The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1905-11-22
Big RIVER DAM
CAUSE OF SUIT.
Restraining Order Secured
by Columbia Electric Co.
BIG DAMAGES WANTED
The INJUNCTION Order is ReturnabIe Be-
fore Judge Townsend at York
vile December Sth.

UNION, Nov. 18--A $4,000 damage
suit was today entered against the Un-
ion Manufacturing and Power Com
pany, by the Columbia Electric Street
Railway, Light and Power Company for
alleged losses sustained by them on ac-
count of low water caused by the big
dam at Meals Shoals.
A temporary injunction was also
granted this morning by Circuit Judge
Townsend returnable In Yorkville, De-
cember 8, at IL o'clock, as to why an
injunction should not be issued enjoin-
ing and restraining the Union Manu-
featuring and Power Company, it's
agents and servants from damming back
and holding the waters of Broad river
by means Of its dam constructed across
the said river from bank to bank,
which said damming and retaining does
not permit the usual and customary
flow of waters to the said river to pass
down to the Columbia dam canal and
water power station as it has hereto
fore been accustomed to do and why it
should not be enjoined until the further
order of this court from retaining said
waters turning them loose so that the
same flow in an excessive volume down
said stream and to plaintiffs said power
station and thereby necessarily waste
and interfere with the customary flow
of the water of the said river to which
the plaintiff is entitled.
1t is further ordered that the defend
ants be and same are hereby restrained
from any interference with the usual
flow of Broad river and from any acts
that shall in any way diminish the vol
ume of water or in any way interfere
with or injuriously affect the flow
thereof.
The plaintiffs are also allowed to
read in support of verified complaint
such affidavits with regard to detailed
facts concerning matters and things
alleged, as may be advised, provided
they serve copies two days prior to the
time fixed for the hearing.
Tee whole action it seems has been
caused by low water at Columbia,
since the completion of the big dam at
Meals Shoals built by the Union Manu-
featuring and Power Company, of
which T. C. Duncan is president. AS a
result of the low water yesterday one
hundred thousand spindles and three
thousand operatives in four mills in CO.
lumbia were idle and the street cars of
the entire city had to get their power
from another source.
The Union Manufacturing and Power
Company, was organized March 9th,
1908 under special charter granted by
the Legislature. The capital stock was
five hundred thousand dollars with
privilege of increasing to one million.
T. G. Duncan was elected president and
treasurer and has held that Office ever
since.
The dam referred to was only recently
completed after two years in con-
struction. 1t is 800 feet long and is one
of the biggest dams in the State. The
engineers of the plant were the w. B.
Smith Whaley Company, of Columbia
and Boston. From the company's power
house near by is to be generated cleo
tricity for operating of the mills and
other enterprises in this section.
1t is a we'll known fact that since the
great June flood two years ago Broad
river has been running much lower and
particularly the past few months.