Back in the '70s, somebody reprinted a JL Smith map of Fairfield County, SC from 1876. This map shows a "Contemplated RR" departing from the Spartanburg & Union RR (today's NS "W" Line) and running southeast through the county. Looks like it was probably headed for Columbia, but the map stops at the Richland County line so that's just an educated guess.

I suspect this was a plan by the S&U to get to Columbia without using the Columbia & Greenville, and the consolidation of the two companies put an end to the plan. I'm using a story for a special section my employer, the Winnsboro newspaper (http://www.heraldindependent.com) puts out every year as an excuse to do some historical research on company time. It's nice to be able to find a way to get paid to do hard research on railoroad history! ;-D

Anybody have any info on this line? I found the records of the pertinent companies at VA Tech, and have sent them a query to find out what I need to do to get access. I was hoping someone else might have some info on this proposed line as well, though.

I'm also looking for info on Col. James Henry Rion (Confederate), who was one of the founders of Winnsboro Granite and what became the Rockton & Rion Ry. Supposedly, Col. Rion made a deathbed confession that he was the Lost Dauphin. Of course, he'd just been thrown by his horse and was pretty hopped up on morphine at the time. There was an article on him in some military magazine several years ago but I've lost the reference.