Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-03-19

are. respectfully placed at your dis
posaI: Should you deem the matter
of interest to any considerable NUM-
Der of the readers of your paper /
would be pleased to have the article
and my letter appear in connections
with the following from the public
notice. Quotations from public no.
tice are printed in black type):
This is an isv,ated section OF
river, without navigable connection
with other waters above or below
] respectfully submit that the said
section Of river SIS an isolated sec
ton of river, without navigable con
nection with other waters" = be
low only by reason Of two certain
artificial barriers constructed eros
the Savannah river-the Augusta
dam and the Gregg Shoals dam
both these being in violation of the
laws of Georgia, OF South Carolina
and OF the United States, and in VIC
lation of every principle of equita-
bic dealing with the affairs of com
mon concern or of general interest,
or as between man and a There
fore we ask, shall the people of Geor-
gia n South Carolina-people Of
the liver section Of the upper Savan-
nah, the Tugaloo and the Seneca
be deprived Of their common right to
navigate these waters at the behest
OF water-power spectators and wa
ter-power monopolists, proceeding
through certain acts, in violation Of
law, under the name Of rendering
public utility service to people living
remote from these rivers? Or shall
the water-powers on these navigable
rivers be so developed as not only not
to interfere with navigation, but to,
through obedience to law, bring about
q complete lock system Of navigation
throughout the entire length of these
great water courses, to the inestima-
BILE benefit, not only Of the people Of
the immediate rivers section, but to
the great benefit OF the country at
large.
"The physical condition of the
river does not lend itself to improve
ment ut moderate cost" In answer
to this ] would say that it can be
abundantly shown that this statement
is without foundation in fact.
"Thcre is very little commerce.,
present or prospective, and it is be-
Iieved the returns to the general pub
lie would not be commensurate with
the cost" In anSwer | would say
that it would be more in keeping
with existing conditionS-"below-
on the Savannah river, for the gene
raj government to first do it's duty by
causing the removal of the unlawful
distractions above cited, and thereby
open the way and set Tree the use of
the Savannah, Tugaloo and Seneca
rivers as public highways before
claiming that sit is believed the re-
turns to h general public would
not be commensurate with the cost"
Yet, in this connection, l would say
to the people of the Tugaloo section
of Anderson and Oconee counties,
South Carolina, and of Franklin and
Habersham counties, Georgia, that If
they will porceed in a proper, BUSH
ness-like way to ask for the removal
Of the said unlawful barriers to navi-
cation it will be promptly done. In
deed, it is Observation-Disclosures Uni
ted States law-that the said obstruc-
tions could be permitted, since | have
SO completely established the fact
that the upper Savannah river, the
Tugaloo river and the Seneca river
are navigable water courses under
the constitution and statutes of the
United States.
] have spent much time and none
during the past several years to pre-
serve to the people the common
right use Of the above named rivers
as public commercial highways. 1t
is now up to the people whom / have
faithfully served-the while not
only single-handed, as a private citi-.
zen, but as against the purposes of
certain legislators who, while claim
ing to represent the interests of the
people, were indeed serving the cum
ming ways of the water-power specu-
lators n monopolists. 1t is now up
to the people whether or not they
will be longer misled as to the law
and the facts bearing upon nayiga-
ton rights OF the above named riv-
ers, and their rights as to improve
ment OF the said rivers as public
highways, and as to whether or not
they will suffer themselves tt be for
cheated out Of such natural high
way connection with the great Pana-
ma Canal so soon to be open to the
public. 1t is up to the people as to
whether or not they will be cheated
out of an essential connecting link in
a perfect chain of God-given high
ways--a link in a transportation line
upon which depends their future
prosperity and domestic happiness.
/ would summon all "honest, pa
~triotic, forward-looking men" to aid
in this very important matter; and |
would most respectfully ask each and
every n the question, Will you do
your part, or do you prefer to sur
render all our natural and
highway privileges to a veritable
compact of conspirators in water
power speculation and monopolistic
control Of all public utility service
and transportation lines? Shall we
SQuander the Preater mart of what