Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1908-01-22
TO COMPLETE BLUE RIDGE :?

There is still life in the old ques-
ton OF completing the Blue Ridge
Railroad through; the mountains,
and giving a great trunk line from
Z Charleston to the Tennessee coal
fields and the graneries Of the West.
Speakina Of numerous matters per-
tanning to the Southern Railway and
Its projects at a recent banquet in
Columbia, J. M. Culp, vice president
OF the Southern said:
The many advantages of through
railway communication have been
recognized by the people of South
Carolina since your Legislature as
early as 1882, endorsed the project
for through line from Charleston
by way of Columbia, across the
mountains, to the valleys of the Ten
nessee and Ohio rivers. The carry
ing out of this project was delayed
by the natural difficulties to be over
come and by the civil war, but 1t has
never been abandoned by the people
of the State. 1t Is the aim of the
management Of the Southern Rail-
way Company, by the completion Of
projects now under way, to bring
about complete realization Of this
historic aspiration for g highway to
the West. But, far beyond the con-
ception of the legislators Of 1892, is
system OF railway, not only giving
communication between the interior
OF the State and the sea coast and
extending to the Tennessee and Ohio
valley, but reaching the Mississippi
at three points and giving access on
the north to the Potomac and Ohio
rivers, and on the South to the Gulf
of Mexico and Florida. 1t is a sys-
tenn, which, with the greater devel-
opment of the port of Charleston,
and the completion of the Panama
Canal, must bring through your State
an increasing. proportion Of the pro-
ducts OF the interior of the country,
and which, with the increase and i'm
provement Of rs facilities, will af-
ford constantly more efficient high
way for carrying the products of
South Carolina to the markets Of the
world.
81 believe that the dependence of
prosperity upon adequate transpor-
tation facilities Is appreciated by the
people of South Carolina to-day as
thoroughly as 1t was by your fore
fathers, when they were among the
pioneers of railway construction in
the United States. / believe that you
realize fully the complete identity of
your interests with those Of the car
riers in which you are served, and
that your State will pursue policies
tending to encourage railway devel-
Opment rather than to put unneces-
sary obstacles in the way. ] am
confident, therefore, that the people
Of South Carolina and the railways
Of the State will be found working
together in harmonious cooperation
for the development of Southern re-
sources, for the restoration Of COM
plete confidence in the soundness of
Southern business conditions, and
for the advancement Of Southern
prosperity"
There Is, of course, no direct allu-
sion In this speech to the old Blue
Ridge survey, but it is safe to be-
]ieve that the Southern is looking
to the ultimate use of this old work.
The Southern Is alive to its own
interests, and the completion OF this
great highway of commerce is bound
to become in the future an absolute
necessity, not only to the country
but TO the Southern as well.
The fact that South Carolina has
not seen fit to harass the railroads
with adverse legislation has given
this State q decided advantage in
that she stands In the good graces
Of the road, and there is decidedly
kindly feeling existing.