The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-31
would have purchased, at any sum. the

~ PtooooiS SAPouuk-
ture of $500, 900, while there was lying
unused, and at an expensive cost to
maintain it, 10000 horse power or
more.
Besides the So. 900. which the
present owners paid before the execu-
ton of the deed to them, and which
went to complete tho canal, which was
in an unfinished condition when the
sale was negotiated, and which would
h&vo remained so without such pay
ment, because the board of trustees
had exhausted all of its funds and
means to carry it further, and the
500, 900 of bonds put up to secure the
interest, the company purchased be-
tween $50, 600 and 500, 900 of land for
sites for mills. They found that the
annual cost of the physical maintain
ance of the canal was from $1,000 to
$4,000, which would gradually increase
every year. The company also has had
to pay annually for the past four years
$l2, ZOO as interest, besides maintain
ing its organization and other things
necessary to build up its property aid
induce persons TO invest in Columbia.
With this burden on their hands, they
tried for year or so to sell the water
power to Do applied directly, but
owing e. thc condition o. affairs, il was
Impossible 10 lease :ac power ut any
vcnuu"rctive rate. I:ut fortunatcir 1t
wns asccrta!ued that the water could he
ISrd TO generate electrical power,
which cOuld be sold much cheaper
than the use OF the water directly, or
steam, or any other motive power in the
South. They, therefore, had to aban-
don the attemp. to lease their power
for Use directly, and as pioneers in the
movement for the use OF electrical
power, they have succeeded in having
located here the Columbia mills, a
corporation with a capital of 100000
IL which the individual stockholders of
the Columbia Water Power company
hold ma jority OF the stock. This
new use OF power having proven sue
cessiul, and being compelled to ahan
don attempts to use the water power
directly. although they had available
sites for the erection of mills, the com
pany some months ago prepared, and
are now ready t. erect large powo"
station 10 use al Of the water power
that the canal cnu furnish at Gervuis
street.
This power station will probably
cost something in the neighborhood of
$500, 900 when com rleted. The price
at which such power will be furnished
Is SO low as compared with what devel-
opcd power can be obtained elsewhere
for as naturally to attract en-
terprises to Columbia and thus enable
the purchasers of the canal to utilize
their property which heretofore they
h&fi,in vain attempted to lease. While
on the eve of this undertaking, this
resolution is introduced, and may, un
fortunately, have the effect of destroy
ing the confidence of those engaged in
th1 enterprise, and while it is pending
may cause the suspension of all fur
thcr operation. With this power sta
ton, all the mills that can be in
hUced to come to Columbia in the next
:cw years can be easily supplied at II
cheaper price than steam or water
Besides this electrical station will open
up the country within rudiuus Of
% miles for manufacturing purposes.
where the investor may select his own
location for any enterprise he may de-
sire to start and will not be confined
to the banks of the canal which from
its situation, necessarily is in many
respects objectionable as location,
aud it will also enable the city to OBJ
tain power with which to operate its
concerns.
at will readily be seen that after
the failure ofthc company to do any
thing in the way of inducing investors
10 lease its power to be applied direct
ly, and after the large amounts it has
expended and already invcsted in the
canal, to be required now to eXpcnd
something like $500, ,O0D to develop
more water power which they could
not use or lease wou!l be asking the
company to do something wholly I'M
reasonable and which, too, would re-
Gulre them to abandon the erection of
the electrical power station-thc only
means by which the company has as
certained that it can utilize the power.
while l feel perfectly confident of
what would be the result of the inves-
tigation and report ofthe attorney gen
cral, still there are legal questions in
volved as to which different views
might be taken, and unfortunately
might involve litigation, which would
certainly be disastrous to the company,
sS well rs to the community. and
which might be necessary for tn" COM
pany to resort to in order to preserve
:ts property and possibly its existence.
How il can be the interest of any citi.
zen OF the State To cacourGg" tins per-