The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-27
BLACK DIAMOND PROJECTORS.
PROSPECTING PARTY INVITED TO
VISIT SAVANNAH.

Mayor MeIdrim and the Board of
Trade Join in an Effort to Get
English Experts Representing
Capitalists TO Come Here-They
Are Looking over a Proposed Line
From Michigan and Tennessee to
Tide Water, with a View to Rec
Ommending It's Construction.
Sir Thomas Selby Tancred, baronet, a
distinguished English railway engineer
and expert, who is looking over the
surveys prohies, franchises and rights of
way Of the proposed Black Diamond Rail-
way, which is to connect the lines Of the
Northern Pacific, the Great Northern and
the Canadian Pacific, with those of the
South Atlantic, was invited yesterday to
party of English gentlemen, who repre-
sent capitalists it is thought will consider
building the road.
President Purse learned that the party
would reach Port Royal, S. c., this morn
ing, which it is understood has been Sc
lected as the objective point of the route.
Anxious to have the gentlemen visit Sa-
harbor, as we'll as to be informed Of the
advantages the city offers for railway ter
minals, Capt. Purse called a special meet
| ing of the Board of Trade, which adopted
resolutions inviting the party here. To
give the invitation more effect a request,
circulated among merchants, bankers and
professional men, was freely signed, and
did much to make the purpose of the in
vitation known.
Mayor Meldrim sent the following tele-
gram: THE Mayor and aldermen of Sa-
vannah present their compliments to you
and your party, and will be pleased to
see you in Savannah at such time as may
suit your convenience"
The Board Of Trade sent the following
last night: Savannah Board of Trade,
for itself and the entire community begs
to supplement the Invitation of Mayor
Meldrim to Sir Thomas S. Tancred and
party to visit Savannah, and promises to
do all in their power to make the sojourn
here pleasant and instructive. Confrma-
ton by mail when advised of your ad-
dress"
The Black Diamond Line has been con-
| templated for years, but has not yet been
pushed forward so promsingly as at pres
emit For over two years Col. Albert E.
Boone, the interchangeable promoter, has
been making surveys, enthusing the people
by speeches in all towns in Ohio, Indiana
Kentucky and Tennessee, through which
the proposed road passes, and has succeed
ed i'm getting things shaped to present the
great project to capitalists, who are now
on a tour of inspection of the route, as
weI as the country through which it
passes.
Starting either at Fargo N D.,
or Moorehead, Mimi, the line will run
thence to Muscatine, Ia. thence to Peoria
and Monticello, I'll, thence to Vincennes
and Vevay, Ind, thence to Ghent Cynthi-
ana and Barbourville, KY, thence to La
Toilette, Knoxville and Maryville, Tenn,
thence to Bushnell and Franklin, N. c.,
thence to Rabun Gap and Clayton, Ga,
thence to Walhana, Anderson, Abbeville,
Edgefield, Aiken, Barnwell, Beaufort and
on TO Port Royal, s. c., on the sea coast
The total mileage Is ,906 miles.
Commenting on the proposed line, 1t is
stated THE Black Diamond System of
| Railways is destined to be the great coal
system of the continent. 1t will touch
| the Atlantic seaboard at three points, viz
Port Royal, S. c.; Charleston, S. c. and
Savannah, Ga. 1t will not stop its con-
struction until 1t has its own lines into
Pittsburg, Wheeling, Columbus, Indianap-
oils, Peoria, Louisville, Cincinnati, Chicago
and Farbo- Moorhead. 1t will cross-cur
every trunk line east and west of the
Mississippi river any one of which viii
be glad to an interchange of traffic. The
Black Diamond lines will also connect
Lake Erie at Fairpoint Harbor, o. and
Lake Calumet, an arm of Lake Michigan.
at Hammond, Ind 1t will connect with
the sea at Port Royal. s. c., and with
branch lines into seaports at Charleston
and Savannah"
According to the surveys. which were
made from the general offices at Knoxville
Tenn, it seems Savannah will be inter-
ssted in the Black Diamond. 1t was foJ.
this reason that Mayor Meldrim and Capt.
Purse joined hands to get the party here
when the gentlemen will be shown around
given all desired information about the
I city, and will probably also be pleased TO
explain their great project more fully
1t is expected a reply to the invitation
will be received this morning and if il
is accepted, a committee will likely bt.
named to take the party in hand during
its stay in the city.