Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1881-06-16
For the keowee Courier.
The Undeveloped Water Powers
Of Oconee.

MEssRs. EDIroRs; 1t seems that Oconec
is we'll supplied by nature with every thing
that is essential to mako it the fucst county
in the State. Capital and energy Is all that
we need to develop our vust resources. We
have healthy nnd salubrious climate, a
soil that produces well all the farm products
as we'll as fruits and garden vegetables, and
the best water powers in the State. From
one side of the county to the other can be
found good localities for factories of any
description, with good supply Of water.
All OF our streams issue from the noun.
tuins and they appear to bo in great
hurry, winding and twisting about among
scraggy aud picturesque banks and rushing
over huge rocks and steep precipices, now
and then stopping in some eddy, suddenly,
to again rush on downward along fertile
vail, vs., thus fulfilling tho task allotted by
Daturc; but unchecked by man, only hero
and there by small obstruction to turn it's
water from its routed course to turn gin,
grist or flour mill They sing with Ten.
nysoD:
"And out again come and flow
10 join the brmning river,
For men may come and men may 90,
But 60 on forever"
No where in the United States can he
found more picturesque streams OF general
scenery than we have in Oconee. Now and
then this scenery Is &C grand that it borders
closely on the sublime. | will only make
casual mention Of the principal water
powers of the county, leaving the task of o
moro minute description for future day.
Our best water powers are just along the
foot of ha Il
them is tho one at High Falls, on Little
Nlvcr, about ten miles in Northwesterly
direction from Walhalla and about the
same distance from Seneca City, in more
Northerly direction. A more suitable looa.
tion for factory cannot DO found 10 South
Carolina, save as regards railroad facilities.
Little River is stream of some size and has
many falls on it, The power at this place
is variously estimated, the highest estimate
being fifteen hundred horse power. I
cannot vouoh for tho correctness of this
statement, but there is no doubt but that
there is power there su thoicnt to turn thous-
ands of spindles and run numbcts Of looms.
This river, rushing down from the noun
tains until it gets within about hundred
yards of tho main falls, makes momentary
pause, in order to regain its strength, for
tho rapid descent that it must make. At
the head Of this descent it begins its rapid
flight oguin, with a leap over rocks and it
falls ih the next hundred yards about ten
feet over huge rocks and around sharp
curve. Just upon reaching tho main fall
it appears to steady itself and with rapid,
gliding motion hastens on to its foal leap Of
about twenty Eve feet perpendicdlurly over
solid fock; making an almost deafepiug
noise by its fall into boiling; surging
caldron at the foot of the fall. After boil
ing and foarniug for moment 10 this cal-
dron, IS if onraged by the sudden leap it
has just made, it gradually passes on, as if
exausted by its own anger and struggles
This magnificent water power is only used
to run gin and tannery. Tho citizens
of Ooonee could not invest thoir money in
u bctt6r or moro paying enterprise than by