The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1888-01-14
"CIark and MlngO Creeks"
WILMINGTON. y. q. Dec. 10. rs

tin to careless statements and wreck
lessly written letters.
l believe myself qualified TO speak
upon this subject, because both streams
are within the limits of my river and
harbor district, and have both been
examined and reported upon by me
after examination by myself in person.
You say $4,000 was allotted for
these streams As matter of fact,
no money has yet been allotted for the
improvement of these streams, and
only about S4O0 for their examination
and survey.
The article says that ~Lient. Abbot
went down TO make the survey, and
began a search among the creeks and
inlets of the coast, and spent several
weeks in that labyrinth questioning
negroes aud whites without result
In matter of fact, Lieut.. Abbot's office
is in Charleston, S. c., and he was not
Obliged to step outside of his Office
during the search for these creeks, a
search naturally limited to an exami-
nation of the map of the State within
the geographical limits of his own dis
trict, and to inquiries made by writing
to Congressman who were supposed to
have asked for the examination and
survey of these particular streams.
Lieut.. Abbot, not being a native of
South Carolina, and having lived in
the State but a few years, could hardly
be expected to know the names of all
the rivers and creeks of the State, and
very naturally applied to persons
whom he supposed should have
known.
Congressman Aiken intimates that
Mingo creek and Clark's creek are
streams into whose dry bed water
must be dipped from elsewhere to es-
tablish commercial stream" In mat
ter of fact, the word "creek is a mis-.
nomer, since either of these two
streams wonld be called river by
Northcrners. examined 21 miles OF
Mingo creek by the aid of steam
launch, and found these p miles to
have an average width of 120 feet, and
an average dept of feet at low water
A steamer Of so feet length, 80 feet
width, 8 1-2 feet deep of hold, ant
about 80 tons burden was then making
bi-weekly trips over the greater par
OF this river and carrying about 1855,
900 worth Of goods per year between
that point and Georgetown, S. G., al
an average distance of 100 miles pei
round trip. Nlingo creek is in fact {
river of about 45 miles length, and 20(
square miles area of drainage basin
1t drains and serves as the main outle
of tract of country not traversed a
present by any railroad its exit to th,
Atlantic ocean is already well secured
by freely nayigable channel of a
least 400 feet width and 0 feet deep a
low water; its navigation at present i
obstructed only by sunken logs ant
"sways" and by overhanging trees
and the expenditure of few Thousand
dollars, say $4,000, would probably in
crease its commerce by $150,O00 eacl
year. Surely this is not "a creek int,
whose dry bed water must be dippc,
from elsewhere to establish CONNER
cial stream
Clark's creek is the local name fo
the southern outlet of Lynchc's creek
IL is never dry, and during the create
part of the year, as at present, fron
100 to 200 feet wide, and from 0 to 1
feet deep. Lynchc's creek is a streal
of about 100 miles length, and | 1,36
square miles of drainage basin, includ
ing good deal of very fertile lan(
The northern mouth of Lynche's cree
is not well suited to its use by boat
since it is so placed as to be yearl
blocked up by the driitwood of til
Great Pedce river, but Clark's creel
! the southern mouth of Lynch's creel
is SO placed that the proper expend
ture of few thousand dollars, sa
$1,000 will put Lynche's river in in
mediate communication with th
ocean and with ocean schooners an
steamers of 8 feet draft. Surely thi
is not q stream into whose dry be
water must be dipped from elsewhel
to establish q commercial stream
Clark's creek is a stream of revolt
tionary fame Black Mingo p. 0.
named in the L. S. Postal Guide bot
are within 100 miles of Charleston,
Z, and there appears to be no goo
excuse for their being unknown
prominent South Carlinians, such /
Congressman Aiken and the editor ,
+. the Charleston News and Courier.
Other Congressman and other PEI
pie know of both these streams an
their WORTH und as soon as il was di
: covered that the examination of the
streams had by mistake been assignc
to the wrong officer, the mistake WI
rectified, and the streams were promp
ly found and examined, with the r
suits above stated.
J, Since you have been misled in th
matter, and since your paper may thu
. mislead others, will you not CORE
thn VronU already dona ne for