The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-11-26
Ts!H n.4JNaGn ar our swtarS.
Governor 'icn.t's SuSEcstious hntsci-
ratcd--Pract!cil Views or the Subject
from Scientific Source.

In The recently plbl,sl,ri volume entitled
"iirsourcc; g.: ;'ic Southern Fields and Forests"
the author, pr. L. 1'cyrc rorchcr, aldng To Il
matter u some interest atth.s tiruc remarks:
There i Il subject, however which tlr writer has
hcc! ioGy rejecting upon, and which he consi,i-
crb Uiic Uf supreme inpnrtancc, whether we re-
gnrd tEc Improvement oi oiir cultivated crops.
or The nclis AND urcs:S Of the country. II sue
cessfullY carried out, IL will reclaim and render
Gt for tlagc vast bodies of lands now lying idle.
Will also make white labor available during the
whole year. an'i greatly atlmulutc Immigration.
refer 30 the Drainage Of The marshes ana
swamp lands. particularly those near the cities
ana asong the river courses. This. save in par
ilcuar Instances, canCv: now &c done by Tie
separate lni isolated Caur.o Of planters ana
farmers but SHOULD hc accomplished ~ public
work ly the state. Operations cOnlh bG COM
mcnccd Oh the inland swunips, each Of which
p-csc:ttS an independent problem To the civil
gimccr Along onr COASTS III II distance Of forty
feet above the general title level giving tall Gf
half Il foot 10 The mile, which Is sufficient. In my
own experience, these are capable Of thorough
and perfect drainage.
1l,c Eurinccr Nils. in his Statistics Of South
Carolina, pub!i'! ID in lSs6, ll,iS presented nu
elaborate scheme Of this kind, by which IL was
proposed that tic State should purchase So many
slaves, and when Tho swamps were drained, the
lands so improved and increased in value
should be sold to the inrnicls and planters.
Enterprises of q similar nature. on an extensive
scale have long since rs Is generally known, been
giulu. The simplest plans for draining, Tho
s"cnnt ary OF Inland swamps, Is To run Il straight
| central cRnni, which removes the ubStruciions
causc! by logs AMI mud Hats. AMI takes or the
main body of water. 4 canal or drain is also cut
OH each side to- receive the water oolni,lg in from
Tic surrounding high lands. The underground
System w:h lies, generally practiccd IN England
an'l on the Continent. il only applicable Iii this
country 70 IL iiihi;cu extent aI present.
The lands throughout large portion OF the
Son'h arc qnit: rich enough Tor every purpose,
fuc;. of Gcitvr S"ii. Since emancipation, imnii-
grants from Europe mny be employed in these
rub,ic woeks now proposed The cutting down
constant action Of thc sum- will s''.cct 1t 10 the
important agency OF cvaporaio.., the removal uf
tEc causes or mn!arla Will Gc the result; and it
complete exemption Of the sicky portions or the
States from Its baneful influences and from peri
uiical fcvcls, ny which white labor IL made pos.
sibc. IL not secured the hygcnlc condition OF tic
who'c cnnntry Will, NJ least. be improved, and
the wealth AMI happiness OF our citizens general
ly cnUr nlcusiy Increased.
Ey draining our sw;umps, wo secure u soil for
corn, caic, &c.. enriched by the vegetable mat
| tcr accumulated for centuries, AMI the higher
| lands n;c released for cotton AMI other crops.
Resides When VIC drain the swamps there cn-
TneS S;ca an in.rrs;tin dr;nnasr by process Of
extends Tor miles aroun,!, affecting the hch
| lands AZ II much greater distance Than many
wo;;il suppose, rendering them dricr, and allow
| Ing pine. oaks and other plants Ia spring up
n!.ere he!o:c only swamp trees ani rank grasses
! grew.
Islands AMI Isolated sections OF country favor
| ably situated, AZ, for example, those adjoining
| Charleston. ana embraced Ectwcca the Cooper
and 1hb''S the same being true or these lying
i1Lr other ci'rS, aEsl ainnS lhr Cnas,, can he
Gritin"H AMI in;'le r,Ci: AMI haitab,e in The
WARM roiithS. They v IN h0 Occurr,l by garden
.rini wii,c! w supply, not only the elites cont
t!g'iou' IL il'rm. hut iiil our ships E0in; to The
North WITH !riiitS. vegetables and produce.
ssiny ol us residing on the coast are aware Of
Shat was accomplished IN the way uf cmbnnl.
nen.s by our fathers aud the earlier settlers Of
The state Thry were built, for the most part, Ia
ii in the cultivation of rice; hut The remains o
these immense banks attest the ministry and Ell
tcrETisc VI our people, and ARE an earnest Of whut
\ We ourselves may uccUinIllsh When rOSicrcu and
aided by the state.
II Is trne that much Of this work WAS done uil-
! @-ENsiI =; .scm nf priEiUgenitlIr:. nc H. was In
tic power AMI 10 Tie int crest Of the owner of The,
| Soil In make lasting improvements and by so
doing look for the prrinancn; welfare 0r his de-
scthdantS. :. Girrcnt organization nj Labor and
carital also enabled the private individual 10 ne
| cninrliih more ticn tlhn now. These c0nshcra-
lions, however, furnish arguments; In support Df
| the same iIcing done 10y The State, which should
which IL becomes necessary perform for It's cit-
HcnS those acis OF public utility, the right Or Tie
| hhllity To TO which depended upon systems ana
institutions which IL mas, from reasons OF nO,icy
OF interest. abolished ar destroyed, and being de
| l'rived Of which, they suffer.
| To carry out the project impcrfccly unfol,lcd
! above the State or government may organize 4.
! drainage commission mint stock usSOciation
| which Will make the financial scheme II feasible
| anu successful nnc, INTO the details Of which
| cannot now enter. It's realization Is doubtless
| impossible 1T present; lut viewed in every light
| as respects the cDmSiOn welfare, IT, Involves cu-
| after uS of commanding importance ami worthy
| or the most thoughtful consideration.
| When Tile time arrives for It's executions the
wisdom AMI policy Of tie step brnis apparent IL
will establish the distinction oi any administers
| iion which undertakes ii. or the fame Of any
statesman who shall have the wit 10 tlse Ills inf-
cEcc successfully TO achieve it. EinjS tOr,Oimt
opus.
1