The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-09-03
TELLS Possibility
Of DRAINAGE SCHEME
INTERESTED OWNERS OUT
LINE PLANS
A FORWARD STEP
A FORWARD
Says That All Of Anderson County
Must Reap Some Benefit Pro.
vided No Hitch Turns Up

ueTsoh county nave ben manifesting
an interest in the proposed scheme
to drain the swamp lands alone
Rock River. but many CT them have
never clearly understood Just what
was planned or what is 70 be accom-
piisiied. when the IFaia age is com.
pIeted.
Yesterday 2. C. Baletine, one of the
men most interested in the PROPOSE
ton to drain this land and one OF
the best known farmers in Anderson
county. was In the city and while he
was here he told reporter for The
lntelligencer about the entire plan
and about what benefit the county
VIII derive as result OF the work
Mr.. Balentine talked at length and
he presented the matter In such a
clear light that IL wilI be difficult for
anyone to find any fault with the
scheme. He said ini part:
Now that the preliminary arrange
msnts for the dltching of Rocky River
swamp lands as prescribed by law
and proposed by the drainage associ-
alton have been completed, let us look
at the facts In the situation.
Land Valueless Now.
IN the first place let us examine
the present condition OF the land. I'm.
medlately one is impressed with the
fest that the land is nothing mSre
than a vast body of marstly ground.
wet the. year around, most of which
is too wet ever for pasture. 1t lis es-
t'Inated that about 800 acres will be
benefited by the proposed ditching.
AT present the most extreme estimates
on the valuation of the etland sio NOT
exceed $4,000. or $40 an acre. And In
the condition In which the land Is,
the estimate Is very reasonable.
Upon examination of the soil in
these bottoms one Will find that ii
Is very rich and ferttfethe like o.
which Is not to be found in uplands
anywhere. 1t is not q allard matter to
Imagine the richness and fertility
when one thinks of the numerous
great oyerflows of the river. of the
continual teaching from the upIands.
and the decomposition of vegetable
matter from time immortal.
Wonid Become Very Rich.
IL the swamp lands were dried,
the prodactiveness OF the land would
be greater than; ordinarily thought.
It Is generally conceded, however
that one acre OF this land properly
d'oined would be equivalent in pro-
d. 'yenss to from to 5 acres OF
ordinary upland. 1t Is thought ono
acre or this land would yield from
e9 10 125 bushels Of corn. while rs-
u: iiy the best upland yields no more
than from 80 to so Bushels to the
acre, .,.szshg -
Here. Of course, corn is used as
In illustration; the land we;.,a be
adapted to almost any kind of crop,
and the yield OF various crops, as COM
pared with the yields of those on up-
lands, would be In proportion as In
the case of corn. ;.Si.s.sS-
Should the land be dried, the 800
acres would he worth fra1ia 4inn TN
$3.50 or from $1O0 to $187, instead of
S2D and this increase In value with
an approximate cost OF $50 per acre
These lands would be cheap at the
above prices. ~ 81.
he foregoing facts serve TO show
that the proposition would be a pay
Ing one. As to the truth OF this, no
one can doubt. The only hesitancy,
then, one could have, is as to whether
the seclaiming Of the lanf Is q .feas-
Idle proposition. When this matter
first came enp the association itself
did not know whether the land could
be drained ~ q
ITO find out the existing cor litions,
an engineer. one OF the best in the
sodtl. was employed In October 1913.
i He has made thorough survey OF
this waste land and retomnfandy the
propositicn now on foot, sae being not
only paying, but d feasible one. HIS
reports show that we, itesa an abuns
dance OF fall, and that there Is no
rcasen why the land could nss be
IFppcrly drained
tf any sone should thin. that the
new channel would allIizap,s he VIII
be cs. ..ss. st 5souii not
sshen he repleniksfs that ffle c:ana;
Opposite Riverside and Ts3gaiFny Mills,
terminating at the q. S. E "a. fsstie,
e'sss e,it sbout thirty five years ago
i,s q :: { ss.lfe1 s,e. slaAls e. afiIi
an open enannsi and tiig I6anEe are
FROM B 1-2 to s feet. ana on the west
side corn Is caitipatei up To the hank
sf the river. This canal WIS cntissy
baud WITHOUT the survey OF II expsr.
engineer so there need be- no fear
that aiIth The proper survey. q steaiii
sjioveI win cut q ean4r That win fiII.
The Situation NON.
Tie Situation st present IL this 4
all pre- slinlinafy surveys hive ,been;
eonip eted. the river bedviS SEakefi out
end ali that chains to BE- done and!
The only thing - do IS TO let the cone.
tract. for tho ditehing. roo .i1iicl,l
time and money has alfeady bee. Z
epSnt 70 ebafldon the matter.