The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-07-15
n. o. Daily Item. |


The Chattahoochee river, which gets its first
start in the world up in the northeast corner of
Georgia, zgzags across the State until it reaches
West Point, then makes itself useful by forming
the boundary line between the lower half of
Georgia and Alabama. On its way across Flor
ida it unites with the Flint river and from that
point is known as the Apalachicola river, taking
its name from the quaint old town which &C.
reney sits in the sand close by, where the river,
after rollicking on in its own way for $50 miles,
gives itself quietly into the embrace of the waters
of the Gulf as if that were the lover it had been
all the while seeking The Flint river carries
steamers safely far as cambridge, thirty-two
miles from the point where it loses its identity
in the Apalachicola. Those who ought to know,
and who are in for the old flag and an appropri-
ation," say that only money is needed 10 make
the Flint navigable to much greater distance;
but the most expert Munchausen could not in
vent an excuse for making appropriation for the
Chattahoochee above Columbus. Ga, the point
to which that river is navigable, but much might
be spent to advantage below that place. 1t is
$50 miles from Columbus to Apalachicola, and
it is claimed that no river in the United States
is more difficult to navigate The current is
not rapid-scarcely more than four or five miles
an hour-but the channel is very narrow
and the river bed so rocky and treacherous that
only thoroughly experienced pilots can be
trusted to take steamer through During the
past six months three boats have been SUNK two
for good and all. The Ellis, of the Peoples
Line, was in charge of brave, skillful men, and
though she struck in the night in a most danger
GUS part of the river they ran her TO shallow
water, thus avoiding terrific loss of life, and
strandng her at a point where she could be
raised She is now running in extra quick time,
specially for passenger traffic, and persons desir
ing to find new route by which to reach the
Land of Flowers" can't do better than
to come to the pretty little city of Columbus
and take passage on the Ellis
The principal towns on the river are Eufaula
Ala, and Fl. Gaines Ga, neither of them large
though doing considerable business. At Chatta-
hoochee connection may be made with the rail-
road which crosses north Florida from Pensacola
to Jacksonville, making a short cut between
| New Orleans and Florida points. This road is
operated as far as Chattahoochee by the Louis
| vile and Nashville, and the lands of the COM
pany are being most successfully doomed by Mr.
Chipley, the indefatigable and irrepressible agent
| The boats plying the Chattahoochee seem like
play house" boats to one familiar with those
which are run on the Hudson and the Missis-
sippi, but they are an important factor in the
| commercial interests of Columbus.
For the fiscal year ending June, 1885, the bust
ness done on the river amounted to $7,945 94S,
and that of the current year has exceeded last.
Competition in freight rates has been rather too
lively 10 insure fat dividends to the stockholders
| but it has proven a stuffed plum for Columbus.
One line of steamers is operated in the interest of
the Georgia Central Railway system, another in
that of the Plant Railway, both Of which are
competing for freight which enters or leaves the
| port of Savannah. A third competing line is
batting for road which intersects the river at
cambridge, and has its outlet oceanward at Fer
nandina, Fla This three cornered fight has
given Columbus exceptionally low freight rates
to Philadelphia and New York, as well as to
points down the river. 1t has enabled the Apa-
lachicolan TO purchase barrel of flour in Column
bus and have 1t delivered at his wharf for nick.
| ell. bale of cotton was carried $50 miles for q
quarter, and forty cents paid the freight on ton
of cotton seed meal for the same distance Ex-
tending north from Columbus for six or seven
miles the river flows over immense rocks. Be-
tween that city and West Point, distance of
thrty-hree miles, the fall is 362 feet, 1875 feet of
this being within three miles OF Columbus, fur
nishing water power which it would be diff
cult to excel Sufficient of this is utilized TO
drive 10000 spindles and 1000 looms, which
is only about one-tenth the capacity OF the nat
ural power.