The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-02-01
(rron the Columbia Daily Record.)


tn. statement, without fear of successful
contradiction, that two-ihirds Of the citi-
Zer of Columbia and three fourths of the
population of South Carolina have no ade-
qua;e conception Of the navigerous posi-
tiii,ies of the Congarce River. Too many
have long considered it in no light but that
of muddy, rock bottomed stream, inca,
pabie of being put to practical use.
The writer has hitherto belonged to the
great arny of ignoran!s, who have hcen
unaware of the grand opportunities for the
city of Columbia and the Palmetto State,
wrapped up and lying dormant in the
uliginous waters that lave the limits Of the
Queen City of the South, and awaiting
| only the 1ltau sparks Of ENTERPRISE and
ENERGY TO tranSmute them into vivifying
elements of progress Tie events OF YES.
terday have lifted the scales from my eyes
and sec hat rot half Of that rivers grand
| forces hare ever been known.
These preliminary remarks have been
suggested by a "trip down the COngarcc,
| given by the Columbia Board OF Trade to
a number of guests, Of whom the writer
had the honor Of being one.
WHY AND WHEREFORE.
For some time the Columbia Board of
Trade have devoted their attention to the
Coagarec River as a source of water power
and as tie most potent adjunct in the fu
.urc greatness of this city. They have re-
earde.! it as par excellence the means
whereby Columbia is to take her place
among the cities OF the South. They have
done more They have acied upon thcil
belief and, as will hereafter be shown,
have been instrumental in work that viii
live after them.
On several occasions the South Carolina
| Steamboat Company have rendered The
3 ard Of Trade the use of their steamer fol
the purpose Of seeing and mprehcnding
the possibilities If Cougarce River naviga
ton Hclc WAS the opportunity to show tc
Columbia. and through her to the world
| her ersat treasure of hitherto unused water
power Accordingly an excursion was ar
ranged for yesterday, and the Board issued
| invi; at;ous to 4 number Of gentlemen tC
accompany them and have their eye;
opened.
LEAVING THE CITY.
We left the City Hall at 8 80, comfort
ably cnSconced IN carriages and buses
/ Just before leaving !ain began to fall, In
ducing sevc:al gentlemen 10 remain behind
and tue excursionists to fear that bad day
had been selected. Not so, however, fol
| the rain. gcd soon wiped his sudatory brow
! and before Old Grauby Was reached the
c eemealal flood gates had been closed.
TIE PERSONNEL. OF THE PARTY.
The excursiouiStS included the following
! gentlemen:
From tic Beard of Trade c. J. Ircdell
PrcsiGentaR NJ. And rson, Secretary; +
W. Wing and Jasper Miller, cf tie EXccu
; tive Committee and the following members
Gco X Wright, T. +. Brapigau, Philil
! NIotz. u. II. Crawford, n. w. Trump
George l.. Baker, NJ A. Marklcy, J. II
] Manckc, J c. Stanley, T. c. Robertson
d. l.. Boozer. w. H. Gibhes, Jr., P. &
Lorick, r. n Richbourg, and William
| Robinson.
Gucsts: Governor j. p Richardson, EX
President S. A Penrce Of the Board O.
/ Trade Who clne from his home IN Gcorsi;
for this special purpose. Col. l.. Z. Mile
. OF Gcarse,own; Col 7. J. Lipscomb, Req.
! reseLta,iye B. t. Abney, Frederick Condit
; w. J. Kcenan, Dr. Bird Miller, E. NJ
Bray;on, Allen Jones, A. \ VoS, Josepl
Bates and John S. Bates of Wateree River
/ c. N Olsen, a. T. McCants, n. G. Got
zrl.s of tie Nears and Courier, J. Wilson
! G;bbes of The EVENING RECORD.
\: 10 O'Clock the party reached CRANKY
three miles fro L Sale House, wher. they
found The boat awaiting them. On boar(
we're Capt. W. H. BiXby, of the Unjtet
States Eli sinecr Corps, having charge O
the river ana harbor Improvements in Sou;i
Carolina, Assistant Engineer Reid Whit
ford, and Capt: W Cannon. United State
Inspector OF lIul!s for Charleston District
who was there for the purpose Of inspec;
+! ing the steamer and Issuing: pe-mit fo
F.; the excursion.
| Preparatory to the start the eXcursionist
enjoyed themselves in viewing the situation
and examining the boat.
TIE JOHN N. COLE
| is a high pressure, side-whccl steamer, will
a length of 125 feet, width of 45 feet, ha
about five feet depth of hold, and draws
| four f, ct wLco deep loaded. Her steel hui
was made in sections at Wilmington, Della
wsrc, and put together with the uppcI
woodwork III Char lesion in 1886. She has
a tornsse capacity Of PIT, and can carry
go bales of cotton. Yesterday she was
! loaded with resin She is commanded BY
Capt T. c. David, Master, and belongs &
the South Care lima Steamboat Company.
This boat runsin connection with simi
lar steamer belonging to tie sane company
the carIyin ins capacity Of wh!ch is abou
! l 00O bales OF cotton. This latter slcamej
makes regular weekly trips from Charles
ton to The Con.arce bridge Of South Caro-
lima Railway Company, where She rccsive
freight by transfer from the John M. Cole
10 aud frcin al: points on the Congaree aut
Santec Rivers to and from Charleston ant
! Columbi".
| Down the Co2ssree.
Al forty minutes past ten the whistle
! blew, the boat was cast from its noorines
and away The steamer sped down the Con
garee, making eight knots au hour.
For several miles the course of the river
was Il straight southeast aud revealed ;
beauty tia; was undrcam,d Of in tie eX
cursioui>ls' philosophy. The eNpansc q
water Il looking down the forest, girde(
vista, the clear channel devoid Of rocks
through which the boat was bowling along
and the occasional Shrek Of tie whis!l,
conjured up l.ew feelings in the hearts OF
the party who were
EXPERIENCING \ REVELATION.
The scene en- r0yGce was indeed a sur
| Drisr and many were the clad cXrresSiOn: