The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-03-13
GEORGE ". MCCRARY,
The Speaker of the House of Reprcscn-
tatives.
u. S. ENGINEERS OFFICE,
SAVANNAH, GA, Feb. s, 1919.

u. S. ENGINEERS OFFICE,
SAVANNAH, GA, Feb. s, 1879.
GENERAL-I have the honor to report
that the examination of Savannah
River above Augusta, Ga.," provided for
by the act of Congress, approved June
18th, 1873, and assigned to me by the in
structions of the Chief of Engineers,
dated July Sth, 1878, has been COM
pleted.
The examination was made with q
view to ascertaining the present ..condi-
tion of the river from Augusta to the
head of pole boat navigation, distance
by river of about 154 miles, the practical
bility of improving it for craft proper to
those localities, the approximate cost of
such improvements, and the expediency
of making them, in regard to the impor
tance, present and prospective, of the
commercial interests involved.
The head of the Savannah River
proper is the junction of the Tugaloo
and Seneca Rivers, 1917 miles above
Augusta. These rivers combined form
the Savannah. From the point of juno
ton to the head of pole-boat navigation
near Tallulah Falls, 154 miles above
Augusta, the Tugaloo forms the naviga-
BILE branch of the Savannah River.
The examination was intrustcd to Mr..
J. P. Carson, assistant engineer.
The field work was commenced on No
vember 9th, 1878, and completed Decem-
Der 18th. Mr.. Carson secured the SER
vices of an experienced pilot, with crew
of four men, and used one of the pole
boats employed in the trade of the river,
and we'll adapted to pass the rapids.
The examination was made during an
exceptionally low stage of the river,
favorable for observing the rocks and
other distractions to the fullest possible
extent.
The obstacles to navigation on the
route explored were found to be nume-
rous, extensive and not untrequently
quite dangerous. They consist chiefly of
rocky ledges running across the chan
nels, isolated powders of various sizes,
and shoals of gravel. The aggregate
length of shoals is nearly IS miles out of
length of river of ISL miles.
The river is subject to considerable
freshets. The average rise on such occa-
sions is about 16 feet, but it has reached
much greater heights. at Petersburg,
in 1852, the river rose A feet above the
common stage within IS hours, and 3S
feet within S6 hours in 1875. In the lat
ter year the streets of Augusta were
feet under water, although they are S5
feet above the river ut ordinary stage.
These great differences of water level
show the practical impossibility of i'm
proving the river by locks, dams and
side-cuts for canals.
The height of number of points on
the river above the city of Augusta,
which is 14S feet above the sea, was as
certained by baromcrtic observations.
An aneroid was employed for this pur.
pose, using the corresponding records of
the signal Office at Augusta to compute
differences of altitude. The observations
were corrected for instrumental error,
reduced to 80 degrees Fahr., and conf
puted by Col. +. S. Wiliamson's tables.
The head Of pole-boa navigation was
thus determined to be about S74 feet
above Augusta. At Andersonville, S.
c., 107l miles above Augusta, the river
was 270 feet above the water level of the
latter place. The greatest local fall Of
any of the reaches of the river was OBJ
served at Hatton Shoal, ITO miles above
Augusta, amounting to 80 feet in II
miles. At Gregg's Shoal, SIS miles above
Augusta, it was 20 feet in one mile, and
at Cherokee Shoal, 9 feet in half mile.
To what degree of accuracy these
slopes we're asccrtained with the means
available for the purpose, it is impossible
to say. 1t is believed that they cannot
be safely relied upon in preparing a pro.
ject of improvement, and that careful
instrumental survey of some parts of the
line will be necessary.
The country on both sides of the river
from Augusta to KnoX's Bridge, dis
tance of 124 miles, is devoted to the pro-
duction of tobacco, grain, and indigo, as
well as TO vine and silk culture. The
country adjoining both banks of the
upper 80 miles above Knox's Bridge is
generally used for raising corn. 1t is
well timbcrcd. Gold mining is carried
on to some extent, and there are also, in
places, extensive beds Of good iron ore,
with abundance of fuel and limestone.
The area of the cotton land, estimated
to depend to somo extent on the river for
the transportation of its products and
needed supplies, is about 1000 square
miles, with population of $1,000, ac-
cording to the census of 1870. The total
annual production Of cotton in these dis
tricts is estimated at70,0 900 bales.
In 1876 and 1877, the freight of Au-
gusta up stream averaged from 1000 to
$500 tons per annum; from the head of
navigation down to Augusta about II 900
bales OF cotton. The average annual re-
ceipts of cotton from all sources at Au-
gusta is stated TO be 100000 bales. The
amount of cotton shipped on the route
examined forms, therefore, only a rather
small proportion of the whole.
There can be little doubt that an i'm
provement of the river would aid the
further development Of its trade. There
is an abundance of water, which, if prop
crly regulated, would deprive navigation
of most of its present Inconvenience,
dangers and delays, allow the introduc-
tion, upon the lower portion of the route
at least, of vessels propelled by steam,
and thus greatly cheaper the cost of
transportation.
Two estimates are submitted by Mr..
Carson, as follows:
The estimate is for opening channel
for polc-boat navigation, 9 feet deep and
80 feet wide, from Augusta to Anderson
vile, at the mouth of the Tugaloo, 107l
miles, and from Andersonville up the
Tugaloo River 43s miles to Browns, q
total distance by river from Augusta Of
1907 miles.
The estimated cost of the improve
mcnt for the entire distance is....$l13,Gl6
Add 1O per cent. for contingent cx-
penScs............. li,36l
| Total. al...."..................... ..........SlJO,9
The second estimate is for steam
boat channel, . feet deep and 10
feet widc Augusta to Trottcr's
Shoal, Il distance of ca milcS........$ S9,9l0
Y u. ,ln-1nnt nn ,;i., ion b,.fnrn fr,,tp