Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-08-25
BLUE RIDGE EXTENSION AGAIN.
Anderson Mail Carries Interesting
story Concerning Agreements.
DAILY Mail, 19th.D

the mountains to Knoxville, renn. A
| satisfactory arrangement over the
| right Of the Southern Railway and
the Aluminium company has been
| reached.
ON July S. 1914. PrcsidrU' Fair
| fax Harrison came to Anderson on
| the invitation Of the railroad COM
mittcc Of the Chamber OF Commerce.
| He conferred with the committee at
! the home Of \. S. Farmer, chair
man. and at the conclusion Of the
conference gave an interview to the
! Daily Mail, which is here reproduced,
as follows:
President IIarriSon'S Statement.
- came to tell these gentlemen
| that we have very serious obstacle
| before us right now, which places the
! extension Of the Blue Ridge road
over the mountains in the indefinite
| future. That obstacle is the gorge
OF the Tennessee river. near Bush
nell, not far from Knoxville. The
| Aluminium Company of America, one
Of the two largest aluminium compa-
micS in this country. has certain
| rights in the gorge, which they wish
| to develop, spending approximately
100000 on the improvements.
| 1t is necessary for the railway COM
| pany to have these rights for us to
| extend our road through the valley,
and it IS necessary for the company
! 10 have the rights owned by the
| Southern Railway Company for
! them to go ahead with their imprOyc-
! monts. | and the board Of directors
Of tn" Southern Railway have been
| making searching Investigations.
| hoping TO arrive at some conclusion
hat will be in favor Of the railway
company. The conditions are seri-
GUS and are now shaping themselves
up so that some satisfactory arrange
mcnts can possibly be made, but how
soon | do not know. would not
attempt TO even make guess"
president Harrison explained
I that the water power development
proposed by the Aluminium company
would flood the rights Of way Of this
road. This development was in pro-
cess, and before the road could be-
gin any plans for the extension the
| interests of the Aluminium company
| would have TO be acquired, meaning e
that if the water power was devol-
| oped the road could not be extended.
or if the road was extended the water
power developments would have to
CeaSe.)
Agreement is Signed.
The following dispatch, sent out
from Wilson, \. c., tells OF the sign
ing Of an agreement by the rail and
Aluminium companies which now
makes the extension Of the road
from Walhalla to Knoxville possible:
After two years Of negotiations an
agreement has been reached between
| the Southern Railway Company and
the Aluminium Company OF America
and the last obstacle is removed
|
seven immense hydro-clcctric plants
along the route Of the Little Tennes-
SO river. between Bushnell. ~ c.,
and ChilhOwce. Tenn. These plants
arc to produce 900. 900 horsepower.
and this current is to be used by the
| Aluminium company in the produc-
tion Of pig aluminium.
The Agreement.
Tn" agreement as signed by the
president OF the Southern Railway
and \. Il. Davis, OF Pittsburgh. Pa.
representing the Aluminium COM
pany, provides for the payment Of
one million dollars to the Southern
Railway in lieu OF damages to its
proposed lin" between Fontana. y.
G., and ChilhOwro, Tenn. The build
inG Of the seven immense dams
across the Little Tennessee river
Will possibly cause the back water
| from the river TO Interfere with the
right Of way and grading on the 25-
mile line Of railroad yet to he con-
structed to complete what is known
as tn" Bushnell extension Of the
Southern Railway, running from
| Bushnell, y. c.. to Maryville. Tenn.
crossing the Great Smoky mountains
west OF FOntana. y. G.. The South
"rn has constructed the road from
Bushnell 10 Fontana, and it is known