The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-11-13
For the anderson htelligencer.
The Spirit of the People.


M.. Editor A few months ago gathered
my household jewels around me, and with sor
rowful heart turned my back upon my old
home, and my old Anderson friends, to seek
more healthful cline among the people of
Pickens. I knew I had left warm and SYM
pathizing friends behind. found among the
people of Pickens, abundant tokens Of sym
patty and hospitality Sooner or later, I then
thought that the people of Anderson would
shake off their lethargy and arouse themselves
to The indispensable necessity of providing
some efectual safeguard for the preservation of
the health and lives of her citizens from the
ravages of malarial fevers, so prevalent on all
our inland creeks and branches. That auspi-
cious time, I'confdently believe, has already
come. The spirit of the public meeting held
at your town on last Tuesday on the subject of
Drainage, and my intercourse with my old
personal friends and acquaintance from various
portions Of the County, has convinced me that
Anderson, at least, is fully prepared to take the
lead, if necessary, in instituting measures for
the thorough Drainage of all the swamp lands
now lying in sobbed and hurtful condition,
but capable, if thoroughly drained OF becom-
ing our most valuable and most productive
lands. The most agreeable feature, connected
with this change in the public sentiment, on
the subject of drainage, is the generous re-
sponse coming up from the millers and manu-
facturers of the County, who are now the pro-
prietors of valuable water power, in behalf of
Drainage. The Hon. VIM. Perry, of the Pen
dleton Factory, has head to appreciate the
difficulties of the situation, and heart to feel
for the suferings and losses of his fellow citi-
zens, and expresses q willingness to cooperate
heartily in any suitable measures Of relief Mr..
E. ]. Earle, of the Evergreen Mills, I am credi
bly, informed, has offered to remove his dam at
his valuable merchant mills, for very reason
able compensation, and allow his own bottom
burthen. Mr.. Charles Williford, unwilling to
wait the tardy action CT any public movement,
has already ordered steam engine, and as
soon as received, will proceed at once to take
down both of his dams, aud propel his
machinery by steam. He had II cases of fever
in his own family and on his premises this
year, and his crops are now wasting in his fields
for the want of gathering, and he unhesitating-
ly declares his belief that the sickness was
caused by the dams. Mr.. A. M. Neal, un-
derstand like Mr.. Earle, is willing to remove
his dam at his mills for q very reasonable COM
pensation, and allow his own bottom lands to
bear proportion of the burthen. Mr. Zion
Richardson says he will take down his dam if
it produces sickness. DR.. Carroll Brown en-
dorses most heartily the general drainage Of
bottom lands for health. These are encouraging
signs and am almost ready to conclude that
the greatest difficulties with which we will
have to contend, will not be so much with the
millers as with the landholders. The supine-
ness OF some, the cupidity of others, and the
poverty of all, present the most formidable OBJ
stacles; hence, the great necessity for legisla.
tive action, and for united and combined
effort on the part of all our people Let the
people living on the ridges hatter not them
selves that they have no interest in this great
question because they own no bottom lands.
The lives of their wives and children, and
tenants are as valuable and precious as the
lives of those living on the water courses, and
( the history of this malarial development for
| the last two or three years proves conclusivey,
that it will travel along the ravines and hol-
lows of mills, and hover at last, with its wings
of sickness and death, over the dwellings of
the inhabitants of ridges, and those more re-
mote from the ponds, alike with those living
upon the creeks and ponds. No, no. 1t is a
public calamity-hence, the public arm should
be stretched out to arrest its further progress
shreugh our County, Fortunately for us, i'll
this great emergency, the use of the steam
engine as propelling power for all kinds OF
machinery, presents itself before our minds as
the very thing to lead us out of our difficulties.
| Every observant mind has already discovered
! that the use of the steam engines as motive
power for machinery, is becoming more and
more common every day, and is fully meeting
the expectations Of the people. The excellent
letter of Mr.. Perry on the utility and cheap
ness of steam power, together with the practi-
cal demonstration in your own town, at Pendle-
that question. The steam engine can and
ought to supercede water power on all smaller
and more sluggish streams. -.
On this question Of malaria, find that now
as always in the past history of the medical
profession, doctors will differ" There is the
cotton theory, the guano theory, and the piney
woods theory. But while all these different
theories may possess more or less scientific
truth about them, all are agreed that the large
bodies of undrained lands lying on our creeks
and branches, are unquestonably one great
cause of the prevailing sickness which has
devastated our County for the last two or three
years-hence, all are agreed that these lands
should be Immediately drained at any cost. It
is along our creeks'and branches that the fell
destroyer marches, steadily and boldly, dealing
disease and death on every hand and the pee-
pie cannot afford to wait until scientific men
have fully settled all the nice questions OF
medical science involved. Let the elucidatien
of these nice distinctions in medical science
at least, be deferred until the further progress
of this demon of malaria is arrested. Then
these discussions may be resumed, and eisurely
examined.
very large and able committee was ap.
pointed by the public meeting on Tuesday to
take this whole question into serious considera'
tion, and devise sosne practicable plan for the