The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-02-07

home. and could not but feel kesnly any
donbts--suspioions-whioh might be
manifested toward them by strange,
and especially Southern community.
And to men as wealthy aud independent
as the Spragues certainly are, it might
work serious hindrance to their max
ing large investments here. Besides. we
believe such suspicious unmerited and
unjust. Though the progress OF oom-
pleting the canal has not equaled public
expectation, it is clear to our mind, as it
will be to any ones who will take the
pains to inquire into and investigate the
subject, that all has been done that is
proper. prudent and advisable to be done
at this time. Under the conditions of
purchase, the Messrs. Sprague were re-
quired to expend $4,000 on the canal
within certain period. Treble that
sum. we are creditably informed, was
laid out. They were required, further.
to widen and deepen the old canal, 80 as
to double its original capacity, both to
hold and to perform, and to have it
finished on or before the lat day of
March OF the current year. That, too,
has been done, and the original capacity
OF the canal not only doubled, but quad
rupled. Everything, in fact, that the
contract with the State demanded. we are
told. and have every reason to believe,
has been fully performed. Probably as
much as S75. 900 has been already paid
out on the canal by the Messrs. Sprague,
or, as the firm is here styled, the Colum-
bia Water-Power Company. That is an
earnest, at least, OF the final thorough
prosecution of the work
Still. it is plain that no great water
power has been developed yet; and why?
The reason given, and which is verified
by our own personal inspection OF the
topography of the canal and of the cal
culations and estimates shown us by the
engineer, Major Charles Mahon, is that
under the terms of sale it is impossible
to locate the dam at point in the river
which will secure the greatest amount of
water, and enable the company to give
to the enterprise the fullest magnitude
of which it is capable. The original
projectors of the canal, as did also Prof.
LeConte. in his more recent surveys,
contemplated the placing of the dam
just above Geiger's Mill. Such, too,
was the idea of the Messrs. Sprague, at
the time they purchased the canal. and
their contract, as it now stands, excludes
them from putting it at any point below.
Throwing the dam across at Geiger's
Mill will enable the company to get
water to the amount of 1000 or 5000
horse power-no small thing itself. But
it has been ascertained, after thorough
surveys and estimates, that by locating
the dam at point just below the State
Penitentiary, the entire waters of the
Congaree River can be utilized, at no
greater expense than by the former plan,
and with gain of from 5000 to 1000
horse power. To effect this, modifioa-
tion Of the contract is needed. Colonel
Pearoe had bill introduced into the
Legislature. last winter. granting him
the necessary authority. It was not
acted upon, and this has oansed the de-
lay in the progress Of the work. He has
another now, of the same character,
which has been introduced into the
House, and if it receives the legislative
sanction, We are told that the construo-
tion Of the dam will be commenced this
spring. or early in the summsr-as soon
as the river becomes sufficiently low.
MORE MURDERS. The people OF New
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