again started at G a.
m. on our inspection work. Leaving
Childs at Dumb Fork of Sexton's
Creek we continued our journey
along Tea Raiders Creek, stopping
at Clark's for the night, October 7th.
On the morning of the 9Th of Octo-
Der we proceeded on our journey via
Burning Springs, which in this par
ticular instance means natural gas,
and in abundance, for at the road
side we found lumberman, who had
piled up few thousand feet and had
lighted the gas flowing out of the
earth to season the pile.
"Wo continued on from Burning
Springs to Manchester, and from
Manchester to Barboursville via Tit
tie Goose Creek. The party were at
this time within the mineral belt.
Near Manchester the very finest can
mel coal was found, and bituminous
coal on the hillside and along the
road in apparently unlimited guam
tity. The party proceeded to Bar
louisville and then on to Jellico
Narrows, passing through the Mar
rows to Jellico, a small town, where
there are extensive coal mines in
operation. From Jellico the party
crossed Pine Mountain and Rich
Mountain, on through the Cnmbcr-
land Mountains and Big Creek Gap
to LaFollette, Tenn. Hero coal
mining is carried on quite extcn-
sively. The journey over the range
of mountains-Pino, Rich and Cumr
berland--was most laborious, tho
party not having any camp cguipage
or commssary stores, and were OBJ
liged to seek accommodations Of the
mountaineers in their log cabins, who
were utterly unable to feed a party
of weary, worn and tired railroad
inspectors with anything more appo'
tizing than corn pone, hard enough
to snit tho mountnincers, and corn cof.
fee, with sorghum syrup to sweeton
and make it all palatable. One thing
must be said of the mountaineers {:
They gave of their limited and
frugal store willingly, and aided us
as guides in every possible way.
From I'aI'ollctte we journeycd to
knoEyllle, whore the party were
once more able to partake Of q square
meal at hotel the equal of any,
"rhe most thorough inspection
was made of The marble surrounding
KNOXVILLE on every side. Every
quarry was visited and the inspectors
learned the tonnage Of each, The
marble manufacturing plants wcrs
also visited. Every facility was ex-
tended by tho citizcns of Knoxville
to the inspection party to obtain such
knowledge as they sought apd oh
tainea. Left KNOXVILLE, Tom, Co.
tobcr 18th, driving to Maysyille in D
mountain wagon, remaining at Mays,
vile all night, starting on the morn
ing Of the 18th for the base OF Smoky
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