The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-08-08

An Important Channel OF Commerce.
Neglected by tie Government.
NIat its Improvement Would Mean.

Mat ITS Improvement NOaiid Mean.
/. The report of Capt. G.. z. Howell IS .
a document filled with interest, and of
that kind Of interest which affects men
and things in large relations.
1t is not strange that incongruities
are found, and one so great that it re-
quires elaborate explanation, but it
may be said, without in any way re-
fiecting Oh Capt. Howell's recognized
ability and zeal in prosecuting the
work under his care. This refers to
the fact that while it is stated that
there is only $4,000 left for work on
Waccamaw river, the commerce last
year exceeded in value two millions of
dollars.
The most casual reader would think
this required explanation, and that the
commerce of the river was out of all
proportion to the amount to be expend-
ed in improving it. He would be struck
dumb with amaZement if he knew also
that i'm all, during the tw~enty-seyen
years the government has been improy-
ing Waccamaw river, there has been
spent oil it only about Ii hundred
thousand dollars. This would be some
thing under -four thousand dollars an
nually for the largest river in the Car
Olinas, whose entire naVlgable length
exceeds W. hundred miles, and whose
commerce in one year exceeded two
million dollars.
When it is remembered that $2J0,OOO
was appropriated for cutting a short
channel in COngaree river and for re-
moving snags one time on a cOntinu-
ing contract basis, one can form some
notion of how this magnificent water
| way has been neglected by the general
government.
Waccamaw Neck, enclosed between
Waccamaw river and the ocean,, is
probably the richest territory On the
habitable globe. 1t was once the rich
est part of America for its extent and
the signs are plainly visible of a prog
| ress so vast that what has gone before
| is Il mere nothing to what is coming.
The river and harbor committee need
do no more than study the reports of
it's own officials, although these give
| no hint of the potential wealth of the
region, now being exploited and devel-
oped so fast that Il report a month old
is entirely out of date.
The present commerce of the river
would warrant the expenditure of a
million dollars, and there is an addi-
tiOnal reason for putting Waccamaw
river into proper condition, since when
it is put into such condition the i'm
provement will be permanent for the
most part, owing to the gentle flow of
it's current to the sea.
Study the map and there will abe
found a set OF natural conditions per-
haps unmatched on the continent Of
America.
Waccamaw river rises IN Lake Wac
caTnaw, a great basin of fresh water in
Columbus county, North Carolina,
some seven miles long by three and a
half in breadth. The water of the
lake is typically pure, except for a
strong infusion of juniper, which adds
to It's aseptic properties. Its color is
amber streaked with silver, hence the
name which signif1ed Silver Water III
the old Waggamaw tongue. It's depth
in places exceeds thirty feet and
steamers ply upon it.
Rising in this basin which receives
its contents from the sand hills of Co
lumbus county, Waccamaw river
makes in a southeasterly direction for
the ocean until at % point opposite Lit
tie river, Just below the South SarOllna
line. it is only three and One-half miles
distant from the salt tide of Little
river.
At this point the river turns west
ward and continues to- flow in a gen
o,ol xvor4ODYr ~ MntIt Conway
marks its junction with Kingston lake
and also marks it's greatest distance
from the sea. fifteen miles.
Here it turns again seward, anu
. gradually e~ncrOaches on oceans an
cient domain: at Wachesaw the dis
lance to salt water is only a mile and
q half, or about three miles to he main
ocean beyond the dunes, which lie
across Murrill'S inlet and DIVIDE II
from the sea.
Then for nearly sixty miles it flows
2 comparative straight course untif at
the mouth of Winyah bay, it rounds
North island and find rest in the sea
the average of distance all along bein&
about two and one-half miles from salt
water.
i Forty miles above Georgetown il
is Joined by Bull creek, which brings
to it most of the water of the Pee DeeS
and here it loses it amber color ant
} becomes tawny, tinged with the mudd!
water of Great Pee Dee-mud gather
ed in the PARKWAY Appalachian noun
tains.
From Bull creek to Georgetown thu
l channels of Waccamaw and the Pe'
Dees are divided by a number of is
lands through which at intervals flow
streams some of them large enough t
: float vessels of considerable size.
When it is remembered that thi
enormous expansion of commerce ha
taken place on Waccamaw river within
Il few years and that it comprises so
: id development and does not consist o
lumber and naval stores. Or othe
tb;poS which arc fra nSipnt in their ,ns