| From the Augusta Constitutionalist |
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| December 24, 1864 |
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| Columbia & Hamburg Railroad
{Columbia & Augusta RR} |
| This railroad, which is now in
progress of construction, bids fair to become of more importance to
the Confederate States, than any other since the completion of the
Piedmont Road, which has, beyond all question, saved Richmond from
capture by the enemy, as it would have been almost entirely isolated
from the balance of the Confederacy since interruption of the
communication on the Petersburg and Weldon railroad by Grant's army. |
| The Columbia & Hamburg
Railroad is one of the most important links in the chain of the great
Metropolitan line of railway between Richmond and the West, passing
through Charlotte, Columbia, Augusta, Montgomery, Meridian and Jackson
to the Mississippi, and then connecting with the Southern Pacific
Road, reaching far into the interior of Texas. When completed it will
make a saving in actual distance between Richmond and Augusta of 61
miles, besides avoiding delays at Kingsville and Branchville, making
at least a saving of time and distance equal to 100 miles, and if in
the casualties of war, the South Carolina road should at any future
time be cut by the enemy, which is highly probable, it may be at
Branchville, without this road the Government would have to resort to waggon transportation from Augusta to Columbia, and as a very large
portion of the supplies for the army of Virginia passes over this
route, it would be exceedingly hazzardous to risk this mode of
transportation. |
| The route surveyed by the
Chief Engineer of the Company, leaves the Augusta & Charleston
{should be Columbia} Road about nine miles from this city, passing near
Leesville, about half mile southeast of the Pine House, passing near
Lexington Court House, crossing the Congaree River about one mile
above Granby. Thus, it will be seen, it follows the dividing ridge
between the Saluda and Edisto Rivers, involving but a very small
expense for the construction of bridges, as it crosses no stream of
any importance except the Congaree at Columbia; and should the enemy
succeed in temporarily destroying any portion of it after its
completion, it would be much easier repaired than almost any other
road of equal length in the South, from the fact that there will be so
few bridges and so little trestle-work. |
| The Company, under Mr. Wm.
Johnston, President, are doing every thing in their power to advance
the work as rapidly as possible, and now have about five hundred and
sixty hands employed on the road, and the whole line is under
contract, and about twenty-five miles have been graded. They are
progressing as well as could be expected, owing to the many adverse
circumstances under which they labor -- the scarcity of hands and
provisions. |
| Two thousand hands could
complete the road in six months, or four thousand in three months; and
when the vast importance of the road is taken into consideration, we
do not think the authorities should hesitate for a moment to place at
the command of the Company every resource requisite for its earliest
possible completion. -- There are slaves in the county whose service
can be had, and, we learn, an ample supply of provisions in the
counties lying between here and Columbia. The South Carolina
Legislature should at once adopt such measures as will insure the
Company provisions and other necessaries for as many employees as may
be required to complete the road in as short a period as possible. |
| If any difficulty exist in
regard to the iron for the road, the Government nor the State should
hesitate a moment to remove the iron from every road exposed to the
enemy; and we here suggest that the authorities remove all the iron
from the Savannah & Charleston road as well as much of that on the
Georgia Central {Central (of Georgia) RR} road,
as it is not now probable we shall have any use for it where it is for
some time, and it is needed elsewhere. |
| We are assured that the
Hamburg & Columbia road can be completed by the first of March
next if the South Carolina Legislature will give them the necessary
assistance, and if they should not, Georgia is equally interested in
the building of this road, and should come forward and render all the
assistance in her power. |
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