The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-12
COLUMBIA, S. G.
Saturday Morning, July IL. 1873.
The Right TO tho Columbia Canal Pro-
porfy.

S@sUoeAode RoA0aOSo VA WhbSk Nd0
air, healthfulness and agreeableness OF
climate, Columbia is considered aud
is really inferior to no city OH the CONT
nent. It is in easy connection with the
rest OF the world, through several lines of
railway which stretch from it to every
point OF the compass and by the wires OF
several telegraphio companies. It was
first laid out and incorporated in 1887,
and soon became the seat Of government,
OF institutions Of learning, of tho State
College. of the asylum for the insane, of
the Theological Seminary, OF many and
varied small manufactures, and more re-
Gently Of the Methodist Female College
and penitentiary. A favorite resort OF
merchants. planters and professional
men, it grew to be city OF great beauty
and elegant residences and gardens, and
from its business OF cotton buying and
selling. banking, dry goods and groce-
ries md professional emoluments, COM
potency and sometimes handsome Tor
tunes we're made. Taste and education,
religion and morals, social'agreeablene
decorum and order, were marked fea-
'tures in the condition of it's people.
They we're not exactly thrifty; they were
not devoted to money making in those
early days, else they would have received
s suggestion in the nights stiffness from
the roar Of the waterfalls OF the Con
garee River. They would have put to
more profitable use the. great water
power which nature has made for them,
lying Immediately abreast OF the city,
beginning at it's upper end and termi-
mating little below the lower, having
spiteh Of thirty.six feet.
The day at last came when, the value
OF this boon of nature dawned upon our
minds, and the advantage of utilizing it
became public duty and public ne.
cessity. Adversely opened our eyes to
see what was, overlooked in our days of
prosperity. .,AIasl for US. just as its i'm
Aepae Importance was revealed to view,
the State Legislature, 70 n1l appearance,
threw away the precious franchise. It
granted the valuable privilege, upon
whose. successful management in manu-
featuring city of more than 100, 900 in
habitants could be sustained, to COM
pany; and received for it nothing but
empty promises, and delusiye hopes.
Compare the Columbia Canal to o-day, as
itcrawls along idle and nuproduotive,
with the high hopes which were framed
by the people of the State. and the grand
promises which were held ont by the no.
minal purchaser. Mr.. Sprague. Of
Rhode Island. several years ago, and the
heart siokens OF the contrast. No spin
dies whirling, no wheels. revolving, the
busy hum OF manufactures unheard, the
expected throng OF operatives, workmsn
and craftsmeu' not hers. and all the in
dustrias. profits, comforts aud happiness
which were. to result from the great i'm
provement. mere shadowy dreams, and
errors Of the moou! All is silent along
the canal, as in the days when the Indian
soved up aud down the river banks,
bunting and fishing.
We believe that it is definitely under.
stood that the Rhode Island manufac-
turer declines going on with the pro-
missed Development, and, lame and i'm
potent oonclrsionl proposes to sell tho
property to ths State again. or to the
city Of Columbia. or to company, for
100000. And this purchase is advocat-
ed as the shortest, most economical and
most satisfactory mode OF recovering the
property to the use OF the people. We
take leave to differ from this view. We
should advise, FIRST. a strict examination
into Mr.. Sprague's title, to see whether it
Is sound. good and binding and, ss-
condly, to inquire whether he has not
forfeited his right, even if originally
good, to hold or to convey this property.
by neglect of the improvements and the
Development of the water power, upon
condition OF doing which he WAS to re-
oeive it. Were there any conditions nj
tacEe3 RI tha nnyckopao Ts,o b.uo 4, -.