The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-01-02
A LOOK AT THE CANAL.

ALOOK AT THE CANAL.
What is Being Accomplished and How 1t 1.
Being Done-The Convict Camp.
(From the Columbia Record,
As one goes up the G. s G. Railroad
track, about mile beyond the negro ceme-
terry, he comes to turnout from the main
track, which, if he will follow about fifty
yards, will bring you to McMaster's quarry.
Here eighteen convicts, watched by three
guards, work ten hours day getting out
stone 10 be used on the canal.
The quarry is owned by Col. McMsster
and Dr. Miller, but contractors Rice and
Coleman have lease to work it, and COM
menced to quarry the stone on the 22nd of
November last, but as the railroad track,
leading there to, has not yet been put in
condition for train 10 run upon, none OF
the rock has been removed and two large
piles of it show the amount quarried since
then.
All of the corvicts at work here are SEN
fenced for life and have thoroughly learned
10 cut stone at the Penitentiary. The
State is paid onedollar per day apiece for
them.
About half way between this point and
the Broad River Bridge is where the steam
sh vel is at work. The dirt is taken up by
the shovel and dumped in fiat Car, which
whcn filled is pulled by railroad engine
up track, laid in the bed of the canal, to
the places where it is needed. Much work
has been accomplished by this means in the
last few months. Il is an interesting sight
10 See the huge box-like shovel take up
about cubic yard of earth and then swing
round on a craze and empty itself into the
Hat car.
Leaving this. and passing under the
bridge. and going three quarters OF mile
farther up the head of the canal is reached
At the point known as Bulls Sluice the
dam reaching across the river is to begin
and the water to flow into the canal. This
is the point where the bank OF the canal
| ueX5 to the river is to begin. OF this bank
here beginning as at the apex of ', with
the apex pointing up the river, two rock
walls are being constructed, one to protect
the river bank Of the canal from the water
ia the river and The other from the water in
the canal.
The rock work is to be about fifteen feet
high and there will be riprap work above
this, making the whole height Of the wall
about thirty feet.
From near the apex Of the rcck work Il
crib dam will be built and extended 70 y
small island in the river and from the
island 10 the other side Of the river. This
dam will be seven feet high and is to turn
the river water into the canal. "a crib dam
is one made of upright posts set close to
ge:her.)
Parallel with the rock wall spoken of, on
the inside of the canal about fifty feet dis
tant, another rock.wall will be built, and
between the two will be lock 10 allow
ooets coming down the river to pass into
the canal From this latter wall 10 the
land bank of the canal there will be dam
through which there will be dozen food
GATES by which the how of water into the
caual will be regulated. Above this dam
there will be buck water, afording room
for a large number OF boats to await their
turn to go through the lock, when great
number come down the river at one time.
The width of the canal at this point Is To
be $50 feet but will narrow until five or six
hundred feet down, it will be only ITO feet
wide.
Rice s. Coleman have the contract of
doing the rock work here and also large
amount of earth work. They employ only
free labor here and have about one hun.
,!red hands at work, In. tht woods near,
by they have put up numerous cabins,
which they allow their laborers to use free
Of charge.
They also have a commissary depart
meut, in which will be found q line OF
goods, somewhat better than is usually to
be had in country grocery store. THESE
they sell at market prices to their employ
ees. They get their whole stock Of goods
from hemerchants in the city feeling that
such is due to the nearest town or city to
which they may be located.
Contractor Hardin takes up the earth
work where Rice s Coleman leave of. He
has se7enty-three conVicts at work, and
they are watched by seven guards. Work
is commenced here at about seven o'clock
in the morning and stopped at five in the
afternoon.
The convicts are well housed and well
fed. They sleep in strong stockade,
which is kept clean and comfortable. Each
convict eats about five eighths OF pound
of meat and quart of meal day, besides
turnips, greens, etc. On national holidays
they are given coffee and 4 few other lux
uries. Their treatmont is kind and they
have nothingsto complain Of.