The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-05-20

THE CAROLINA RIVERS.


THE CAROLINA RIVERS.
Report Of the Surveying Engineer.;;A
Strong Report In Favor of Improving the
Wateree and Santee.
WASHINGTON, May 6, 1880.
About year ago Capt c. B. Phillips,
of the United States engineer corps, was
designated by Gen. II. G. Wright, chief
of engineers, to take charge Of the exam
ination and surveys of the Catawba, San
tee and Wateree Rivers. Capt. Phillips
submitted a plan for the execution of the
work in May, 1879, in which he mention
ed the difficulty that would be met on
account of the small appropriation at his
disposal and the combined length of the
rivers, but under instructions from the
war department the surveys were begun
by Assistant Engineer Wolbrecht in Sep
tembcr, 1879, who has submitted to the
department detailed reports as to the
physical characteristics of each river,
estimates of the cost Of improvement,
and accompanies the report with several
maps illustrating his examinations.
Commenting upon the report, Capt.
Phillips says the total fall of the Catawba
river from its source in Mcdowell coun-
ty, N. c., to Old Fort, distance of 140
miles, where it crosses the line into South
Carolina, and where the examination
began, is about 300 feet. The river is so
obstructed by falls and rapids that nayi-
cation is confined solely to skifs, which
ply upon the pools of comparatively still
water that are occasionally met with.
After crossing the State line the river,
after flowing in southerly direction for
a distance Of IS miles, changes its name,
at its junction with Wateree creek, to
that of the Wateree river. The fall in
this distance of IS miles is about 1926
| feet.
The portion of the Catawba river in
South Carolina, while generally less
rapid than in North Carolina, is only
navigated by skiffs or fat-boats engaged
in a purely local traffic. The Catawba
has so great a fall that any attempt at
improvement outside of system of locks
and dams would be entirely out of the
question. The river from Old Fort, N.
c., to the mouth of Wateree creek, South
Carolina, has fall of over 200 feet in
distance of about 1876 miles, or about 6
feet to the mile. The country through
which the Catawba flows is for the most
part fertile, and on the upper river
abounds in minerals. 1t would cost at
least $50, 900 per mile to provide system
of navigation by locks and dams. This
rough estimate is none too large; but q
careful instrumental survey Of the river
would he necessary, in order to prepare
reliable estimates of the cost Of such
works as would be required for the i'm.
provement of this river.
Capt. Phillips says he feels quite con-
fdent that the most jealous advocate Of
the improvement of the Catawbas would
hardly expect the General Government
to undertake such q work at present,
especially as the lower end of the river is
nearly 300 miles from the sea via the
Wateree and Santee rivers, chemically
the same stream, though under different
names,) both of which would need i'm
provement in order to carry the produce
of the Catawba country to the ocean.
Of the Wateree, Capt. Phillips remarks
further, that it is mere continuation Of
the Catawba. 1t and the name of Wa
teree is really misnomer. The Wate-
rec, after flowing in general southerly
direction for a distance of los miles,
unites with the Congaree river, and be-
low their confluence the river is known
as the Santee. The upper portion of the
Wateree, for distance of seventeen
miles, is very much like the Catawba
river, being q rapid mountainous stream,
with total fall of seventy-fve feet, or
about four and half feet to the mile.
Over the remaining portion of the river
the fall is less; it is free from shoals and
rapids, and could be made navigsble for
light-draught steamers at comparative
ly slight expense. The only distractions
in the way of q three.foot navigation on
this portion of the river are fallen and
overhanging trees, snags, stumps, &c.
The country through which the Wateree
flows is exceedingly fertile and we'll pop
ulated. The products of the country are
mostly shipped by rail from the town Of
Camden, the most prominent point upon
the river. A light.draught steamer now
plies upon the river, engaged in purely
local traffic; other navigation is confined
to fat-boats and timber in the form of
RATS.
He says it is very desirable that this
section of county should have free access
to the sea via the Santee River. The
modest wants of the vicinity would be
satisfied for the present by the expendi.
ture on the part of the general govern
ment of comparatively small amount.
To secure a three foot navigation over
the lower portion of the river, Mr.. VOL
brecht estimates that an expenditure of
about $4,000 would be required. Capt.
Phillips thinks this amount might be
we'll devoted to the improvement of the
river, and that rapid development Of a
valuable section of country would follow.
The whole amount could be pro6tably
expended during a single fiscal year.
The last of these surveys was that of
the Santee, upon which Capt. Phillips
remarks that it takes its name at the con-
auence of the Wateree and Congaree
rivers, at point 1874 miles, by river,
from the ocean, into which it empties ten
miles south of Winyah Bay; The river
flows through an exceedingly fertile re-
gion, cotton being the principal staple
on the upper river, and rice the principal
agricultural product m the lower river.
Its banks are lined with extensive forests,
principally of pine, which furnish large
quantities of naval stores, and tie lumber
trade would be very great if not for the
difficulties in the way of navigation.
1t is desirable to secure an unobstruct..
ed navigation of feet at a low stage of
water as high as Wrigbt's Bluff, about
154 miles from the ocean. and to secure
depth of 5 feet, also at low water, over
the remaining distance of 80 miles to the
lead of the river, that is, to the conau-
ence of the Wateree and Congaree rivers.
In order to accomplish this desired i'm
provement it will be necessary to blast
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