The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-05-18

| DE nanQleQ III single tram. linen
the heavy trains and engines have
required steel bridges and heavy
"flls,' but it is figured that it will
pay. When the engineers figured and
surveyed in previous years they re-
ported that the best that they could
do was to get a grade Of eight-tenths
of one per cent from johnson City to
Alta Pass. That was considered eS-
cellent. But Mr.. Carter wanted it
done better and he has insisted upon
and gotten grade of one-half Of one
per cent. That means a grade Of one
half Of one foot in every hundred
feet. That is not much hill climbing
in mountainous section, but that has
| been done. The old road from John
son City to Alta Pass was designed
to have a grade of 26 feet to the
mile, but even that has been improved
/ by Mr.. Haskins, the first engineer Of
the c.. c. & O.. and Mr. A. ". Jones,
the engineer now in charge of the
work. It is said that Major Haskins
spent seven years surveying and plan
ming to get over the Blue Ridge in
the best possible manner. He did
not live to ride on the first passen-
ger train through the thousands and
thousands Of feet Of tunnels he had
so carefully designed.
It was a beautiful May evening
when Col. Cleveland and I arrived
at Alta Pass on the first regular train
over the Clinchfeld road. It was
cool, but the next morning. mind YOU
in May, there was a thick frost on
the ground outside, and it was bitter
cold in the little hotel on the noun
tain. The "hotel' was built to ac-
commodate the men who worked on
the Blue Ridge construction.
There is a great deal that might
be written 9Iout the Cincbtield road
and its real significance from South
ern development standpoint. but this
would be TOO much to undertake i'll
brief newspaper articles.
The Clinchfeld road is beading for
Spartanburg-the industrial focus
Of the Piedmont. The line from
johnson City. or Dante. which is lit
tie beyond has been completed and
is in operation to Bostic which IS
thirty-one miles from Spartanburg.
Muscle. mules and money are at work
on the line between Spartanburg and
Bostic City, where the direct main
line connection will be made. When
the line will be finished it is hard to
say, but as far as we could see the
greater part Of the work of grading
has been completed. There is a large
"fll" at Cudd's Mill, in Spartan
burg county, that has to be complet-
ed, but the greater part Of the cut
ting and filing has been made ready
for the iron. There is to be a bridge
fourteen hundred feet long across
Broad river, and another bridge
across Pacolet river, and there is to
be large culvert and FIJI at Cherokee
creek. Otherwise there is but little
work to be done before tracklaylng
The fact is that the greater part OF
the work has been finished, and it
is wonderful what has been accom-
plished. It is a case Of where "sec-
ING is believing.' The laying of rails
has already started from the Bostlc
end, and it is said that similar work
will soon be started from the Spar
tanburg end. In this connection it
may be noted that there is now a
large supply Of Tennessee coal and
iron open hearth rail at Alta Pass
ready for the work on the Spartan
burg division.
It is simply question as to how
long it will take to construct the
steel bridges as to when the Clinch-
field train will be running directly IN
to partanburg from the West, via
Bostic.
Perhaps many would like to know
whether the Cinchfeld road is to
build its main line to Columbia, and
from here 60 on to Charleston. This
particular letter was intended to deal
with the actual construction and to
state that here is oday an excellent
train service between Dante and Bos-
tic. and that by the close Of the year
the Clinchfeld trains will be running
into Spartanburg.
It has taken millions and millions
of dollars 10 build and equip the
Clinchtield road over lis present
route of 2S0 miles. It Is known that
the management Of the Ch,'"h.ie!d