The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-31
Fbr the anderson Mtelligencer.
Health and Drainage.

try has become seriously impaired, from some
cause or other, for the last few years, and that
it is matter of public concern, to ascertain, II
possible, the real cause, and then to remove it,
are propositions that will not be disputed. Ihe
history of the world, in medical point of view,
and the concurrent testimony of eminent medi-
cal writers, seems to afford good ground for the
theory that much of the sickness pervading this
region of country for the last few years, in the
form of fever and ague, meningitis, &C., may be
traced directly or indirectly, to large bodies OF
wet undrained bottom lands scattered over our
country, in various sized tracts or bodies, and
being in that very condition to produce malaria
in abundant quantities, and of the most maig-
nant kind. That some localities, this condition
of things is caused by imperfect ditchiDg, there
can no doubt, but, by far, the larger portion OF
it is caused by the flowing back of sand and
water, caused by distractions in the streams IN
the form of mill-dams. If, from either or both
of these causes, the general health of the coun-
ty has become seriously impaired, is it not the
highest duty of the law-making power OF the
State to inqnire into the cause, and as far as
possible, provide remedy for this serious pub
lie calamity? 1t is not alone the interests OF
the mill owners on the one part, or the land
holders on the other, that is involved IN this
question: but it is the health and lives OF hum
drcds of our fellow-citizens, white and colored,
who are, in no degree, responsible for this state
of things that demands the gravest considera'
ton of the country. The municipal authori-
ties of all our towns and cities exercise exclu-
sive and unquestioned surveillance over all
matters pertaining to the general health of the
communities over which they have jurisdiction,
and it can scarcely be denied that the sovereign
State, from whom these bodies derive all their
authority, has the right, and it becomes a
bounden duty, to exercise like care for the
general health of large sections of country, en-
bracing many smaller municipalities.
If then these propositions be true, should not
the Legislature of this State be asked to en-
quire earnestly into the real cause of the prev
aIence of malarious forms of diseases, and re-
move the same, if possible. Will any one dis
pute that proposition? trow not. MIR. Edi-
tor, in discussing these questions, wish it dis
tinctly understood, that make no war upon
mill-dams or mill-dam owners as such-none
whatever-that do not believe they are GRIM
inaly responsible, certainly not, unless it be in
cases where the resulting evils have spread dis
ease and death all around them, and they stand
by, with stole indifference, and manifest not the
slightest concern about the prevalence of these
terrible evils. With these remarks, permit me
to recur again to the question, in cases where
these wet undrained bottom lands are mainly
caused by mill.dams, is it within the province
of the Legislature to provide any remedy what
ever, without doing injustice to private parties
We think the Legislature entirely competent
to provide, at least, partial remedy for these
great public evils, and shall proceed to elui-
cidate.
1t is believed by many practical men, that
what is usually denominated by the food-gate
system would afford, in majority of cases, if
not all, an adequate remedy for all the evils
now resulting to the country, from obstruction
in inland streams to the passing off of sand and
mud by reason of mill-dams. By the construc-
tion of Aood-gate in the most suitable place
in the dam, as vent for the accumulation of
sand and mud in the bitches above, and the
direct connection Of said bitches with the food
gate, and the requirement by statute, under
adequate penalties, the hoisting of said flood
gates every Saturday evening and keeping them
up till Monday morning, from the first day of
January to the first day of July of each year,
it is believed in most cases, would, for all prac-
ticaI purposes, relieve the bottom lands of sur
plus water, thus enabling the farmers to re-
claim said lands to state of, health and fertil-
ity, without subjecting mill owners to any seri-
Gus or unnecessary loss. That the Legislature
may properly exercise the proposed legislative
power, for great public benefit, is proved by
its past history, ancient and modern. In 1856,
q ditching law was passed, authorizing the con-
struction of suitable drains through mans
lands without his consent, if necessary and more
recently, there has been enacted law requiring
each mill owner to construct fish sluice in his
dam, for the passage of migratory fish.
1t needs no argument to prove that if the au-
thority of the Legislature is good in one case
for the benefit of the public in amaterial point
of view, it is much more in cases where the
health and lives of our fellow-citizens are in-
voked. In one case that know of, during the
time the food-gate was faithfully attended to-,
there was no complaint of injury to land-hold-
ers above, but so soon as neglected, the sand
and mud commenced filling bitches above, and
the damage became 30 serious to the land
holders above, that resort was had to the courts
for relief If so simple and cheap remedy
can be applied, should it not be enjoined by
the law-making power of the State upon every
raill.dam owner lexcent in q few cases where.