Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-08-29
NAVIGATING THE OCoNEE.
Fruitless Attempt to Run a Boat
- to Tide Water.

From the a tleas ttTd.l BInaer- gd.chmnn.
1t is not generally known that the Geo.
nee river as far north as Barnetts
shoals has been declared by legislative
enactment a naVigable stream, and hence
II Is in the power OF any boatman To de-
mand passage through the dams, although
| only one has ever exercised this power.
Years before the war an old man named
Levi Crawford decided that ne would
J build q boat, launch it at Bar
! netts shoals, in OcOne9 county, and
make q trip 10 Florida on il. AS ne had
abundant means, the idea was carried to
! success. so far US building the boat and
launching it. 1t was queer looking
craft, something on the order OF FIAT
boat, with long pole behind by which
| to steer it, and manned by a crew of his
/ slaves. He had stretched upon the craft
/ tents, and every comfort necessary tor
! his journey. The news Of the building
OF the boat created quite stir along the
! river bank, and especially with mill men,
| who had dams across the stream, as they
knew the law required that they give pas
sage to all boats, and it was incumbent on
| them to launch the boat below the OBJ
struction or remove their dams. The fret
/ dam reached by Crawford's boat was at
Scull Shoals, then the property OF Pou,-
lain. 1t was Friday evening when this
| point was gained, and the owner of the
boat decided to tie up for awhile. sun
day hundreds of people from the sur
rounding country tlocked TO the river
TO sac the strange sight. DR.. Poulain,
taking advantage OF the crowds of lusiy
blacks on the banks, proposed 10
! Mr.. Crawford to let him have his boat
lifted around the dam, as it would pre-
Vent him stopping all of his force. Bus
! the request WAS refused, with the intor-
nation that he did not believe in labor
! ing on the Sabbath day. Monday morn
| ing Crawford announced his desire TO
| move on. and DR.. Poullain had to stop
every pillow in his fields aud man IN the
| factory from work To get the boat over
the dam, which was finally accomplished
after great deal of labor and planning.
This same thing was repeated at every
obstruction across the stream until by
the time Milledgevllle was neared the boat
had been shaken to pieces with so much
baud linz &. !, Acre Il, struck spme shoals in
TIE, RIVER and was dashed ia Dieces on the
rocks, the owner and his crew barely es!
Gaping witt their lives, and losing every-r
tbinyythey had on, board. The DESTRUCTION,
of the boat was hailed with pleasure by
aHJmi bio ners on the 0conee, who would
seoretlysl nave yhfej0ioed' Jtof 10 hear
that 1.-THE owner was also drowned
forbthe 0 trouble -heI had given them :.
This o@as The' dfirst3sf and goylast
attempt made to nayigate the upper Oco-
nee, although we heard q gentleman preA
dict qply a-fe W, days ago that before many
year s. HAT Through means OF locks and
CANALS boats would be Tnnnfng as far up
as Athens. In the North there are
sm alAeEg streams than fhe OGpnee rem
deBeb naVigable, and now. that Congress
Hgappropf ated the mltniicent sum Off
$r,e90fas start on improving the fiveBS
we ntpok for great things. h Im