The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1902-07-31
THE THREE C'S SCHEME.
Gen. Wilder Talks of the Advantages of
This New Railroad.
Knoxville journal and Tribune.

Knoxville journal and Tribune.
The Ohio River and Charleston, now
known by the name of the South aud
Western railroad, which has been re-
Gently recognized by Baltimore capt
talists, was formerly known as the
Three C's and is one of the features of
johnson City, which people generally
believe is certain to be of great value if
finished.
Gen. John 7. Wilder has been deeply
inferred in this road. From what he
says there is much to be gained by its
early completion The present owners
are not the Seaboard Air Line people,
but while this is the case it is more
than probable that they have some I'M
derstanding with the Seaboard Air Line
people, as to future business and traffic
arrangements for the s. & W. road will
when completed give theS. A. L. very
large business and all of the coal that
it may wish.
The road is now completed to a point
in North Carolina just south of Bakers
vile called Sink Hole, ffty-one miles
from johnson City. OF this distance
there are twelve miles of rails to be
laid, though all of the other ork is
completed and ready for the rails. 1t
is about 225 miles from johnson City to
Ashland, KY, which is opposite Iron
ton, Ohio. OF this section 90 miles ont
of Johnson City are graded and with
some work would be ready for the ties.
From johnson City the road runs to
the Clinch river, a distance Of forty
miles, and then to st. Paul, Va, fur
ther distance of little more than forty
miles, and within thirtystwo miles Of
the state line of Virginia and Kentucky.
At st. Paul the s. & W. road will
connect with the N. & w. From St
Paul the road will run to the head Of
Big Sandy river and follow that river
to its mouth where it empties into the
Ohio river at Ashland. All of the route
indicated is along rivers. For after
leaving Johnson City the road follows
the Holston and crosses to the Clincl
river through water gap, which is tn,
only one in Clinch mountain from New
River to its foot, not far from Tat,
Springs. For some forty miles tn,
route goes up the Clinch river ant
reaches st. Paul, where it is within
eight miles of the headwaters of tn
Big Sunday river and thirty-two mile
from the Kentucky and Virginia stat
line. From the headwaters of the Bii
of the Big Sandy river the road vii
follow Big Sandy to its mouth, Ashland
Ky. By this route the grade is. les
than one per cent and in the opinion G
Gen. Wilder and many others it is tn
easiest route from this section of Ter
nessee to the Ohio river.
Over in the Carolina mountains til
route is from the present end at Sin
Iole to Morganton, "a miles throug
the Blue Ridge mountains. Then tn
road will proceed on to Lincolnton,
distance of about forty miles. Th
whole length of the road will be abou
$50 miles, of which about 80 miles wi
be in Tennessee. Less than a one pc
cent grade is obtained from Johnso
City to Morganton, except at one plaC
: in crossing the Blue Ridge mountai
n the grade is eighty feet to the mile.
is only forty miles from johnson Gil
10 the coal fields by this route and COZ
fields lie along the route for 100 mile
or nearly to Ashland, KY The co
deposits are, in the opinion of Gen. Wi
der, Of the best, and there are sever
seams of the best of domestic, stean
coking and splint, as well as cam
coal. They rival the famous Pocahol
tas fields. Already on the Big SAND
river there are many mines in ,oper
tion and the coal is gotten ont of Il
country by barges, as the goverrme
has done great deal of work q 4 Il
river, which is not as large a stream
the Clinch in Tennessee.
Gen. Wilder says, "rhis road oug
to be Of great advantage to Knoxvill
y for in his opinion the Knoxville Al
Bristol ought to be built from Knoxvil
: to its present line, and then, as at O
time thought advisable, to continle
the valley of the Holston to Kingspo
l there connect with the new road or t
South and Western road at Kingspo
= in Sullivan county, Tenn. This won
be an approximate distance of one hu
e dred miles from Knoxville, or abe
eght miles to construct. This route
the most direct for the business Of II
: city to Pittsburg and that portion of
the country. In that section there
considerable demand for the produ
of this section and if the road was bu
it would do much to secure the dev
- opment of the mineral resources of &
section"
1t. The Same Old Story.
=; j. A. Kelly relates an experience 81
~ a. liar to that which has happened in