The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-12
OUR M4TERL.11 INTERESTS.
THE MANUFACTURING CAPITAL
Columbia asa Manufacturing City
The Sale IF the CnpaI-What will be
the Effeot-What Mills have Done-A
Glimpse into the Future.

The purchase of the Columbia Canal, the
property of the State, by Major Pearce, VINO
is understood to be the representative or
agent OF Senator Sprague, the famous cotton
spinner of Rhode Island, Is, we hope and be-
lievc, the beginning of movement which in
the course of few years will make Columbia,
the capital OF South Carolina,
GREAT MANUFACTURING CITY,
whose influence shall be felt from the noun
tains to the sea. And in looking forward to
this result we take into consideration the great
advantages which Columbia enjoys, and which
make her peculiarly well adapted to the high
and important position which We now predict
for her
Columbia is situated in the centre Of fine
country, and by tho lines Of railroad, of which
she is as it were, the focal point, Gun draw to
her mills and factories all the raw material that
could be required. On the north is the Char
lotte Road, running into North Carolina and
connecting with the railroad system Of that
State. On the south and east is the South
Carolina Railroad. connecting with Charleston
Eastern South Carolina. On the southwest is
the Columbia and Augusta Railroad. which,
when completed, will meet the Georsia cotton
at Augusta and carry it to Columbia, to be
worked up into yarns or cloths. On the north
west is the Greenville Pailroad, which ira
verses the northwestern portion of this
State, and will ultimately form part
of the great inter-statal line of railroad from
Louisville and Cincinnati to Charleston. There
is then 10 Columbia every facility for receiving
cotton and shipping the manufactured fabrics.
The city is remarkably healthy, and for the
purpose of building factories and dwelling
houses there are tracts Of clay suitable for fine
brick, and quArries of granite of the same kind
as that used in the construction of the capitol.
This is formidable list OF advantages, and to
these may be added the important fact that
Columbia was in a position to give the first
opening for manufacturing enterprise, by
offering for sale and selling the well-hnown
COLUMBIA CANAL,
of which brief sketch will doubtless be of
interest.
Opposite to the upper part Of the Town Of
Columbia the Broad and Saluda Rivers join
and form the Congaree River. On the Saluda
River, about three miles from the city, is the
well-known Saluda Factory of Cbilds, Johnson
& Palmer, which now runs about four thousand
five hundred spindles. About one and a half
miles above Columbia, on the Broad River, the
canal commences. It was originally six miles
in length, and for three and a half miles down to
the neighborhood of Bridge-street is still in
good order. From this point down to the
mouth the canal is in ruins, it being difficult
in come places to tell that a canal had ever
been cut, but the rights and franchises remain
and pass to the present owner. There will be
no difficulty in rebuilding the canal and re-
opening it throughout. and Kinsler's brick
and through which much Of the canal runs,
will furnish TIE material for making bricks OF
an excellent quality.
The average fall in the canal for the first
three miles is fourteen feet, AMI for the remain
ing distance from nineteen 10 twenty-one feet;
and the supply Of water being almost unlim-
tied, the canal can be enlarged to an extent
commensurate with any power that may be re-
quired. II desired it may be made equal to
FIVE thousand horsepower or more, and in fact
the whole water Of the Congaree River might
be turned into the enlarged canal.
According to the conditions of the sale. the
purchaser will, within two years, widen the
canal to thirty feet, and deepen it to eight feet
this work being begun within six months, and
$4,000 being expended upon it within twelve
months from the date OF conveyance.
The question naturally suggests itself, will
this WORK, be done, and will there soon be 8; en-
FACTORIES AND MILLS. AT COLUMBIA,
so that che may reap the benefit of the advan-
tages which we have endeavored TO describe !?
The reply is, that Senator Sprasue and his
friends nre not novices in industrial enterpri-
ses, and that they carry out and make success
tul whatever they undertake to do. Senator
Sprague himself controls cotton mills running
in all more than quarter OF 4 million spndles,
and slaughte1s 5000 buliocks yearly for tho
use OF his operatives. He is man of large
understanding and liberal views, but in buying
real estate ani investing capital in cotton mills
~ lue oOutu uC 10 5o'Siucu LUZ W pulIttltuIopy,
but by strict business principles. Governor
Sorasue knows that cotton can be spun in the
South to great profit, and that cheap labor and
living, and saving in transportation, waste, risk
and loss, make difference of twelve or fifteen
per cent. in favor Of the Southern cotton spin.
ner. he has carefully examined the mills now i'll
operation, and after examining the whole mat
ter with the cool sagaety for which he is no.
ted, has come 10 the conclusion that large
sums Of money are to be made by operating
cotton mills at the South.
There is no doubt that work upon tho cana!
will be soon begun, and it remains to consider
what should be the immediate and ultimate TO-
suits to what is to bo the
COTTON CAPITAL OF THE STATE.
With the beginning OF work upon the canal
employment will be given to large number Of
iabore1s, in making bricks or quarrying stone,
and in working upon the canal itself. This de-
mand for labor will last until this part of tho
work is done, when it will be turned to tho con-
strrlction of the mills and buildings. and OF cot
tages for the operatives, ii desired. and, finally,
to tho spinning of tho cotton. This will give
livelihood to . large number OF women and
chidren. for IL mrst not be FORGOT, an tliaL