The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-05-03
A Great EnterorIse,

swamp iEou Sauuou W tue JuuCtlOn OF
the Wateree and Oongaree Rivers, by
an English company, to which We made
sone reference q few days ago, begins to
take shape in communications and anti
cles in the Camden Journal. Its mag
nifcent promise attracted our attention
at the outset, and We recur to the mat.
ter now, to show little more fully what
is projected and the means to bo adopt.
ed, to compass it. It is stated in the
Journal that the company is organized
under charter OF the British Parlia.
ment, with large powers and privileges,
and an immense capital. They hnvo
the right under it to purchase land,
carry on plantations, build nnd operate
factories and open and work mines.
They have concluded tha! the rivers cf
South Carolina, with their long courses
and wide swamps, offer greater guam
tity OF superior timber than any others
on tho Southern Atlantic coast. They
desire to purchase and control these
swamps of the Wateree, for the cake,
primarily, of their timber, which, after
drying the swamps. they will cut, raft
down to The ocean, aud thence ship to
Europe. They propose to straighten
the river By cutting through SONS small
"necks," gathering tho water and re-
quiriDg it to pursue direct course.
Owing to the crookedness of the chan
mol, water now backs on the adjacent
lands and keeps them constantly flood
ed. When this liberty of the stream is
corrected, large bodies of lund, covered
with valuable timber, will be accessible
for ali the uses of cultivation. Further,
our contemporary informs us that, as
subsidiary to these objects, several of
the creeks which empty into the Wateree
from the Kershaw side are to be turned
successiveIy tho one into the other, so
as to be prevented from pursuing their
present channels, and continuous
levee. in order to confine the river in
its prescribed course, will thus become
practicable and comparatively easy.
This combination of streams-Pine Tree,
Beaverdam. Town, Swift, Rafting and
Beach would furnish unlimited and
inexhaustible water power fer manufao-
turing purposes.
"Our fertile bottoms," says the Jour
nal, redeemed from overflow, and with
the advantages for irrigation which
would be furnished by the river and
these streams, might be mado the gar
den spot of the world, and second
Egypt for productivencss. Immigra.
tion of tho proper kind will come into
the State under the auspices of the com
pany, to settle on these lands aud de-
velop the resources Of the country"
Wo hope 20, indeed. The scheme
captivntes the Imagination. 1t reviyes
the thoughts of half century ngo,
when Mill inserted very good argument
in his 'Stntistics' for one even moro
mprchcnsive TO bo underken by the
State. We believe it feasible, too. Now
We have done all we can to encourage
our English cousins and our neighbors
of kershaw. Will tho latter tell us if
We OF Richland are TO be left out in tho
cold? They don't say turkey" to us
once. I'VE have some nico swamps, too,
on our side OF tho river, which we would
be very thankful to any great company
to drain, and which we will sell cheap.
Hnving had some experience of the
great New England company of Sprague
& Co. in not developing our magnificent
Cougaree water power, wo feel some
preference, in regard to our improve.
ments on the WMtaree. for the creator
English company which our Kershaw
friends propose to patronizo. Will Col.
McLanrin, our college friend and class.
mate. DR.. Boykin, and our friends of
the Journal speak good word for us?
JArAN.-A steamer from japan nm
nounces that tho Japanese expedition to
Formosa was ready to start. a small
fleet would Immediately sail for the
scenc OF the outrages. No hostile action