The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-02-25
COLUMBIA, s. G.
W ednesday Morning. February 25, '74.
Hew manufa cturing Company.


It was the cherished hope OF the citi-
zens of Columbia and of the people OF
the State, that upon granting the fran
chise OF the Columbia Canal to q rich
and entsrprising firm of New Euglard
manufacturers, it would be followed by
active step, taken by them to develop
it, which would result in the rapid
growth of the city and its business. In
this, they have been grievously disap.
pointed. The work done by the com.
pany in the last six or seven. years has
been insignificant and without benefit.
Tie water rolls idly by as in the days OF
our fathers. or as when the Indiar
roved up and down the river banks.
We have no time and no disposition to
inquire into'th causes of this failure.
There is, no doubt, blame somewhere.
Misunderstanding abundant. and short
coming in the keeping of promises and
observance of faith. We shall not un
dertake to fix where it belongs. We
point to it simply as failure. It has
been failure from the first, and there
are no prospects OF its becoming uny-
thing else.
Columbia has grown somewhat, in
spite OF the decrease in her cotton trade.
Her Wholesale business has largely de-
clined, bnt circumstances have given
considerable development to retail trade
in the various branches OF dry goods
and provisions. It is ON attractive
place. and travellers constantly come aud
go, leaving their contributions in one
form or another. It is the seat of the
State Government, and the lavish ex-
penditures Of members and officials,
who spend q large part oi the year here,
or live here, have contributed some
thing to build up its waste places and
give employment. But these things do
not 60 far. A city cannot be built on
what is so nnsnbstantial and transitory.
It must have accumulated capital and
active business, as we'll as agroeableness
Of climate and situation. The means
must exist within it to pnild it up and
sustain it. Manufactures and trade are
the levers upon which it must depend
for prosperity, growth and development.
There is no likelihood that trade will
improve to any apprecinble extent, be-
fore it oo.operates and combines with
other agencies equally or more powe.-
full When Charleston and Chicago are
connected by railway across the noun.
tains, through North Carolina, Ten
nessee, Kentucky, Ohio and the States
beyond, Columbia will be one of the
points OF distribution Of Western pro.
duots and foreign importations. That
will be something, but, we are sorry to
say. it is distant and contingent. One
es-z ES-"s vAis.s by which the city
may be largely and speedily bene-
flied. 1t is peculiarly favored in
situation, climate, healthfulness and
in. the abundance around it of the
raw material of manufactures. Then
it mas o superb water power flow
ing at it's feet, the gift of God, and the
legacy through the canal improvement
Of former generations. While other
communities, not 80 blessed in these
particulars, are stirring themselves,
making wise and effective use of what
facilities they have, we seem doomed to
hold our hands and do nothing. Tie
water power might as we'll be in Africa
as here. for the good it las done us. We
look on it as we look on the State Go.
vernment. having sense Of itn useless.
ness, and at the same time of our ina.
bility to make it serve the good OF the
country. Tired of this inactivity, re-
solved at last to make an honest effort to
start manufactures here, certain parties,
under the name Of the Congarce Manu-.
featuring Company. hnve gone before
the Legislature, asking tho privilege of
constructing dam across the Congaree
River at some available point below
Geiger's mill, for utilizing its waters in
manufacturing on either or on both
sides. 1t has liberal provision, that
tho owners Of the Columbia Canal shall
be entitled to co operate equally with