Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-19
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
GAFFNEY CITY AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.

THE WATER POWERS ON BROAD RIVER.
The writer left Gaffney City, which is a
new and fourishing town, situated on the
Atlanta and Charlotte Airline Railroad, in
Spartanburg county, and took a ramble
among the hidden wealth Of that section,
concerning which Prof. Tourney says, in his
Geological Researches, that there is more
mineral wealth than in any other section Of
upper South Carolina. Travelling five miles
east from Gaffney, along the old tramway,
Cherokee Ford, on Broad River, was reached.
Here are the remnants of the old iron works
which were founded long before the war,
but allowed to 60 down entirely, since the
war. At this place are immense water
powers, and location for a manufacturing
city. For this point has been projected a
cotton factory with $4,000 spindles; and it
is said the work Of building it will soon
begin.
Going down the river about two miles,
the old Kings Mountain Rolling Mill site
was reached, which contains as great water
power as Cherokee Ford. Near this point,
on the east side of the river, is situated the
new cotton factory and village, known as the
Cherokee Cotton Mills. This factory has.
been in operation for eighteen months, and
is quite a success. \ neat village has sprung
up, with church and school privileges, on
the ruins Of the old iron works.
A mile and a half below this factory, is
located Touring mills on the west side of
the river. On both sides of the river, at this
point, are great water powers, with good
locations for buildings.
From Cherokee Ford to Smiths Ford, Il
distance of several miles, the great river
pitches down over shoal after shoal, and
sites for factories are found, at short inter-
walls, along the entire distance, on both banks
of the river.
Another very interesting feature OF this
section of Broad River, is the natural fOrma-
ton of islands in the river. Between Smiths
Ford and Cherokee Ford, there are just
ninety-nine islands, varying in size. and ell
ovation above the water. Many Of these
islands contain fine locations for summer
residences and hotels; and on these islands
will stand, some day, series of summer re-
sorts-a city in the river, communication
with the different adjacent islands being
of the river between the islands, or by ferry
boats
This whole section of Broad River is sur
rounded by hills and beautiful mountains,
small in size, which contain gold, silver,
lead, copper, iron, limestone and other val
liable minerals. The lands, containing por-
tions of Spartanburg, Union and York coun-
ties, Of South Carolina, and Cleaveland coun-
ty, North Carolina, are very fine for cotton,
the grasses, clover, and the small grains.
At Cherokee Ford. a Scotchman raised, ona
seven acre field, $40 bushels of wheat, being
an average of about SO bushels to the acre.
The climate is very fine, winter and sum-
mer being mild and healthful. Limestone
Springs, a few miles from the river, has
long been health resort, and the location
of fine boarding schools.
The great trunk line Of the Richmond and
Danville Railroad passes through this fine
section of the Piedmont belt, crossing Broad
River Just above Cherokee Ford ; and the
most feasible route for the proposed narrow
gauge railroad, from Yorkville, Chester, or
Union, to Rutherfordton or Shelby, is along
the banks of Broad river, by these splendid
water powers.
For manufacturing purposes, Broad River
is one of the very finest in the South Its
head-Waters rise amid the Blue Ridge Noun
tains in western North Carolina; and being
fed from never-tailing springs. there is no
danger of a scarcity ii water in dry wealth
er. In winter there are no ice and freshets
to hinder the running of factories.
RAMBLER.