Keowee courier. (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, November 17, 1860, Image 1
iiisial
" 10 ,NK ?^'N 151' llu ' AN,) 1T MUST FOLLOW, AS Till', ^ ^'* ' NKillT TIIK DAY, TMOl) CAN'ST NOT TilKN UK FALSK TO ANY MAN." I
HY ROBT. A. THOMPSON'. PICKENS COURT HOUSE, S. C. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, I860. VOL. XII. NO. 16.
" |
fs" .v** v rr^ i?(nkre,npie&M I !?????:...? s? ? .?? ?i? * 1 ..I.. . ..
-vus.-.sa 'j>i/ U Uijlfcf U ^13 U ITi 1) j
Shadows on tho Wall.
llesido tlio hearth there is an hour of dreaming,
, A culm ami pensive solitude of soul,
when life auri death have each another seeming,
And thoughts arc with us owning no control.
These arc the spirits. Memory's revealing;
In deep solemnity they rise and full,
Shrouding the living present, and concealing
Tho world around ua?Shadows on the Wall.
Hopes, like the leaves and blossoms, rudely shaken
jr uiuui whims oi wininr, irom iiietreo
Oi our existence : phantoifis (Imt awaken
Wild passing gleams of Joy's young "cslaay ;
And Love, once kind and tenderly outpouring
11??r wine into our Bonis, we may recall.
And find tliem dear and ever heavenward soaring,
Though only now an Shadows on the Wall.
Old clasping hands, old friendships and affections,
Once bodied forms, beside us on tho earth,
Osmn back to haunt us, ghostly recollections
With mystic converse by tlio silent hearth.
Vet these aro kindly spirits, and retiring
Draw their long shadows slowly from the wall.
Anil visit us in peace and gentleness, insjriring
A hope that brings the sunshine after all.
Vummmmamrmmmmammmmmumnmi i r -Bgumtwuwum i?ym?mam
0?^]^ mo Aro qM.
Correspondence of the Xvcwec CornierIlKiftKi.nr.iut,
Sept. 2">, 180).
Mr. Editor: In my lust letter I Iwd gono
ns far as Oonnva, which, though not one of j
the greatest, is certainly otm of the most in- ,
tercsting and important cities in Kuropc.? i
Seen from the lake it has lite appearance of a !
jrreat and splendid city. The houses on both |
sides of the river arc lar?jr<* ami now, having (
been built on land formed by tilling up the !
lake. The mount <iiH close in below the city, \
having only a n arrow winding channel through j
which " the blue waters of the arrowy Illume " j
rush ont n:, it' impatient of t'.io. arbitrary restraint
ot' mountain burners. The grandeur
of the natural scenoi'y is greatly enhanceil by:
the historic associ itions that cluster around
t.liifl birth-place of civil ami religious liberty, i
the cradle of those great pineiplcs which have (
made America and Kugland the frecoht and j
most prosperous nations of the world. Here |
(me soos the hnu?c of Calvin, as well as the |
church nml pulpit from which he proclaimed j
that wonderful system of doetrines which still i
giosbyhis name. In the cemetery his grave |
is m irked by a simple stone with the letters |
, .1. (!., it beinpj his request that no monument i
bo erected to him. Near by are the gravos of j
Plctet, Sir Humphrey Davy, Napier, tho in- i
ventot of Injury thins, ami other scarcely less |
notable personages. Geneva was tho home of.
J. Uou.-^oau and Madame de Stael, of the !
great DiOtanisth", de Candollo r nd Roipsier, I
the political economist sty, the historian Kisnioudi
ancl many otlvT poisons of grout celobr'ly.
'The historian of the reformation, .J. it.
Merle D. Aubigne, lives in a bvmtifnl country
heat a mile or two up the lake On Sabbifch
we hernia French sermon from Calvin's
pulpit, ami then attended the English church
which w.is very much crowded. At night we
h id A neriem service at the won of Dr. Adams
of Now York, conducted by Dr. Thornwell,
of Columbia. There were some 2f> or !
<iJ American travellers present, and it was
a very pleasant meeting.
K.irly on Monday morning wo took the
steamer up the lake of Geneva. the beauties
??f which linve bcdft "said and sung " in nearly
every language of Europe. It was n calm,
bright morning,unci tho ?toamor moved slowly
enough for us to drink in the sconery. Tho
waters of the luko nro not green as are tho
other lakes in Switzerland, hut of a deep Lino
color, which is nttributed by Sir Humphrey
Davy to the iodine cunt :!i>ed in it. Northward
lay the Jura mount wliose sloping
sides were covered with vineyards and grain,
while to the South lay the snow-capped summits
of the Alps,* with Mount Blanc islittcrinjr
in the M'.llltthillM f:ir iilinurt llinm oil \\'~ I
touched Lausanne, Vovay, Monbreux nnd
Villo:\euvo before reaching Bouvoret, the terminus
of a railroad up ibc llbono. Hut the
most int'resting object tome wafi the castle of
v Ohillou, rendered immortal by Byron's poem
dcsoribing the imprisonment of Bonnivard in
it. Tlio first town above the lako is Port1
Villain, interesting from the fact that in the
time of the ltomnn conquests it urns n s"a port,
(Portus Vallesiittf) and the seen, of a battle
in which the Helvetian General, Divico, obtained
a victory over the ltomans under Lucius
Oassius. It is now 2J or 8 miles from
the lake, which has been filled up so far by
soil washed down by the river. A little farther
on is St. Mnti'ifie. ( Amnimim ??f ?li?? T*.v_
I inarm) celebrated for :ts hot springs which rjrtc
in tlio ini'Jdlo of the ed i f tho river, atrongly
impregnated with sulphate und chlorido of
Iaoda. Hero, porchcd away up on tho sido of
a prcci(jico, and Apparently clinging to the
rooks like a swallow's-nest, is a little house,
ihe Hermitage, snid to bo inhabited jy one
!ono old man. One cfinnot but wonder how
ho Tonnages to get there without wings. A
littlo further on wo oamo to tho beautiful wp
tor full called tho Vi'^c^ache, whore tho river
8 ilonohe spout? o.tt fr?m a gorge in tho mountuiiig
and fulls 120 teet into tho lllione.
A* Mo!ig*v wo Inft tlir> ntid ftnl, out on
foot up tho bridlejinth in tho direction of |
I mount JiianQ. JVfter ttro or three hours'
climbing, w? learned on inquiry, that it wag
still two houni' walk, to tho r?ext;hotol, which
wan to us not very comforting nows, ns it w?s
. already growing dark, and tho hhtok clouds
wore whirling angrily around tho tops of tho
mountains. Pretty soon it comnionced raining,
and it wtw with groat difRoulty wo could i
find tho pntW, but *fW gr^fn^1 along for somo J
timo, wo nomo to a npat log-cabin, with a j
bright light shining out across the path. I i
*yent up t<* tho door, and asked i? the polit<"?t (
xTGncti i could tmriK or, II we luttfht. aloop
there. A till man, in military dress, oittfld
forward, invited'iw ifi, and aflfor a otososurvoy
of our littlo p?rty, pud a' shOrt consultation
BB wit'i his wife, fold uk !m woi'U! do tin- best ht!
RBI could to ilrtnTco us comfortable. T)?c good lady
| eoop^ spftmd s table with nice food whiob wo
tyflK complimented vfry handsomely, qovr and lho>?
"
>>i i. mii.iin ui i\ri; JllSl U> KCCJ) IHC
stream of convcrsntion flowing, for they hud n
groat many things to tell us. Their place was
called the Forcldy, and the (Jc.ua iVAnne
was stationed to vitnc pass-ports, and collcct
a franc from every traveller.
Next morning, after a sweet sleep, and a
nice breakfast of coffee, bread and bntter, hon
vj aim uuuuau, W(! J)!l.wu Oil tlU'OUgll tllC HUH
to the Vol </' Holme, whero we were promised
what is considered the tincst view ot Mount
lJlane, hut near the top, as we were goin^ over
some small glaciers it. commenced snowing at
such a rate as to cut oil the view entirely, and
almost prevent our progress; this too on the
21st of August. At the little tavern on top
of the mountain, exactly on the boundary of
Switzerland and Savoy, (now a part of France)
we were very glad to get something to eat and
some good hot coffee, even if we did pay an
exorbitant price for it. After resting an hour
ui two, mo storm meanwhile increasing, we
sat out down the mountain, and in a few hours
passed from the region of snow into that of
rain, where we saw a number of herdsmen
with hundreds of cattle, every one of which
had a bell on. The herdsmen had on great
skin cloaks, and were perched upon the rocks
like so many owls in the day time.
Adieu until your next. 11.
Annual Report
Of thr I'rrAi'i/riif and Directors of fhr Ji/ttr
liitli/r. Railroad Company in South Carolina.
The President an 1 Directors respectfully
submit to the Stockholders of the lilue liidgc
Railroad Company, in South Carolina, the
follnwiivr ItnlVirl on tlin rvrv.w> ionu *! -
r ?| " ' 'I" ?"?c
past your, and the present condition of the
Coin puny.
The Legislature, nt its last session, directed
a subscription of 8310,000 to be made,
for the State, to the stock of the Company,
payable in six per cent, bonds. This subscription
was expressly made for tlio purpose
of completing the road to Walhalln. 15y
resolution, it was further directed that the
aid granted by the subscription should be
applied " to compK-tc the road to AValhalla,
and for no other purpose; and that the
work beyond the village of Walhalla be immediately
suspended, unless further subscriptions
be obtained, which may enable the Company
to extend the road beyond that village."
After this intimation of the Legislature
in witnuoici, ior in" present, at least, further
aid to the road, additional subscriptions could
not be cxpeetcd. Every part of the work, beyond
WnlhuUa, was therefore immediately
suspended.
It will be seen, by the accompanying report
of tho Chief Engineer, that the bridge
over Eighteen Mile Creek is finished ; and
that over tho Seneca Itivcr will be completed
by the first of January next. At that
time the grading will be done and the crossties
laid, so as to be ready for laying the iron ;
and be expect* the road will be ready for
operation in February next. All tlic materials
necessary for the construction of the
bridges at Seneoa and Twenty six Mile Creek,
have been purchased and delivered, and
await the construction on which the contractor
is now employed. The rails, chairs and
spikes have been imported ; and no delay to
the completion of the road to Walhalla is anticipated
from any default of the contractors.
A section of thirty three miles, or nearly
one sixth of the entire line of the road to
Knoxville, will then be in operation.
Table A, which is appended, exhibits a
comparison of the. several quantities and
kinds of work originally to be done for the
construction of the voi d, in. the several States
of Smith Carolina, (leorgia, North Carolina
and Tcunwsco.
From this tabic, it appears, that the grading
in South Carolina is more than double
the grading in Tennessee, with the same
length of road, and is nearly equal to the
whole grading in North Carolina and Tennessee?one
hundred and twenty-six miles.?
The tunnels in South Carolina exceed all the
tunnelling on the line; while the bridge and
arch masonry, in South Carolina, is nearly
equal to all the bridge and arch masonry of
tho whole road. The estimated cost of the
road in South Carolina and Georgia, which is
seventy miles in length, and tl:"*ty por cent,
of the distance to Knoxville, is fifty-eight
per cent, of the estimated cost of tho whole
road.
Table li. exhibits in three mlnmn# ! <>
NOTCftil quantities and kinds of work, original
ly necessary for the construction of the
road ; tho qiuintities which were done on 1st
September, 1800, and what remainder to be
done at that date.
The following statement computed from
table* H, exhibits the per cento, of the work
which has been dono in South Carolina,
Georgia and Tonnefweo:
8. Caio.?na. Georgiii. Tennessee.
Grading 80 percent. 45 percent. 80 percent.
Tti'iiicla 66 percent. 16 percent. 00 percont.
llridgo and
A roll Maunnru
TJ r.?? in ~
w*> j |'u? wiivi -iu jpuruQiu. uo por ccm.
Sq'arolrains
OfflulflHi> fWttltj 7ft p?f o?nt. 48 peroral.
It will be seen that tho principal pnrt of
tho work has been dono in Soutn Carolina
and Oeorgia. This is in conformity with
tho policy of tho Board, to dircct tho enorgy
and resources of the Company to tho completion
of tho road across tho mountains,
which was adopted after Bangs & Co. woro
dismissed, i.-cordingly no work has been dono
in North Carolina.
The work in Tenn?woo was done in order
to comply with the conditions whioh were
annexed to the grunt of the ohartor, and of
Btnte aiu, by the Stato of Tonnessoe.
The road might liavo been finished by
this time to thellubun dap, and far advanced
to ooeiplotion, as far n? lvnoxvillo, If tho
work bad not been interrupted by frequent
suspensions. ,
Tho Contract with Bangs k Co., though
made in 1863, contained ? condition that
| tney might witlulraw from it if the State did
not grant lar?er aid than wan provided by the
| Act of 1852, which granted the charter.?
| The required additional aid was not granted
j by the State until the .session of 1854. In
j the meantime the work was not proseouted
; with vigor by Brings & Co. ; and even, after
they became obliged to perforin their contract,
to construct the entire road, they would do
nothing but the earth grading, which yielded |
to them a small profit. When tliev were ilia- I
missed in April, 1854, not a stone had been
laid in the foundation of any bridge, and, in
effect nothing had been done on the tunnels.
They left the work not nearer, in point ofj
time, to completion, than when they signed
the contract. After they were dismissed, the
grading was suspended unt il the arrangement
was completed by which the contractors 01
Hangs & (!o. resumed work, under the assumption
of their contracts by the Company. |
It was neccssary to advertise for contracts !
fiir the tunneling and masonry; and, after ;
these were closed, the contractors could not
make the nceessary nrrnncements to begin
work until late in the year 1S">(>.
Before tlifi close of the year it bfcnnio apparent
that tlic work on the road could not be
continued throughout the year 18.">7, without
the payment by the State of the second instalment
(8500,000) of its subscription.
By the Act of 1854, it was provided that
the Company should obtain subscriptions to
its stock to the amount of 81,000,000 before
the first instalment (?oJ0,00<>) of the State
subscription should be rmid. Ami Vn?fmv\ flm
second instalment should be paid it was required
Unit the Company should procure an
additional subscription of 8500,000, by responsible
persons, companies or corporation ;
and that, at least, one fifth of the subscribed
capital should ho held by individuals or private
corporations. The Company had the
i required amount of subscription, but less
! than one fifth was held by individuals or private
corporations. A petition was presented
to the IjCgishitnro, praying that the requirement
that one-fifth of the entire stock should
be held by individuals or private corporations
tnigiit uc remitted. Jt was not granted.'?
The work was, in consequence, again suspended
in January, 1837, and so continued
until June of that year, before which time
the required subscription by private persons,
amounting to ?271,000, was obtained, and
| the second instalment of tlie JState suhscripj
tion thereby secured. Thus occurred a second
suspension of the work for lour or live
months.
With the funds derived from the SlMe
and City, an(i individual subscriptions, the
work was kept in progress during the reI
inninderof the year 1857, and the year 18;'>8.
I The private subscription made in 18f?7 was
' payable in four annual instalments. The inI
it..* Am.~ ioro 1 1 ? " *
niiiiiucMb uut- in lotio, <1 ii 11 a uaiancc 01 tliC
City subscriptions, comprised all the resources
of the Company for the continuation of
the work through the year 1850. ISy the
net of J854 the Stato undertook to guaranty
the Uonds of the Company, on condition that
the. Company should show available means
sufficient to give reasonable assurance to the
(Governor of the ability of tho Company to
complete the road. The contract of liangs &
Co. stipulated that for the construction of the
entire road they should accept payment of the
cost, one-half in cash, one-fourth in bonds,
and the remaining fourth in stock. These
terms of payment were relied on by the Com
pniiy, wiiimi uin worn was undertaken, as am- |
ply bufficicnt, with tlie guaranty of one million
of its bonds by tho State to finish the
rond. And ro thoy wore. But in consequence
of tho failui'e of Bangs & Co., tho
one-fourth of the cost, for which they were to
receive payment in stock, had to he supplied
by cash, as well as the discount 0:1 the sale of j
the Company's bonds, which they had agreed
to take in payment at par. At the session
of 1858 a petition was presented to the Legislature,
Betting out these facts, and praying
that the State would guaranty the one million
of tl'o Company's bonds without requiring
llm nnrfnvinfiiiM r\f ?t.? ? ?
. .. p UMMVU Ul KIIU V.UIIUU 1UII Mil"
ncxo.d by the Aoi of 1854. The Mayor, with
a Committee, consisting of Aldermen and
oitizoiiH of Charleston, wont to Columbia to
aid in procuring the grant of the petition.
The Committees of both Houses reported
favorably on tho petition, and n bill was introduced
to give effeot to the prayer of it.?
The bill was, however, lost, by a small majority
in tho Sonata. Notwithstanding this failure,
the friends of tips enterprise were encouraged,
from tho expressions of favor or npprenral
received from members wbo vntorl nmiii>-? ?!>?
bill, to hoj a that tho State would t:?'ro up the
work. Tho City Council of Charleston, in
.January, 1850, resolved to pay tho balance of
tho city subscription ; and, with this amount,
and what was received from private subscriptions,
the work was continued through the
ypnr ISM. But, it was restricted to the hi idprc
masonry iu South Carolina, which was completed
in that year; and to tho Stump House
tunnel, on whieh tho contractors wore required
greatly to reduce their force. Thus, with the
exceptions stated, and tho embankment at
Seneca lltvor, th? wlin|? wnr|{ orn" tiwripnrlod
[ during tho year 1850.
Tho petition was renewed in the session of
! 1859, the grant of the required aid was
defeated by a few votes. Instead of the guaranty
prayed for, a State subscription of 8310,000
was granted to finish the scction between
Anderson and Walhalla. In obedienoe to tho
resolution of the Legislature, no work has
been done during the year 18G0, except upon
that section.
I Hut for theso frequent nnd long continued
suspensions, the road to Clayton would have
bnen fmiahed before this time, and would have
Dean xar advanced in ita progress to Knoxvillo.
This etfltomcnt of tho cauacs whioh havo
retarded tho progress of tho work must exempt
the officers of tho Company from any
censure for wnnt of energy in prosecuting It.
Col. ftwynn has made a Report to tho President
and l)ireotorfc of tho estimated cost of
finishing tho rotui froia Walhalla toKnoxvillc,
in Sections, as follows :
FROM VALHALLA TO CLAYTON.
So. Gil. portion (22 miles) $7(11.218
Georgia portion ^0 mile*) 558,1>40?$1,320,104 i
FROM CI.AYTON TO FRANK I.IN.
Georgia portion (8 miles) $17">.<'187
No. Ga. portion (14 miles) 414,248 589,035
FROM FRANKLIN TO XANTI1IALA.
| Twenly-ciglit miles 899,958
FROM NANTIItAI.A TO TKNXKSSKK LINK.
! Thirty-eight miles 859,132
PROM Til K TENNKKHKK I.INK TO MAUYVII.I.K.
Tliitly-scrrn miles 871),70(3 .
Finishing (lie lload
FUOM MAllY V1LLK To KNOX V I U.K.
| lli^litecn miles 807.916
t Yolnl coff of tininliin^ tho Railroad fvom
WiiIIiuHji lo Knoxville $ I,">80,'>12
September 21, 18f>0.
Col. Gwynn'a original estimate of the cost
of the construction of the road was ?7.575,G77.
His revised estimnte, tmtde after the experience
obtained by the construction of a large '
portion of the road, should establish confidence
in the result. Hy adding the amounts of expenditure
for construction, which are exhibited
in the Treasurer's "Statement of the A flairs
j of the Company," to the estimated cost of
completing the road from Walhalla to Knox- j
| ville, it will appear that ihe road can be finj
i.slml with the original estimate.
The estimate has been made by sections, i
l which, it is believed, will bo tlu?slaves in "lw>
, ?
progress of tlio road to Knoxvillo.
! The fh'st and important section is from
Walhaila to Clayton. In that distance the
[ mountains are crossed, and all engineering
[ difficulties overcome. Clayton will present a ;
point for the connection of roads West of the
! mountains, at a cost within the means of the
j people. To expect that they should construct
! a difficult, costly, and unprofitable section of 1
the road across the I'.lue llidgc, is even more !
| hopeless than to expect that the same should
I he built by individual contributions from the
j Eastern side of the mountains. The crossing ,
I of tlie mountains must be effected, if at all, !
j by State aid. The State of South Carolina;
alone is interested in the construction of the
ISlue Kidgc Ivailrosid. Indeed, the States of I
(leorgia and North Carolina arc interested that
! it should not he finished. No aid can, there- !
| fore, be expected from either of those States, j
I The enterprise must depend, exclusively, on
I aid from the State of South Carolina for its
! completion.
When the road is finished to Clayton, the
I people of Franklin wi'l be stimulated to make
J a connection from that town. The citizens
express confidence that, by their own effort,
the roud will be graded from Franklin to the
tJcorgia lino. The people of Macon and
JacKson countu:r liavo, at several large meetings,
voted in favor of a subscription of 850,000,
by each of those counties. The individual
subscription can bo increased. Thus, the
South Carolina Company will reccivc largo
aid, in completing tho road to Franklin.
| The next stage is to Nantihala river. This
i point was taken as a station, because there the
I Western extension of the North Carolina
Central lload will cross tlie Bine Ridge lload.
This Western extension is, very nearly, if not
quite completed to Morganton, at the Eastern
bnse of tho Blue Ridge Mountains. From
Morganton the road across the mountains has
been let to contract, and is in progress of construction
to within a few miles of Asheville. i
A corps of engineers have, the past summer, I
located the Western extension to Ducktown.
Those who arc interested in this extension arc j
confident of St:ite :ii<l III n nwit a I
- Y * - v"''J ,v *x
Company id organized for tho construction of
u road from Pucktown to (Meaveland. From
this last town a road is finished to Chattanooga.
When the road from Nantihala to Dnoktown
is completed. it will largely contribute
to tho busin< wot the Rlue HidRoad. The
value of that trado wi.l effect the extension of
the Rlue Ridge ltoad from Franklin to Nantihaln.
When the Blue Ridgo Road is thus far extended,
it will be taken up in Tennessee. For
experience shews, that ns soon as an advuntu-1
geous railroad connection can he made at a J
cost within the means of the people, they will j
he animated to the effort, and provide the
means to make it.
The State of (jeorgia has granted a charter
to the Iliwassce Kailroad Company, to ci nnect
Duoktown with Clayton. Those who are
interested in that road, are sanguine of aid
from that State. They are most desirous of
that connection, as the hest for them ; but
they can do nothing unless the Blue Ridge
lload is finished to Clayton. If that is long
delayed the impatience of the people w'll make
themunitcon the Kllijay Kailroad, which will
connect Duck town with the llcorgia road near
Marietta. When this is done, ft completed
road, though much less advantageous than
the Hiwn?sri> If mill will an iufV 11?r.
, ..... ?J . , cv
fur 08 to make tliom desist from the effort and
cost of making the hitter. Besides, the interest
of private stockholders and ol the State,
if aid is given to the lOl.lijay Itoad, will create J
strong opposition to tho making of a rival (
road. I
Tho expectation of these extensions of tho ,
Blue Hideo Uoad from Clnyion is not vis- ,
ionnry. It is supported by observation of tho ,
progress of every existing railroad. To look
no farther than our own State. As soon as \
the Northwestern Itoad was finished to Flor- j
cnoc, it was carried on to Chcraw. It was no ]
sooner finished to Chcraw than its extension ,
to the Con! Fields, in North Carolina, nnd to (
Fayettcville, immediately engaged attention, ]
nnd produced a combined effort to accomplish |
it. The South Carolina Central has shot out |
a brunch from the Northeastern to Charlotte. |
From Charlotte a road to conncct that town
with Rtntesville, on the North Carolina Cen- (
tral, is being constructed. The aatne active |
tendency To extension will bo noticed in every ,
finished road in South Carolina. It pertains ,
o every rbad, nnd itu cffcet for progress is \
manifest in them nil. Tn no amotion nf omm.
try will this tendency opcrato more strongly <
than in Weaten. North Caroliun, K?u?t Ten- j
nosseo, and Northwestern Georgia. The Ita- j
bun Gap is to all th^ region the shortcut, and ,
best pullet to tho Atl&ntio ooast.
The Hoard, strongly impressed with the ;
disadvantages which have resulted from the .
long delays in the construction of the road,
recommend tluit a petition he presented fo the
Legislature, at i'.H next session, praying that
the State will guarantee one million of the
Company's bonds, without requiring the per- j
formance of the conditions imposed by the
Act of 1854, and such subscription as will be
ncccssary to finish the section of the road from ,
Walhalla to Clayton.
The estimated cost of fiuishing the road to !
Knnv?;il? S? ?< Mil mo 'I'l ' 1
?uva(iiiu 10 x iiu jl rcasurcr s j
statement, C. shows assets to the amount of'
81,120,914, applicable to the conxtruction of
tho road, leaving a balancc of $21,405,598
necessary to finish the entire road. A guar- |
antyof 81,000,000 of hoods, and a subscription
of 81,000,000 by the State, will leave
only 81,405,000 to be provided. The sale of
the balance of the first mortgage bonds will
nearly produce this amount. What may be I
wanting, can, confidently, be expected from
North Carolina and Tennessee. The Hoard j
is confident that the proposed aid will be sufficient
to carry through the road.
They will not enlarge on the importance of
the Blue Hide Road to the resources and pros- !
perity of the State ; nor oil the necessity of
it to maintain the cnniinnrniiil ? -i- 1
vrw V.M. |M"J?HWU ?? IIIVJIl I
South Carolina has heretofore occupied; nor,
again, detail the expenditure which lias been j
made by Southern States, competing for c< 111mcrcial
supremacy, manifold greater than has
been made by this State; nor exhibit the activity
and progress in the construction of rail
roads by other States, which arc designed to
divert from South Carolina the trade which,
by its geographical position, it should engross. !
These incentives to effort have been, in for- :
mer Reports, so fully and often urged, that to
renew them at this time would be a vain repetition.
Hut the 1'resident and Directors do respectfully
appeal to the Legislature, which
represents tlie State in this great enterprise,
not to permit it to be abandoned, after so
much work has been done and so much money
expended ; fruitlessly, if the State refuses
the aid necessary for its completion. .
If such is to be the disastrous issue of the
undertaking, the officers to whom its manage- i
mcnt has been committed, are confident that
they must be absolved from all responsibility.
At the risk of being tedious they take this 1
opportunity to vindicate ii insclvcs against !
any censure, which the unreflecting or evil
disposed may venture to cast upon them.
It has been mentioned that, at the session
of/1856, the year in which Bangs & Co. were '
dismissed, a petition was presented by the
Company to the Legislature. While it was j
pending, the President was heard at the bar j
of the House of Representatives in support
of the prayer of it. In the lleport made by
the President and Directors to the Stockhol,v....
i? ior.T i . .?
uvia III iiuvnillUVI, lOJI, WliaL 1110 1'reSlUCUt |
bad stated in his address was thus brought to
their noticc: "The Directors have no motive
or desire tu delude the stockholders (in the
number of whom, by the State and City sub- j1
seriptious, all the citizens of the State are
comprised') into a fruitless expenditure of j
money. AY hen the President was heard at
the bar of the House of Representatives, at
the last session, on a petition of the Company
then under consideration, ho explicitly stated
that, by the failure of Bangs & Co. to perform
their contract, the portion of the cost of \
the road, for which they contracted to accept
payment in stock, as well as the difference be- |
twoen the payment, to them in bonds, at par,
and the prices at which the bonds may be
sold or disposed of by the Company, for the ,
navincnt of the ensf. nf tlir> rmirl <t li? i.rl.rJ.-* 1
sum estimated at two millions of dollars), '
would have to bo supplied. lie represented
that aid could not be expected from tlie States, \
Georgia and North Carolina; the former of
which had a rival road completed, a:id the latter
has expended a large amount, and is expending
more, towards tho completion of a
competing road through its own limits; that
more aid might be hoperf ,'-om Tennessee, but '
that South Carolina should be prepared, in ,
the last resort, to supply the deficiency. lie j
further advised that, unless the people of the ;
State were prepared to do so, they should at j
once stop any further expenditure on the :
road."
Again, in the Report of 1R58, the subject ]
is Drougnt to tne attention of tlic ^tockhol- j
tiers. " Two years ago, the Legislature v. is 1
apprised, that.the road could not bo oomple- ! ]
tea, unless its construction was assumed by ' <
the State ; and a suspension of the work was j
advincd, unless the State was prepared to pro- '
vide the sum necessary for its completion.? <
If a resolution had 'hen been passed, dcclar- 1
insj a want of confidence in the enterprise, s
the work would have been suspended. Since j
that time a million of dollars have been cx- i
ponded fruitlessly, if the State does not grant <
the Company's petition. From the inaction 1
?f the Legislature the Company was justified
to iufor acquiescence in the claim, of which '
they were notified; and, contuinly, tho Direc- I <
tors were not authorized to arrest tho con- 1 j
itriiftt.irm nf t.lm pim?1 " ' -
The demands, cci t lin and probable, which c
the Company would have to make on the I,eg- "
islature, for the completion of the road, were K
[nought to view in the Ueport of 1859, Blip- 1
ported by the stntemerf, that " the Stockhol- ,
ilers and the T.cgislatur t have been rcpeatv>d- j
ly and fully notified, sinuo J)ccoinber, 1850, t
that it may be necessary to call on tho State I
For a second additional subscription of 81,- J
000,000."
Copies of these roporls (as required by the
charter) wore presented to both branches of ;
tho Legislature, through tho presiding offi- i
ocrs of each, and were referred to the proper '>
committees. Besides, n copy wan laid on the ?
tablo of each membor, and another sent to his }
PfMtoflice, before the meeting of tho JiCgisla- J
ture. Uv a laruro distribution in namnhlM
fdrm, a..J by insertion in all the daily papers t
in Charleston, the widest circulation \ym giv- <
in to them. t
After so full and frank a disclosure of tlio i
condition of tho fin uncos of tlic Company,?
with a notification to the Legislature that thel
road could only he completed by the aid of I
the State, accompanied by the reco'.nmenda- I
tion that, if the State was not prepared to
furnish the necessary funds, it should declare E
its want of confidence, nnd Order all further H
operations t?i bo discontinued, tho ro \ onsibll
ity of having spent so much money, if tho M
State determines that it shall have been spent I
fruitlessly, cannot rest upon tllti President I
and Directors of the Company. They bad I
no authority to discontinue the work nnd to I
declare the enterprise abandoned.
The purpose and design of the South Carolina
Company, with such subscriptions and
aid ns it could obtain in South Carolina, and
such a? might be obtained by the associated
Companies in Georgia, North Carolina and
Tennessee, to construct a rarl road from Anderson
to Knoxvillc, was avowed from the
very outset of the enterprise. The survey
and location of the entire line by the engineers
of the company, the estimate of the cost,
and the means provided for its construction,
were exhibited to the Legislature at the several
sessions of 18f)2, lHr<J and IS >-l, in the
several petitions for the charter and for State
aid. The subject was fully examined and
discussed, and every circumstance material to
be known, which affected the feasibility and
advantages of the undertaking, its estimated
cost, and the resources for its completion,
were strictly scrutinized. Twice the City
Council of Charleston, with as full iuforma
tiou os the Legislature possessed, voted to
make subscriptions, and twice those subscriptions
were discussed in meetings of the corporators,
and confirmed by a popular vote ;
and, it must be remembered that one subscription
by the City Council of Charleston,
to the amount of 8549,000, was made to the
stock of the (Jcorgia Company for the construction
of the road in that State. The contract,
which was made by the South Carolina
Company with liangs <X: Co. for the construction
of the entire road, was made known to
the State and City Council of Charleston,
and all its terms and stipulations submitted
for examination. In the Report of 1855, the
Stockholders were informed that one mile of
the road through Kuoxvillc had been completed
in order to secure the charter in Tennessee;
and, in the Report of I860, they were
informed that sixteen miles of the ro.id, from
Knoxville to Maryville, had been let to contract,
in order to secure the State aid "granted
by Tennessee. The progress of the work,
in that State and in (icorcria. was overv vrmr
p i -----J J ?t
reported to tho Stockholders. The Report of
185G states that " no work has yet been done
on tho lino in North Carolina. It has been
deferred until tho work across the mountains
including the tunnels in South Carolina and
Georgia, shall be more advanced. When the
mountains are passed, the difficulties of the
enterprise will be overcome, and its completion
secured beyond contingency or doubt.?
It is, therefore, to the accomplishment of
this object that the Board are directing their
efforts ;.nd the resources of the Company."
In the Report of 1858, tho President and
Directors again represent to the stockholders, n
that "a specious exhibit of progress may
have beeu presented in the grading of the I
road, if it had not beo.ii deemed unwise so to I
apply the resources of the Company. A lit- I
tie rejection must make it apparent that, if I
the road were to terminate at any point on the J
line snort or ivnoxviUO, or the navigable waters
of tho Tennessee, nt. some other place,
the road would not compensate for its eost.?
The construction <?f the road has, accordingly,
been directed to the accomplishment of a connection
between Charleston and Knoxvillo."
Because the passage of the mountains is.the
groat obstacle to the successful issue of
the undertaking, the energy and resources of
tho Company, are chiefly directed to that r.eelion
of tho road. When the mountain*! aro
srossed, the extension of the road to Knoxville
will be a certain consequence. lTntil
that is accomplished, doubt and uncertainty
must darken the prospect of a dircot, short
vul independent connexion of South Carolina,
by the Blue Ridge Road, with the productive
region of the West. T'nder this eouviction,
the Directors will continue the order of construction,
which they have hitherto pursued.
1>__ 1 l i
j>y sucu irnuk mid lull communication to
the stockholders of tlic views and policy of I
tlic Uonrd in the direction of (ho construction 1
of the road, and by detail! information res- |
pccting every particular of tV.n management
if the onerous trust confided to thein, tho
President. and Directors intended that the
itoekholdcrs should take the responsibility of
jvery incasun , ho that in case the work should
so discontinued, the officers of tho Company
should be exempt from any aspersion of bad
udgment or ill faith, which the unreflecting
mil malevolent are so prompt to east upon the
jonductors of an enterprise that may be em
jnrrassed i<i its accomplishment.
Udwahd Puo:>t, President.
Tiib Ki.au of S >i:tii Car h,in\.?Tlio hrig
Fames Gray, Captain Plnmmor. of Nowbnry>ort,
the property of the lion. Caleh Omhing,
md now lying at North Atlantic AVhurf. hoistid,
tins morning. tho flax of South Carolina as
in ensign. Tho whole vessel is elegantly drosed
with signal flag-*. and at her peak, flying in
he breeze, ii the Palmetto and the lone star.
\n excollent entertainment was gi\e:i on hoard
O day, at 1*2 o'oloek, in which n largo number
>ariioipated, and at which time a salute of lifeon
gnns, one for each Southern State, was
iieu, nnu spcoonos were imuio by Mr. L. W.
Spratt, C. J. Lnmotte, tho Onptain. nnd others.
[Chrtrleaton Ktienittg Xrtra, 7th.
Kxcitiso Tim its in Savannah.?Savannah,
S'ovember 6.?There is intenso excitement here.
liAVgo crowds have gathored in tho street*.?
The pervnrting spirit among the musses i* reilstance
to Lincoln's administration, and every.
There that determination is munifest. A meetng
of tho citizens has boon called for to-mor ow
night, Mid tho call has nearly one hundred
lignatures. A largo orowd. assembled in front
>t tho News office, gave threo hearty cheers
or Judge Magrath on tho reception of tho inolligenco
that he had resigned bis office. .Stinnnah
is all right fur secession.