Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1898-06-09
Black Diamond RaiLrOad Once More.
[Andcrson Peoples Advocate. !
DO wc need it?
Do Wn WanE itp

DO wo need itP
Do wo want itp
is it practicable to build it?
l suppose thore is scarcely q porson in
Anderson who would not answer Eyes"
to tho first question.
TO tho second question, nearly cvcry-
body wants it, prOuidcd, ai,ouVs (by a
largo majority it can be had for nOthing.
We need it, and we want it, but tho
desire for tho road will not overcome tho
innate selishncss of s0mo to lot the other
fellow do all the work and pay all the
bills. They expect this to be done for
thom, and then they hope to reap the
rewards of tho time, money and labors of
othors. To got something for nothing
is somewhat characteristic of the age or
of most people. Now, let our people
disabuso thoir minds, got out of their
scliishness, and come together while it is
small promoting fund to do the prclimi-
nary work. The corn has not yet boon
shcllcd, and the sooner wo get it into
our heads wc that have to do our own
shciHng the sooner will We get the road.
Now is it practicable to build this
roadp | answer eyes" omphatically. |
do not caro- copper what this man or
man, merchant, banker, farmor, lawyer
or fool. 1t is practicable to build this
road. The railroad man who says it is
not, does so for a selfish purpose in tho
interest of tho road now paying him.
The mOnoycd man who says it is imprac-
tical does so because he docs not want
to risk fow dollars without having it
first secured by gilt cdgo paper, or pos
sibly has large Investments in n compet-
ing line. l say it is practicable:
l. because thcro is plenty of idle money
to build this road four times over.
2. Because Port Royal, tho Atlantic
terminus, is tho finest harbor on the
Atlantic coast. The war now on demon
,tratcs tho great necessity for using that
port as a coaling station, and yet the
finest port in America is bottled up.
3. Since the United States has entered
upon new era, ono of aggrandi.omcnt,
whereby it is not only possible but prob
able that Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
tho Philippine Islands will bo added to
our territory, whereby our + vt will be
greatly increased, will demaud greater
supplies of coal. Tho great coal fields
of America lie Immediately on the line
OF the Black Diamond. Then, with the
coal fields at one end of tho line and the
anyone can sec this project is practicable.
Again, when the Government has ac-
quircd these islands it will DO forced to
build the Nicaragua canal. 1t has al
ready been demonstrated and shown by
tho recent trip of tho Oregon from San
Francisco around Cape Horn, ovcr IL, ,0OO
miles, that tho canal is great national
as well as commercial necessity, and
that being demonstrated by q practical
lesson, tho means Of an end will be forth
coming. And when tho canal has been
built, as it will be in tho near future, the
Importance of a coaling station on dccr
water at Port Royal will he still creator.
4. Let mo citc one case in tho history
of railroad building N this country
From Decatur, Alabama, to Montgomery
it is 1873 miles. In 1872, thore was not q
community of q dozen families from,
Dacatur to Montgomery. The Louisville
mined to build that line. We all know
that in 1872 material was worth nearly
double what it is now, money was gcarceI
and gold was at Il premium. TO quote
tho testimony Of Mr. Smith, the prcsi
dent of tho road, "It practically rar
through wilderness. 1t was, however
expected to develop an important min
eral region.'
Now, consider the conditions: The
Black Diamond Railroad pcnetrates tho
finest mineral regions in Tennessee, Ken
lucky, Ohio and Indiana, passing nearly
centrally through tho great Jellico Goa
fields. 1t starts at Columbus, Ohio, {
city of 100000 inhabitants; indianapolis
Ind, $4,000; Knoxville, Tenn, $4,000
and passes dozen or moro points having
com munitics of not merely u dozen pco
plo, bnt from 1000 to 10000 people.
is not Il wilderness from Knoxville tx
Walhalla, but rich agricultural section
up tho Little Tennessee Valley and across
the Blue Ridge mountains, aboundnl
with fine farms, with nndcval0pod min
oral resources and grand primcval forest,
of valuable timbor. 1t Is no wilderness
from 'Valhalla to Port Royal, but one o
tho faircst climcs in all the Southland
with woll-tilled farms, beautiful town,
and hamlots, manufacturing industries
Twice tho money in circulation as was il
1872; material at least 40 per cent Chcarc
| than it was then. Therefore, | insist /
will not be IN experiment Of doubtful
| prOpricty to mako a survey of this roat
from Wallalla to Port Royal-that pros
poets and possibilities for an early cora
! plotiOn Of this road would well warran
our people in making this Investment
| No pains, no gains. lilo who ncvo
invests never loses, but ho who move
invests never makes. Doubtless, smi9,
CARDS and fools never develop a country
and indolcnco and indifference will move
bring railroad to your doors.
| }. l.. TRIHBLE.