The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-05-27

section was really an island which had
been adopted as the river wall OF the
Canal. 1t had group oftall pine trees
upon it and was the site Of the new
water-works. 1t had brayed all former
freshcts and made high enbankmcnt,
three times as broad ut the top as the
Charleston Battery. But not being rip
raped, and being infringed UPON by
two previous streams. it soon began TO
melt away.
at 0.30 this morning the first breach
was made and the waters Of the river
and Canal met. The houldcrs in the
Canal still turned the current upon the
lower section whcrcon the water-works
were located, and gradually the bank
was eaten away, the red clay dropping
in huge masses into the boiling water as
the island was undermined. When the
representative of the News and Courier
reached the spot shortly after noon, the
break in the Canal bank was hundred
feet wide and the island was melting up
like loaf sugar in bubbl;ng tea cup.
By noon dozens Of hacks and buggies
had concentrated upon the Gelger mill
hill overlooking the island, and one or
two hundred people were watching its
rapid dslntegration. Messrs. Hennies
and Boucher, photographers, had a
camera on the hill and took several good
views of the picturesque scene. Ladies
in numbers occupied the carriages and
took mental impressions. Alderman
w. B. Lowrance. chairman Of the water
works committee of the city council.
climbed partly over the Canal on the
water mains and swan from the point
where they were submerged. He reach
ed the island, made reconnaissance
and returned with news that the works
were doomed. Cheers greeted him
when he emerged from the water. a
dozen big pine trees on the island had
been washed down. Only three were
left and those were deep in the water.
Bets were made as when the water
works would go.
At l.lO =. M. the island had been
dissolved as far down as the porch OF
the upper building containing the engine
and part Of the porch was swept away.
BY / 10 p. NJ. the roof of the porch fell
in. l.55 the main door of the building
was burst by the force Of the water and
the structure began to settle. Five
minutes later, the current having caught
the outward wall, the building topplcd
over and went down with a crash.
The roof mad a cupola, and as it sailed
maiestically down stream with this
cupola rising from its centre and the
Of tfe nyine still project
mo from the top at an angle OF torty-!lvc
degrees, it bore marked resemblance
to q turreted monitor with big pivot
gun on deck. In this shape it bore down
on the Congaree bridge. and the people
from the commanding emiucncc. watch
cd for the collision. Luckily the mon
itor had no ram. The turrct struck the
bridge and was knocked to pieces: and
the disabled craft went .jolting harmless
ly down the Congarec. The sensation
was over and the crowd thinned out.
During the entire afternoon the hacks
were very busy conveying slsht-seers to
the Canal bank. The second house con-
tainiug some pumping machinery, was
reached later in the day. and was lodged
bodily against some sunken trees i'll the
stream. \ third structure, the last on
the island, was this evening partly pro-
tected by a concrete reservoir, but will
probably disappear by monrlny with the
rest Of the island. The destruction OF
the watcr-works is great blow in the
city. They cannot be replaced for
$4,000. and besides the valuable and
site they occupied is being
obliteratcd. The old watcr-works, upon
which Columbia must now rely, cannot
furnish more than a third Of the water
now consumed i'll the city, and hcEe we
arc at the beginning Of the heated term
with water famine in prospect.
The status Of the Canal is this There
are five crcvasses. one at the upper ter
minus of the earth work, another oppo-
site Cemetery Hill. the water-wOrks
crcvassc, a fourth at the grcat waste
weir, and the last opposite the Pcnitcn-
tiary wall at a point where the old water
wheel used to be. They are constantly
and none seem to be less
than hundred feet wide. The newer
carthwork on the inner side Of the river
wall is washing out very fast. The
riprap on the river front is holding out.
but as far down rs the waste weir there
is no telling what will be Lett besides
those rocks.
The city bridge across the Canal at
the watcr-works is gone. 1t cost about
five hundred dollars. The bridge over
the Canal opposite the pcnitentiary has
also been washed away. The prellmi-
nary rock work for the river wall cXtcn-
ding about two hundred yards above
Cemetery Hill. is safe and solid. Its
presence is marked by a broad streak Of
foam. Engineer Lee, who accompanied
the Reporter along the Canal. estimated
at . o'clock that the damage to the
Canal was equivalent to about five
thousand dollars, two-thirds Of which
was represented by labor, rs the wash
inw was of carthwork, not more than ~