388 INDIANA HISTORICAL COLLECTIONS 



miles and to Columbia 68 miles, with another branch, 

 taking off 25 miles below Columbia, and 105 from 

 Charleston, and running up to Camden, 37 miles, or in 

 all, 142, the three branches making a total of 241 miles. 

 From Columbia, there are two roads building, which will 

 soon be in operation and produce a wonderful effect upon 

 the agricultural industry of North and South Carolina. 



One of these roads is to extend 109 miles to Charlotte, 

 N. C, through a rich farming country, far from naviga- 

 ble water, and the other one to Greenville, S. C, with its 

 branches, will be 160 miles long, mostly through a rich 

 cotton and corn country, and lately found to be very pro- 

 ductive in wheat, and only wanting market facilities to 

 make it a very productive and healthy farming region. 



From the end of the Hamburg branch, the Georgia 

 Railroad to Atlanta, 171 miles, and the Atlantic and 

 Western Railroad, 138 miles to Chatanoogee, making 445 

 miles from Charleston, in a direct line towards Nash- 

 ville, Ten., are now in successful operation, and have al- 

 ready benefitted the rich agricultural region through 

 which they pass more than the whole road has cost. 

 From Branchville to Aikin, 56 miles, the quality of the 

 soil and appearance of the country somewhat improves, 

 and is more settled, though but sparsely. The traveller 

 is constantly impressed with the idea that he is passing 

 through the wild forests of some new country, instead 

 of along one of the oldest railroads in the United States, 

 and through one of the oldest states. From Charleston 

 to Aikin, 118 miles, the road has one gradual rise, and is 

 there 513 feet above tide water. Here we descend 176 

 feet down an inclined plane, 2,640 feet long, towards 

 Hamburg, and down 197 feet more through 18 miles to 

 that place, which is 140 feet above tide. Six miles from 

 Aikin, we pass the neat little granite imitation gothic 

 depot of Granitsville, one of the most beautiful and flour- 

 ishing manufacturing villages in the Union ; which prob- 

 ably never would have been in existence if the railroad 

 had not been previously built. This place is well worthy 



