The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-05-14
internal resources of South Carolina.

which they will rait down 10 Cne ocean auu
ship toforeign ports. The plan is to straight
en- the river, and thus avoid the freshets which
render the low lands almost worthless, they
being liable at any time to be flooded by the
water, which, when it comes down in large
quantities, cannot run off, owing to the crook
edness of the channel, and is thrown back on
the,adiacent lands. This can be accomplished
by cutting through a few comparatively small
"necks" and allowing free passage for the
water The river being thus curtailed of its
present liberty, large bodies Of land, as produc-
tive as any in the world, would be redeemed
from water.
The Camden Jonqnaz looks with favor upon
the project, and thinks the work can be done
without any very great expense Dr. +. M.
Boykin is the authorized agent of the English
capitalists, and has advertised to purchase all
the lands lying on the river throughout the
whole territory over which their operations
will extend.
The magnitude and Importance of this con-
templated work by men processing the neces-
sary capital and energy cannot be over-estlma-
ted, since the good effects will be felt throughout
the State, in adding to the material resources
and developing mine of wealth to the owners.
The scheme is not altogether new, however.
An esteemed friend has kindly furnished us
copv of DeBow's ,Reciear for October, 1852,
wherein the draining of the Wateree swamps
was proposed as an internal improvement
worthy of the attention of the State. AS the
article contains valuable information and prac-
tica suggestions, we copy it in full;
The area of South Carolina in round num-
bers is nineteen millions of acres, and the
population under six hundred thousand, giving
over thirty acres of land to every Individual,
old and Young, black and white, and think
we may safely say there is one hundred acres
of land for every person engaged in its tillage.
IF then. we estimate that by any means one
half of the land, or nine and half millions
of acres are capable of culture, there is room
enough in our borders yet to plant ten times as
much more as we now plant.
Admitting, then, that we have nine and a
half millions of acres of tlllable land, OF
which allow one half for grain and pasturage,
and plant only the balance, four and three,
quarter millions of acres, or one-tourth OF all
our surface, and were to make no more than
half bale of cotton to the acre, it would give
us a crop of nearly twenty-four hundred thou.
sand bales, equal to the present whole crop OF
the United States. This is startling, and some
of INV readers may throw back their heads and
raise up their hands in amazement At hrst,
it does look incredible, that so small terri
tory and but one-fourth of it employed, max
inc only half a crop, should turn out so much;
hut here are the figures, and competent cacu-
lators saw we have The land. I feel that this is
a sort of new idea, and some one may say II
South Carolina can do so much, the other
cotton states can do it too, or that South Car
olina is looking ahead to make all the cotton
wanted. But observe, am not telling what
we are trying to do, or what we are going 10
do. but what we could do if we would, and
what duty to ourselves requires that we snouio
boldly attempt for our sake and the sake OF
those who are to come after US, IT we wish TO
improve our condition by using our resources,
or even maintain our present standing before
the world =,
Let our rivers be straightened-throw all
the water into one straight channel, that 1t
NAV run off quick and wash out deep-thus
securing their deltas free from freshets, ano
Won open up an immense mine OF agricultural
wealth. which must add to your capital, IN
crease your productions and comforts, employ
your labor and skill to greater advantage, in
yite an increase and retain your present num-
bers-which, if something is not done, must
look out for other fields to operate H.. 70
To effect this purpose is worth an efort--for II
welIose them, we lose the essentials of strength,
capital, and population-when the opposite
course will encourage them to remain with
their energies, means, and productions.
Small streams are ditched, drained and re-
drained, as we will see on almost every planta-
tion-then why not the rivers that are worth
so much more?
From Camden falls to Santee is about 10
miles-the swamp will average at least two
miles-many places it is four miles across-but
say two miles all the way, and you have eighty
square miles or upwards, 6fty-one thousand
acres of land, of which there is not now under
culture above $1,000 acres, thus adding $4,000
acres of new land or say an increase OF value
on the whole of $40 per acre, gives us ;! ,ooo,-
600. Aud this in short distance of Wateree
alone. in the centre of the State, while there is
Santee, Wateree, the Pee Dees, Lynche's Creek,
and several other streams, adding in all ten or
twenty times more.
AS we know more about Wateree River and
we believe that no other would yield so much
at so little expense, we can say more about It,
and would respectfully ask particular attention
to it. from Camden to Santee In straight
line, it is about forty miles-as it runs, 10
miles or more. The tall IS 10 inches or more
to the mile, as it could not run with less. Re-
duce the length to forty miles, and concentrate
the fall. gives us five feet, and if the flow in
creases in proportion, it would run off in one
day as much as it runs now in one week, and
the single channel give sufficient vent for all
the water.
The old river beds could soon be planted,
the creeks, lakes and ponds could be drained
by bitches into the deepened channel, and all,
or nearly all, rendered secure from overflow, OF
water, which has been SO frequent the last St M fe"
The crops and stock lost in the last ten years
would be sufficient sum to pay for the work |
These lands are greatly needed, for what was