Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-08-04
GREAT CATAWBA FALLS.
Another Proposed Effort to Develop
Magnificent Water Power.
Col,p,hio Sfofo SATURDAY.

Another proposed EuOrI !" DetoioP .
Magnificent Water Power.
Columbia State, Saturday.
If plans that are now in course ot
preparation are carried through sue
cessfully there will be general rejoic'
ing very soon among the people OF the
towns of Rock Hill, Chester, Winns'
boro and Lancaster, and those towns
will become electric towns of some
note. At this time it looks very much
as if the canal which the state OF
South Carolina began to construct at
Catawba Falls way back in 1880 for
the purpose of devoting the magnif-
cent water power there is to be com.
pleted and a cotton factory erected
upon its banks. 1t also looks as if an
electric power plant will be located
there before the third day of January,
1908, and power will be transmitted to
the towns named above, each about 20
miles distant.
The state sinking fund commission
has had the matter before it for some
time, and at yesterdays session it was
decided to sign q deed, the terms OF
which, if carried out by the parties to
whom it will be given, mean that be-
fore the date named above those parties
must invest at least $150,000 in cot
ton mill or factory manufacturing some
other commodity and plant for the
generation of electricity to be trans
mitted to the adjacent towns. That
this will be done, there seems to be no
doubt whatever.
The old canal, only a very small
portion of which was completed, is
located just where the lines of the
counties of Fairfield, Lancaster and
Chester converge. The water power
is said to be one of the best in the
south. Investors have many times had
their eyes upon it, and endeavored to
get possession of the property to devel-
op it. One of the original projects was
to run a railroad line out to the falls
from Winnsboro or Chester. If the
present plan is carried out this also
will very likely be done.
All of the land adjacent to the canal
right of way is owned by Mrs. Susan
A. Boyleston, of Winnsboro. Some
time ago she received proposition
from certain capitalists which caused
the matter to come before the sinking
fund commission. Mrs. Boyleston a
short time ago asked the state sinking
fund commission to make her deed
to this property, to be held by her, her
heirs and assigns so long as the condi-
tions imposed were carried out. The
capitalists wished to take property
from her and complete the canal. In
accordance with her petition a deed
was drawn up by the attorney general
which transfers the property to Mrs.
Boyleston, her heirs and assigns on
consideration of the payment of 81 200
on or before January 8, 1908, and upon
the condition that by that date $780,
600 be invested in the erection OF a
factory for the manufacture of cotton
goods and an electric plant for che
transmission of electrical power to
neighboring towns; in case of failure
to comply with any of the terms OF
the deed the deed becomes null and
void and the property, which is now
of no value to the state, reverts to the
state. The sinking fund commission,
in view of the fact that, undeveloped,
the property is worthless to the state,
and the further fact that the deed
could be so drawn as to fully protect
the state, considered the petition IA
vorably.