The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-10-09


they were directly on tho highway to
those countries.
a very encouraging letter was then
read by the President from Mr. Hay
mond. the great railroad msn of Indiana,
indicating that when NE needed It, a
plenty of help could be had for the com
pletion of our Road.
Mr.. Il. w, Hume, formerly of Charles
ton, but long a citizen of Transylyanie
County, introduced resolution, which
was enthusiastically adopted, pledging
the people of the French Broad to do all
in their power for The prosecution of the
enterprise.
The meeting vas then closed, at a late
hour, amid the general rejoicing of the
friends of this great enterprise.
The delegates from South Carolina
were invited to remain over day and
enjoy the pleasure of boat ride down
the French Broao Il few miles, TO see the
progress of the work now being prose-
cuted, by means ofjetties, dredging and
blasting, to 80 deepen the minimum
depth Of the stream, SO that light
steamer could ply safely up and down
the river for some 80 or 40 miles. In
deed, it is proposed to prosecute the work
to Asheyille, but the Long Shoal, some
25 or 80 miles below Brevard, is thought
by the Superintendent to present Diff
culties of too great magnitude to be un-
dertaken. 1t is proposed to get depth,
at low water, of three feet, which, it is
said, will be sufficient for light steamers.
This important work is the result of an
appropriation, by the last National Con-
gress, of $25,000, to be devoted to the
Improvement Of the French Broad River.
For This the people arc mainly indebted
to tho e3eEtions of Gen. Vance, their
popular representative. We South Car.
olinians, after seaing the effectiveness of
the work on the French Broad, have re-
turned home fully Impressed with the be-
lief that the same thing could hs done
along the bed of the beautiful Savannah
and its tributaries. We may yet live to
see the day when steamboats, will run
the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca a
considerable distance. So mote it be.
The party composing the excursion con.
sisted of Gen. Vance, Capt. Clayton,
Capt. Kirk, Col. Pickcns, Col. Russell,
Capt. Hume, Capt Averill, the -cSief
superintendent OF the work, and a boat
hand. Capt. Averill did everything he
could TO make our ride pleasant and In
atFuctive. and the memory of Capt.
Hume will ever be fresL in our hearts
for his kindness in getting up this ex-
cursion.
A THRILLING TRADITION.
AS we glided smoothly along the beau
tifnl waters of the French Broad, Can't.
Clayton related q thrilling story of a
little war that took place or its banks
perhaps century ago, of which history
gives no account. The territory living
along the banks of this River was once
claimed by the Gsorgians, and they ac-
tually laid out q county, calling it Wal
ton, which was stoutly resisted by the
tar-heels, finally resulting in baltic be-
tween the parties, in which one man was
killed and several captured! The North
Carolinians, after obtaining reinforce
ments, returned to tbs charge, and. in
the second seneontre, got the best of the
Georgians, Finally, the dispute was
as,ioably adjusted, and this beautiful
Trench Broad Valley became part and
parcel of the old North State.
THE PROPOSED TERMINUS.
Capt. AveEill proposes for the present
the mouth of Mud Creek as tho terminus
ofsssaaa navigation, at which, point
he desires junction with the Spartan.
burg and Asheville Road. This is about
% miles from Brevard. He will not be
able sto, prosecute the work longer than
the middle of October, as the weather
will then be TOO cold for the hands to
work in the water. They are in the
water the whole time up to their crotch,
and yet there is no complaint of sickness.
Water hands get one doilar: per day, and
work eight hours the other hands eet
seyenty-fye cents. There were eieht
double teams employed in dredginr the
bottom of the French Broad with the
common iron scoop. Other hands are
employed in blasting. In three feet