The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-09-05
THE SAVANNAH RIVER,
lie rfcsty OF ruicrd Btoken By Georgia.


During the late excursion ofthe Grady
party down the Savar nah river, We heard
on every hand complaints from the people
about the Augusta daia stopping the run
ofshad. Before this obstacle was placed
in the river ahad fishing was g profitable
business, ard many men who owned
fisheries found them lar more profitable
than farms. Besides, they were great
comfort and convenience to the people,
for they were enabled, during tho run
ming season, to purchase all the fire fish
they wanted alta mere song: C-ten
wagon load was caught at single drag
of the seine. Not on,y was the Savan'
nah most abundantly supplied with shad,
but all the tributary streams, and even
small creeks, swarmed with them. Hun
dreds of people would turn out ard IN
few hours capture enough fish to ieed
county for days. -,
But as soon as Augusta built her
canal dam this business went b5 the
board, and shad becarae as scarce N the
upper waters as hens teeth. Not only
Profitable business vas destroyed, but
the people deprived of their chief luxury.
Every shad they ate had to be brought
from Augusta, and all extortlonate prlce
paid for It. The Savannah river shad le
considered up North the greatest dellca'
cy in the fish line, ard as the Augusta
dam proved an insuranountable obstacle
for the passage of th5se fish, OF course
those living below th;.t obstruction reap.
| ed all the benefits.
A 80. o.called fsh-way was placed in the
dam at Augusta, but :. shad had as well
try to scale the Eifel tower as pass
through it. The few fish thst male the
attempt were found iu the trays below
broken 10 pieces by tie force OF the cur
rent. -
There is no donbt about there being. q
great wrong perpetrated on the people
living on the upper " 4ters of the Sayan.
nah, by depriving them Of their fisher,
les, and 80 the Banne: editor determined
to investigate the matter aud see b5 what
right and authority city could block
| Inc CuduQel VI S1oo9 "ol0A So1S "
its individual benefit.
During our recent visit to Atlanta we
searched the State Library for allraports
bearing on this subject, and also % dis.
cover by what authority the Savannah
river was given entirely to Georgia;
After patient research among old vol,
umes, in which we were kindly assisted
by the efficient State Librarian, Capt.
John MilIedge, we were at last rewarded:
In Marbury and Crav fords digest, dated
1904 we'll worn volume and printed in
old style type, with the shaped Ike +
we found iThe Treaty of Buford," made
between the States of Georgia and-South
Carolina, in which document the question
| of the ownership of the Savannah river
was settled. This stream, together with
large territory that Carolina owned was
oft, we're given to Georgia, the line OF
| which State is defined to extend to the
South Carolina shoals. But there is a
provision to this treaty, and that Is that
the State of Georgia binds "itself to
keep forever open, frum its mouth to Its
source-at the confluence of the Seneca
and Tugalo-this stream for the free
passage of fish and buats."
This is solemn treaty made and ratl-
fed between these Two States, and in
closing the Savannah against the free
passage of fish-whicll the Augusta dam
certainly does-Gecrgia violates this
compact, and we believe that the people
of Carolina can force her to remove that
obstruction.
But it will not be necessary to- destroy
this important manufacturing enterprise
to re establish a channel for the rnIgra'
ton of shad. A fsh."ay can be made IN
the Augusta dam, by y hich the fnny tribe
can 20 up stream. This fsh.way Augusta
should be made by legislative enactment
to build, if it costs $4,000 CT more to
do 30. Such fsh.ways are successfully
used in many dams uo North. By per.
mittipg Augusta to blockade this great
river the Legislature aot only violates q
solemn treaty with neighborlnIg state
but also works injustice and hardship
on a large class of her own people.
Fish culture is now mcst important
matter. Mr.. Henry w. Grady tells us
that the u. S. Fish Commissioner stated
to him that he could raise more meat IN
the streams of Georgia, if they welo left
free of distractions, tEan the land could
produce. The immense population OF
China is chiefly fed OF fish, and thsre Is
no reason why our ow,, State should not
also enjoy this saving and luxury.
The Government Will stock any stream
| with fish where they bave free passage,
and SO soon as good tish-way is brilt in
the Augusta dam, we can have several
million young shad planted in the upper
waters Of the Savannah.
It is popularity Of the shad that it
will return the third year to the exact
spot where the young Ssh was first put
in the water. We hope that some mem.
Der of the present GEORGIA Legislature
will reopen this que.tion, and lat the
necessary steps be taken to enforce the
"Treaty of Buford, Or at least open q
fsh-way in the Augusta dam BY which
shad will have free passage up and down
the Savannah. 1t is right and just
| |=dfhcus Banner.