The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-30
The AUGUSTA Dam.
SHOULD NAVIGATION OF The SAVAK.
NAH BE STOPPED
Hermitage Farm,

l.
LowndeSville, S. c., Nov. &c, 1910.
Editor Press and Banner, Abbeville, S. G.
Dear Sir: The readers Of the Press anC
Banner have been kept informed about the
efforts Of the interests, on one side, to de-
stroy the navigability of the Upper Savan
nah river, at the time OF the construction
of the dam at Gregg Shoals, and Of the ef
forts Of the people OF this section, on the
other side, to preserve their navigable
streams.
The fight is now on with the dam al
Augusta, as 1t appears from the following
clipping from the Atlanta Constitution OF
November 4, 1910 {:
''sTATE VERSUS CITY In EIGHT OVER DAM
Columbia, S. c., November attorney
General Lyon today returned from Lam
caster with an order signed by Chief JUS
tice Jones directing the city Of Augusta
Co., and the sheriff of Edgefield county
South Carolina, to show cause, before the
supreme court, on December 19, why that
portion of dam across the Savannah
river maintained by the city Of Augusta
lying within the State Of South Carolina
should not be removed forthwith.
ut was alleged by the Attorney General
for the Stale that the Augusta dam not
only constitutes an obstruction to the
nuNlRdUlOu VI Gilc DdNdlllldll, UuI diSO plC-
vents the passage OF fish,"
In this instance the State Of South Caro-
lima is the champion Of the rights Of the
people.
There are some fundamental require
ments for the settlement Of a country, for
it's agricultural and for it's commercial and
industrial development, among them are,
healthy climate, fertile soil and means OF
transportation.
The Upper Savannah riyer section can
boast of the best climate in the world, the
fertility of it's soil has no superior in the
Union, and the Savannah river Is at our
commanh to furnish us with cheap water
transportation.
Anavigable stream, even if it be small
one, by assuming the agency OF governor
and regulator Of the rates OF transporta-
tion, is Of inestimable value for the coun-
try it traverses.
ways, and unmindful Of the present and
future welfare Of our section, the interests
do not hesitate to try to annihilate the
nayigability Of our river upon which the
development Of said section depends In so
large measure, claiming that it Is unna-
vigable, and a negligeable quantity In
comparison with the powers.
Those interests are not myth, they are
an existing and powerful reality, and an
idea Of their influence can be had from the
following decision, wrenched by them from
the War Department, in the case Of the
dam at Gregg Shoals.
This decision reads as follows:
"War Department,
Washington, May 2, 1907.
THE portion OF the Savannah
river across which the dam Is to be
built is in law q naYigable water Of
the United States and in the past
has actually been used for q GER
tain kind of navigation.
1T is Undoubtedly capable Of fur
ther development in the future,
and this fact must be taken into
consideration in connection with
, any proiect to place an artificial
structure across the stream.
''To approve plaus for the con-
struction of a dam, which do not
include provision for lock. would
amount to declaration that the
stream is unnavigable, and remove
it from the list OF the navi6able
waters. Congress alone has the
power to take this action, and un-
til it has done so, the War Depart
ment would not be justified in ap-
proving any work that would be in
consistent with the preservation Of
the stream as o public naxigable
waterway,
"While, however, the fact Of the
navigahle capacity exists,
Should the Savannah River Power
Co. submit plans including q lock
of suitable construction apd loca-
tion, to be built at the expenee Of
the company. they will be favora=
bly, considered, with the under
standing that the construction of
the lock may be postponed until
such time, in the opinion Of the
Secretary Of War, the conditions
make it necessary"
The context Of the above decision shows
plainly that it Is an act which has exceed
ed the limits OF the powers conferred by
Congress upon the Secretary OF Wac, and
49, - In