The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-07-24
The Utilization of Small Water Powers.

The Utilization of Small Water Powers.
In urging the necessity and advantage to our
people of engaging in manufactures, says the
Columbia Pbanis, we generally limit ourselves
in thought to the manufacture of cotton into
cloth and yarn. But the aid of water, wind,
steam, machinery and skill may avail us IN
many more ways, and be made labor-saving
and productive in thousand uses. What a
change would not steam power and labor, we'll
applied, effect in our vast swamps, in convert
ing their stately growth into lumber, slaves,
barrels and shingles, and afterwards, in pre-
pairing the soil for the crops which it is fitted
to produce hundred-fold. How many and
varied profits, what pleasant comforts about our
grounds and homesteads, might not little
skill and ingenuity effect in utilizing small
streams for rearing fish, pounding rice, grind
ing corn, running cotton gins, &C., &c. We
have an agreeable recollection Of hasty visit,
couple Of years since, to the plantation of our
friend, Major Thomas Woodward, near Winns-
boro. We found some springs gathered into
small reservoirs, in which are reared fish for
the table, and are then led along to little fall,
and there delivered on wheel, which turns
machinery for grinding meal and grits and
ginning the cotton crop. The machinery and
gearing cost less than eighty dollars. 1t was
working beautifully when we saw it, and the
mules, instead of tugging and toiling in turn
ing the heavy gin wheel, were enjoying them
selves in the pastures.
We have within few days past seen another
judicious application Of water, on the place of
Mr.. J. E. Pickle, on Big Creek, on the edge of
the village of Williamson, in Anderson Coun-
ty. This stream, which, Notwithstanding its
name, is small---not more, we should think,
| than eight horse power-is neatly bridged as it
flows pastthe mineral spring, and presents
pretty appearance, and some fine bottom land.
Mr.. Pickle has also put it to other uses. By
means Of small race, about three and half
feet by sixteen inches, conducting the water
from shoaly point in the creek, it is led first
to water-wheel of eleven feet diameter, turn-
ing an eight-foot band-wheel. This puts in
motion three machines for breaking, cleansing
and carding wool, used in the order named
the first receiving the wool in its rough state,
as it comes from the sleeps back, and break
ing it up two or three times the second clean
ing it of burrs, and delivering it into bats. In
this state, it goes into the carding machine
proper, and comes out in nice rolls, ready for
spinning. For this service, twelye-and-a-half
cents pound is charged, and that much added
to the value of the wool, which, when thus pre-
pared is worth sixty-fye cents pound. The
charge for carding wool and cotton together is
fifteen cents pound. The machinery is man
aged by one man and boy, and will turn out,
on an average, 100 pounds in ten hours. 3
It is valuable and useful little affair, and
yields handsome income on the outlay of
$4,000 for machinery and $1,000 for the build
ing The expenses of management are small.
The water having discharged this. duty, next
runs grist mill, and then proceeds to grind
the bark required for a lanyard of eighteen
vats, and in grinding up cob and all the corn
which is fed to the working animals Of the
farm. Thus we see this small stream put to
varied uses, and profitable and remunerative.
Another gentleman, just below Mr.. Pickle runs
cotton gin by this same power, and receiving
a fourteenth toll, cleared twenty-six bales last
season. From all which We may learn, that
like ''the sweet small courtesies of life, small
manufactures have their own charm and value,
which we should not be slow to appropriate
and enjoy. Ingenuity and enterprise should
come to the aid of inefficient, unwilling, sloy-
emily and improbable labor