The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-10
santee-Cooper Canal
Federal Authorities Grant
Permission to Connect Two
Rivers

Washington August 3-The fed
eral power commission this after
noon authorized its secretary to
issue q permit for the construction
of a canal making navigable the
Santee River to the Cooper river.
The permit has not been issued
but it is presumed that there vii,
be no hitch in pending negotfa-
tions.
While the permit covers only
navigation the development as a re-
suit of a drop of 80 feet in the
rver will result in the generation
Of considerable waterpower. It Is
understood that the promoters
have in mind also the construction
of an electric line connectiong Co
ilumbia and Greenwood.
C. A. Gulgnard and associates
jof Colum bia are the men behind
1.-The Santee canal project which
they believe will be Of untold value
Fin the upbuilding of South Carolina
In addition to the freight facilities
afforded by the canal, the large
amount of power generated and the
probable linking of Columbia and
the upper part of the state by elec-
tric line, the canal will drain thou
sands Of acres Of land not now u.s.
able.
The canal will run from Fergu-
son on the Santee to Monck's Cor
ner on the Cooper, these points be-
ing the approximate ends. Plans
submitted to the government call
for q. canal 200 feet wide. 1t is. to
be 20 miles long.
Mr.. Guignard, president Of the
Columb bia, Railway &, Navigation
Co., which W build the canal
said last night that he had receiv-
ed official notice from Washington
of the boards action and is ex-
pecting the permit in few days,
the latter being purely routine.
Work on the project will be
started as soon as practicable, he
said. It will take considerable time
to complete the job.
Much electrical power will be de-
veloped as a result Of the building
/ Of the canal. Mr.. Guignard, how
.. er, had no announcement tC
make concerning the distribution OF
this power or the use to which ii
might be put. The project for
an electric railway to Greenwood
he said, was entirely a different
matter and he had no announce
ment to make relative to it.
The, canal, Mr. Guignard pointed
out, will place Columbia approx
mately 70 miles nearer tide water
than at present and will open up te
the city the advantages Of such 8
port as Charleston with its regula,
sailings and its larger volume, Of
businAss. The Columbia Railway
& Navigation Co.. will operate
boat line, Mr.. Guignard said. Nc
effort, however, will be made te
maintain monopoly of the river
traffic by this company and it Is ex.
pected, Mr.. Guignard said. that
the completion Of the canal VIII
see the beginning Of several boat
lines from Columbia to Charles
ton with the consequent reduction
Of Transportation costs on freight
to the city
If the present conditions prevail
when the canal is completed, ,Mr
fGu;gnard said,, the boats would
make their stops at CRANKY landing
as did the boats operated between
Columbia and Georgetown. The
completion of the Columbia cana
as originally planned would. how
ever, make il possible for the ships
to be loaded and unloaded at ever!
street in Columbia, he said.
The operation Of boats to ane
from Charleston will be under
taken under considerably better
conditions than those under Wh1cf
the Columbia-G a-Georgetown boat line
was originality operated, Mr.. Guig
nard said. The larger volume o.
business handled through Charles
ton, he pointed out. will permit the
operation of a larger number o'
boats while the shorter distance
will reduce the running time b!
from six to eight hours.
| Mr.. Guignard Is president OF the
Columbia Railway and Navigator
Co. while T. C. Williams Is vice
president.