The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-05-26
Wednesday, May 26, 1886.
Not Much Of n Shower. After All.

The accounts from the upper portions of the
State indicate serious injury from the recent
unprecedented floods. We are prepared to
hear dolcful tales But, after ali. we know
enough of such things to know that twenty
days hence people viii, he surprised to know
how little damage has been done. We do not
mean TO make light Of the serious character
of the visitation. All we are intent on is to
impress our people with the plain fact that,
after all, nothing is SO bad as it looks at first
sight.
tliers to the shock of battle when it would
seem that not a man would bc left to tell the
tale.
so far as our own city Is concerned. it is for
tunately so situated as never TO Sutrcr any
men ntionable harm from great floods.
We have often heard that many long years
ago the waters rose SO as &c be seen from Main
street. We presume that must have been the
crent Harrison fresh" of 1911. The next great
flood was in 1852. when the GcrvniS street
bridge was expected to 60. and again the Sher-
be much, if anything. short OF 1852 and 1865.
The greatest damage it will intict vii be on
the canal works. Breaking through the Golfer
dam at the head Of the works, the raging flood
rushed down the canal and has made several
brecches in the outer bank. 1t is impossible
Vet Il, tell the full extent of tho damage done
Upon an Inspection we are isr rom tnlnkins
the damage Suc4a as TO seriously cripple the
work. When the waters abate ii viii be Icand
that even where bleeches have been made
Sact, OF the work remains below. We would
cost to put everything to rights again, lest the
$malne<s of the amount we would name
should provoke ridicnlc. We will be content
TO wait in patience until tie waters abatc nnd
the engineer of the WORK has an opportunity
10 estimate the same rom tic standpoint OF
an expert.
So far as the city watcrwcrks is concerned,
although the engine iioliSc was undermined
and Il raging food is now rushing where 1t
Dnce stood on firm ground, yet VIC know all
the expensive plant is below the water and
1sf rnnf nt,1
part 'of the inexpensive building has been
Washed away. Put it all together it is small
matter. save that 1t will sorely interfere for a
time With our water supply.
back 1T all, what would we say if q cyc.one
had passed over our city as struck over
charleston. \ city exempt, as we have been.
from untoward disaster of any kind should be
rhary of murmuring at the present compara-
lively trit1ing loss. We see nothing to dis
courage grown men.-Rc0iste'.
That our readers may see how lightly oui
friend, the Register, regards the washing away
of a large part Of the Columbia Canal, we pub
lish the above. OF course no human being
c;ln estimate the actual loss to the canal, and
we presume the actual cost of repairing it will
never be known, even if the Legislature
should continue the foolish and unconStitu-
tional waste of the peoples money on this
Stupendous folly.
The Register says it will be content to wait
tor the engineers estimate of the damages.
This IS wise; but if the engineers estimate Of
cost is no more correct than his calculations
against fres3setS, the Press aud Banner will
tuke very little stock even in the engineers
estimate.
The opinion OF a man who cannot get his
work TO stand untn finished, is neither IL safe
engineer nor q reliable calculator.
1t may be said that big freshets do not come
,often. True enough, but we can't afford to re-
build the canal every ten yearS-just for the
accommodation of Columbia.
We are glad that the Register rejoices that
some marks or vestige Of the big ditch still re-
InainS. The Press and Banner, too, is glad
that some of it was left The Slate is interest
,ed In having at least enough left to make a
3asting monument to the folly Of the wise
2ncn who voted away the peoples money for
its erection.
For sixty years the State of South Carolina
has been spending money on the Columbia
ditch and yet no good has returned to the
people.
The washing away of the Columbia canal is
the only blessing that has been conferred b.
the recent freshet.