The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-06-24
The Toxaway Dam.

1t is learned here on unGuestiOned
authority that the Southern Railway,
the Blue Ridge Railroad and the An
dersOn Water, Light and Power Com
damage in the event of any serious
break in the TOxaway dam, will send
engineers to the Sapphire country to
make careful examination Of the
structure. So many conf. citing reports
have been received in Greenville about
the dam that it is impossible to form
any adequate idea as to it's strength
and holding powers without an inves-
son, therefore. that the he 10 comnanies snS ii
whose property would be at the mercy
of the Hoods, are determined to secure
an official report on the subject. OFF,
hand opinion by men not capable of
giving the views of an expert, will not
be sufficient.
The Toxaway dam is 81 miles in cir
cum1erence. In many places the wa
ter is nifty rect deep. Should this
would be another Johnstown horror.
1t would crush the Seneca river tres
ties on the Southern and Blue Ridge,
into kindling wood and it would sweep
away The dam at POrtman Shoals, near
Anderson, which is considered the most
powerful structure of tho kind in the
State. The wild rush of water would
tlnd an outlet in the Savannah river
an ana would flood the city of Augusta.
Ihele is so much at stake, 80 many
thousands Of acres of farming land to
be destroyed, that the people who
stand TO lose everything will not feel
secure until they receive the informa-
tl0n which will be supplied by engi-
neers OF ability and integrity. There
ls ls no desire to ipjure tho owners Of
IOxaway, but men whose millions can
the truth And they expect to get this
at any cOet.
according TO newspaper and other
reports, the dam is .mightily built of
it is claimed that nothing stronger
than bed of earth holds the billions
and billions Of tons of water.
1t would make the head Of the aver
ege man dizzy to speculate on the aw-
full devastation which would follow,
should the waters Of Toxaway seek an
outlet to the level Of the sea. Every
bridge and railroad trestle on Seneca
river would disappear. The county
bridges on KeOwee would be picked up
like corks, and the farmers would lose
everything for miles along the river
banks. Portman Shoals furnishes
power for three cotton mills in Ander-
.~'' N"RRAAoo PuUuC duu pT1V6to lIRQCc
ing plants, and turns the wheels in
numerous. industrial plants. The
POrtman dam has the strength of Gi-
braltar, but it would be frail and weak
should tho mad waters of Toxaway
break from their bounds. This dam
age alone can hardly be estimated.
Tho savings of life time in the valley
regions would simply be ruined by any
serious trouble in the mountains.
Little River, q feeder of the Seneca,
would not be able to run in it's usual
way, and waters would back up and
damage the splendid property near the
NeWry cotton mill.
The entire Country along the streams
which have their fountain head In the
sapphire country, were alarmed in the
recent storm days when reports came
tnat Toxaway was doomed. For near
~ twenty-fOur hours the suspense was
terrible. The people realized what a
calamity Of that kind would mean, and
there was rejoicing when it was known
tnat @ the dam structure was intact.
Since that time. however, the owners
OF property which would be at the
mercy OF any overflow, have seen the
lmportance Of making an yestiRa-
tion.. This is the only way by which
the situation can be relieved, and If it
Is shown that the darn is unsafe, there
must be some remedy at law which
will give the people the protection
they deslre.-Greenvile News.