The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-06
THE FIRST TIDAL POWER.
Used in Carolina to Pound Rice Sew
enty Years Ago.


enty Years Ago.
The efforts being made on Narragansett
Bay, r. l., and at Los Angeles, Cal, and
at Niagara Falls to harness tides and
waves to the wheels of modern industry
recall the time, three-quarters of a CEN
fury ago, when rice was pounded on the
Waccamaw river, in South Carolina. IN
mills dependent upon the tides for their
motive power. This was then the only
tidal power in the United States.
A typical mill of the kind was situated
about seven miles from Georgetown, on
the Oak Hill plantation, which belonged
to the fine old Alston fami1y-the family
of Washington Allston, the celebrated
painter, who married the sister of Rich
ard Henry Dana, and of Joseph AlI-
ston, governor, who married Theodosia,
daughter of Aaron Burr 1t is proable
that one Of the Allstons personally de-
signed the mill, for they were progress
sive people, and the old-school gentle
man of South Carolina, who sent his
sons to Europe to be educated, had
them take courses in engineering as we'll
as in art and letters. The Allston mill,
known locally as the "Double-geared
MILL" was possibly the first of its kind
in the state. 1t was certainly the last;
for it was destroyed by the West Indian
hurricane of 1898, which swept over the
sea islands with such devastating fury.
The machinery, however, had long since
ceased to revolVe, for the emancipation
of the slaves had taken away the only
labor with which the slow and crude
apparatus could be prof tably operated.
The immense rice fields at Oak Hill,
surrounded by dixie, served as the stor-
age reservoir. The mill was on the en-
bankment at the rivers edge, with the
rice fields behind it. The only inlet into
the field at pounding time was pit un-
der the mill, in which there were two
water wheels. one geared to run the ma
chinery as the rising tide rushed into the
field, and the other geared to run 1t as the
receding tide brought the level of the river
below the level of the water in the field.
From this fact the mill took its name, the
Double geared mill" There were several
other plants operated in a similar man
ner erected later, but they had only one
water wheel. and hence did not approach
In dignity the "double-geared' one.
As may be imagined, the power gener-
ated did not amount to a great deal, as
measured by horsepower units. 1t took
a long time to pound the crop. But labor
was cheap time was plenty, and the mas
ter, having barrels of money, did not
need to hurry the crop to market. One
was needed for the next one, and 1t would
make no difference.
A feature of the 'double-geared milf
| and one which probably cannot be found
in any similar building in the country,
| was its stairways. They would have
graced a mansion. There were TWO
| flights, leading to the immense loft, -
upon whose polished floor a harvest BAH
was given each year. The stairways-
| steps, posts. newels-were of solid black
walnut with carving where 1t was pos
| sible for carving to show to advantage.
| The loft was panelled with black wal
| nut and the floor was of solid oak. 1t
was a ballroom used for warehouse pur-
poses except one day and night in the
year.
| 1t is of present as we'll as historical in
| terest to note that this remarkable old
| tide-driven mill stood almost within sight
| of the mansion in which Lafayette spent
| his first night upon American soil. The
| histories and biographies are very indefi-
mite with regard to Lafayettes landing in
! this country Some of them say he landed
at Georgetown; others say it was near
| Georgetown. The fact is that he came
| ashore in surf boat and landed on the
| beach in Prince George Winyah parish
to the southwark of Pawley's Island
| Thence he was conducted across the mar
row neck of land intervening to Prospect
Hill. the mansion of the Huger family.
| This mansion was one of the finest OF
the magnificent old colonial homes in the
| Carolinas surrounded by grounds of the
| area of a mile, planted in the midst of a
splendid oak grove, fanked on one side
| by the slave quarters. or village" and
! fronting on a gentle slope leading to the
| rice fields and the river. The internal
/ economy of the little community was com
| plete, even to the plantation church
| which, in picturesque ruins a few years
| ago, has now disap peared. The mansion
| however stands and is occupied. And il
| preserves to this day its air of distinction
| Notwithstanding IL is the worse for the
| ravages of time. it's owners being in cir
! cumstances greatly differing from those
| enjoyed by its occupa nts of other days.
| The lordly old oaks remain. swinging theil
| long, gray boards of moss as if in pleas
ant rumination upon the departed glorieS
| of long ago.
venison for dinner on the evening of his
arrival at Prospect Hill aud later strolled
| through the avenues of oaks and listened
| to the singing of the SLAYER In their quar-
! ters. However that may be, It is certain
| that on that evening the basis Of the sin.
| cere self-sacrifcing and lifelong friend
| ship between the Marquis and Francs Kin.
| loch Huger was formed. It v i'll be recall.
ed that Hugers daring and brilliant res
| cue of Lafayette from the dunA con of the
! Austrian fortress at Olmutz, after his lone
/ confinement and ill-usage therein, is one
/ of the most romantic and thrilling in the
| history Of those romantic days.
Louis A. Beatty.
] -s-~a-s-
A notice given TO Harvard College OBJ