The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-01-01
ANDERSON'S SEVEREST BLOW.
The Power Company's Dam at Pcrtman
Swept Away...Earle's Bridge Gone.

through one Of the greatest calamitics
which has ever confronted them.
Sunday night last, at eleven o clock,
the electric current which lights the
entire city ceased suddenly to flow
and as suddenly darkness "reigncd
supreme.
Information soon reached the city
that the dam Of the Anderson Water,
Light and Powar Co. at Portman
Shoals had washed away. This infor-
nation was credited by very few at
first, but, when little later it was
officially confirmed, it was terrible
shock to the entire citizenship.
The terrible calamity, following
disaster of this nature, can be under
stood when it is stated that, in addi-
tion to lighting tae city, this company
furnished power to cotton mills here
employing about eighteen hundred
hands, and distributed 25O horse
power among various other industries
of the city.
Hundreds Of people are out of work,
the streets at night are in total dark
ness, and the private residences are
but dimly lighted by lamps and can
dies.
Portman Shoals, where this dam is
located, is situated nine miles west of
this city, on Seneca River. The elec-
trio plant erected there, which in
cludes machinery, dam, buildings,
&c, represent an outlay Of about
&400, 900. Thirty-three hundred horse.
power was furnished the city. The
dam is $40 feet long, A feet at high.
est point and 81 feet and inches at
base. The rule for the construction
OF dams being that the base should be
two thirds Of the heighth, it will be
observed that margin of safety of
ten per cent had been provided for in
the construction Of this dam.
The volume of water was SO great
that two hundred feet of the center of
this dam Of solid masonry has been
washed away. 1t was frst thought
that the dam was gone entirely to the
b tom, but il is now believed that
sen Soet Of the base remains; il this
be true, the cost Of repairs will not be
90 great. Viewing matters in their
gloomiest aspects, it is thought that
the repairs on the dam will not exceed
935, 1000.
Almost in an instant after the dam
was swept away the power house was
flooded with thirteen feet Of water.
This house contains all the machinery,
and whether this machinery has been
ruined is problematical. tits thought
it can be dried ont and replaced at a
nominal cost; if not, and it is ruined,
it entails an additional loss of $780,
600, which represents the cost.
No very intelligent estimate OF the
Aoss can now be made, but in any
event, the damages, entire, will be re-
paired at once.
The Board of Directors met Mon
day, and as result Of this meeting
the Flint Building and Construction
Co., of Palmer, Mass, the largest
construction company in the world,
was telegraphed to, and the Superin-
tendent, with an expert, will reach
here Friday.
Nothing is being left undone by the
President, DR.. 8. NJ. Orr, to put mat.
ters back in original shape, and in
this he has the hearty cooperation Of
ell interested in the plant.
The immediate plans of the Ander-
son Water, Light and Power Co. are
outlined as follows by President Orr:
An engine bas been telegraphed for
and will be placed at the Orr Cotton
Mile, and the boilers of that mill used
for the engine; generator, owned by
the Anderson Cotton Mills, and now
here, will be moved and set in motion
by this engine, and in two weeks the
city will be lighted and all it's minor
industries supplied with power.
At Portman an attempt will be made
to put in "false dam," or cofferdam,
and generate power sufficient to run
the cotton mills. President Orr
thinks this can be accomplished in
about two months.
1t may be we'll &c say, at this point,
that since the disaster at Por.man,
the President, DR.. S. Nj. Orr, has re-
oeived kilograms Of sympathy and
offers of assistance from many of the
States, aud his friends at home have
been so prompt in expressions of
kindness and offers of support. that
he requests us to thank them, and to
say that he feels very grateful and