The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1907-09-05
WHITNEY DEVELOPMENT
One of the Most Remarkable and VAL
liable Undertakins Ever Undertak-
en- in the South.

Salisbury, Special.-The great pow
er plant at Whitney one of the most
stupendous if not actually the great
est of understandings Of its kind in
the South--is nearing completion, and
il will not be great while after the
first of the year when the towns and
cities within a radius Of 70 miles of
Whitney employing this power.
The possibilities of the Narrows as
great power point were proclaimed
fifteen or more years ago, by Della
ware lawyer who took up his resi-
dence at New London. Later DR..
Dillon Brown, of New York, became
interested in the proposition, but it
was not until Capt. E. B. Hambley
secured the corporation Of Mr.. Geo.
|. Whitney and other Pittsburg finan-
ciers that the development of the
power was assured. On the End Of
February, 1905, with ample capital
available to consummate the plans
which Capt. Hambley had submitted
work was actually begun and to this
day there has been no cessation. Last
week the great dam, an item that in
itself cost fortune, was completed.
1t is 960 feet long, 46 feet high and
is so constructed as to withstand the
water under any and all conditions.
OF first interest, now, however, is the
canal, which is to extend from the
dam to the Narrows, a distance of
4 1-2 miles. 1t does not parallel the
river, for such a course would have
involved the penetration of mountains
and high hills and rendered the un-
dertaking immensely more expensive.
Leaving the dam it diverts to the left
and every ravine and level to be
found was appropriated in the inter-
est of economy. Six steam shovels are
employed and they are throwing dirt
with a vengeance. This is just one
tenth of the steam shovels employed
on the Panama Canal and yet they
are getting out nearly half as many
cubic yards of dirt as the Panama
shovels-to be exact, ~ per cent as
| much.
At no point will this canal have a
depth of less than Is feet and the
| greatest depth will be 80 feet 1t va
| ries, of course, in width, the reserva
ton of power being all the while tho
| first consideration. In the whole
length Of the canal there is a decline
Of but 129 feet, so gradual as not tn
be noticeable.
With the completion Of the canal
the rest is easy.
| Work is to begin soon on the power
house at. the Narrows and the con.
struction Of the line by which the
power is to be transmitted will be
started in ample time to avoid delay
in delivery.
To the mind of such as have not
seen the results already realized and
listened to an explanation of the plan.
the significance of the undertaking
can best be impressed by the dollars
involved. The payroll last month wa:
$4,000, an outlay for labor alone al
the rate of $1,3S0,000 annually. Be il
remembered that the work has beer
IN progress more than two years AM
a half. More than half Of this amount
has been distributed in places Of bust
ness here. What has been appropriat.
ed for material is purely speculative
except to the financial representative
OF the company at Whitney and the
officers. The company's quarries a.
Whitney are among the largest in tho
South and they have supplied all the
granite used, thousands upon thous
ands Of cars. 1t is fairly certain, how
ever, that the expense already involv
ed exceeds three million dollars and
when the plant is completed it vii
probably represent an investment OF
anywhere from four to five millions.
The railroad from the dam to th.
power house, natural lake GOVERNS
$4,000 acres; the clearing and build
ing up of a town embracing 600 acre;
which has already been surveyed; th,
preparation of 500 acres on the rive
for manufactures, these and hall
hundred other items involving big ex
pense are passed up as minor items.
The Importance of the development
of this power to Salisbury and th
other towns and cities in this sectio,
within reach Of the line cannot b.
overestimated. Only last week prom
inent New England manufacture
observed that with the Whitney pow
er available Piedmont North Caro-
lima should be the industrial cente
of the South, as it promises to be
Its significance can be to some exten
appreciated, when it is known tha
the cost Of power will be reduced frou
35 to 10 per cent, difference tha
represents very much more than tn
dividends of most prosperous manu-
factories. As illustrating the effect
of this matter of cheaper power upo
this city, three manufacturing cor
Germs of ample capital are alread
preparing to come to Salisbury a
soon as the Whitney power is avail
able.
More Barns Burned.