Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1907-05-15
BLUE RIDGE WILL BE- COMPLETED.
WORK IS NOW UNDER WAY--AsSURkRcE
OF RAILROAD OFFICIALS.
[Anderson Mail. May 10th. ]

Henderson Mail, May 10th.l
"The Blue Ridge railroad is to be
completed through the mountains. The
best assurance that we can give of this
is that the work has been under way for
some time In Tennessee and North Caro-.
Iina."
This was the statement made to-day
by Col. A. B. Andrews, the president of
the road, ut conference with the direc-
tors of the Chamber of Commerce at the
Hotel Chiquols.
The Chamber of Commerce some time
ago invited Col Andrews and w. w. Fin
ley, the president Of the Southern Fail.
way, to come to Anderson to confer with
the people here about the completion of
the road. Col. Andrews is first vice.
president of the Southern, as we'll as
president of the Blue Ridge corporation.
At the meeting to day Capt. Fl. II.
Watkins acted as spokesman. In short
talk he gave the railroad officials the |
assurance that the people of Anderson
were keenly alive to the Importance of |
the completion of the road and were |
anxious to do everything in their power |
ley both made very frank talks in reply, |
and their statements were moro than |
satisfactory to the Anderson people who |
were present. The substance of their |
statements was that the road is to be |
completed, and that much of the work |!
nas already been done in North Carolina |
and Tennessee.
Much of the grading has been done |
west of Bushnell, Tenn, but at this |
point tho railroad company has encoun. |
tered an obstacle which must be over
come before the work can proceed fur |
ther. Between Bushnell and the Ten |
nessee line water power company |
see river 1928 feet high. If this is done |
the low grade of the road as surveyed |
and planned will be destroyed and the |
road would have to be built up on the |
aide of mountain. This would cost |
more to build, as we'll as destroy the low |
grade that is needed, and thus impair
the usefulness and traffic capacity of the |
been carried into the courts, the power
company having started condemnation
proceedings, and in the meantime the
railroad has practically suspended the
work that it had under way.
Mr.. Finley stated that the Southern
Railway officials fully realize that they
need an additional line through the
mountains, and it will be built. More
than all, it is desired that the new line
shall have an easy grade, so as to permit
of heavy traffic.
When Col. Andrews was here two
years ago he said he expected to live to
see the Blue Ridge road completed and |
in operation He was looking spler-
didly to-day and is apparently in the
best of health, and he Is as confident as
ever that he will live to see the road
completed.
In their talks to-day Mr.. Finley and
Col Andrews spoke Of the anti-railroad
agitation throughout the country and
the tightness of the money market for
some time past. Many investors have
been unwilling to put ther money in
railroad securities until the atmosphere
has been cleared and the agitation has
subsidized. Both gentlemen spoke of the |
conservative spirit that has been shown
in South Carolina in dealing with rail-
roads, and they said it had given them |
much encouragement in their work and
they believed 1t would prove beneficial
to the State. ,t
They could not give any definite state.
ment as to when the road would be oom-
pleted, as they will have to await the
result of the lawsuit with the water
power company, as we'll as for change
in financial conditions. They, say they
confidently believe though that both
before great while, and when this has
been accomplished the work will be
taken up and pushed more actively than
has been done heretofore. The need for
the road Is becoming more pressing every
day, aud it cannot be much longer de-
layed, both of them said.
Mr.. Finley and Col. Andrews expressed |
themselves as being much impressed |
with the progress of the South, and es-
pecially of this section. No other sec
tion of the United States is making such |
progress, Mr.. Finley said, but it cannot |
80 much farther without increased |
transportation facilities. To secure these
the people must cooperate with the
management of the railroads. There |
must be better understanding and a |
better feeling. The development of this
section depends on the railroads more |
than on anything else. The manage
mont of the railroads want to extend |
their lines, but they must have the sup
port and cooperation of the people if |
they are to do this.
Col. Andrews began his railroad work |
in Anderson, as a member of the engi- |
neer corps on the old Blue Ridge road,
before the civil war. He left here at the |
beginning of the war and went to his
home in North Carolina, where he en-
listed in the army and served gallantly
through the entire war.