The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1921-08-10
CANAL PLANNED
TO CONNECT RIVERS
Big Navigation and Electrical Deyel-
opmcnt Planned on Santee and
rOOnnr Riynrs

Columbia, Aug. 6.-The federal pow
er commission has just granted per-
nit for the building of the Santee
Canal. Joining the waters of the San
tee and the Cooper Rivers. The per-
NIT was issued to the Columbia Rail
way and Navigation Company, of
which G. \. Guignard, is president and
7, c. Williams is vice-presdent and
general manager.
1t is claimed that this big project
and it's associated undertakings will
mean the complete revdutionizing Of
practically all transportation in South
Carolina. In order to bring about this
objective, it will be necessary to dig
a canal twenty-thrce miles long, to
build an electric railway line from
Columbia and to put upon the Con-
garee and Santee Rivers sufficient
number Of bargcs and light draught
towboats to move the freight rapidly.
Each OF these matters IS taken care
of in the project OF the company. The
construction plans call for not only
the usual canal locks and other por-
tage facilities, but for power dam at
or near AIonch's Corucr and another
power dam on the Saluda River. at the
mouth of Bear Creek, on line from
Lexington to White Rock. All of the
details of this enterprise have been
taken into consideration and have been
provided for.
The proposed Santee Canal will
shorten by seventy two miles the dis
tance from Columbia to an Atlantic
port. It is twenty-five miles from
the City OF Charleston to Moncks
Corner, near which place are the
head waters Of the Cooper River. The
Santee Canal will have a length Of
twcnty-three miles from Monck's S
Corner to Ferguson. From the lat
ter point to the junction of the Con-
saree and Wateree Rivers is forty
nine miles, and thence to Columbia is
ffty-onc miles, total water route to
ty-eight miles. 1t will require 5.000-
900 in round numbers, to complete the
entire project and two years is the
estimate for the construction work
will be built on dry land, and an cleo
tric line from Columbia to Grcen-
wood can be built without the neces-
sty Of a trcstle or long fill, for the
~,
he'd, and on ono side OF the survey
The water sums into the Saluda River
and on the other side into the Savan-
nah. Everything seems to favor the
minimum cost Of construction.
This is, as skctchily outlined, q
great undertaking. What would be
he practical results? What is thcr
to Justify the expenditure of this
large sum?
In the first place officials OF the
company declare that the income OF
the company would amply Justify tho
outlay. The distance from Columbia
to Greenwood by rail is 81 miles. The
survey o! the proposed electric roau
howS a mileage Of TG.2, thus short
ening the trip by 1 miles and giving
promise Of through trains from Co
'umDia TO Atlanta. This would mean
the success Of the railroad project il
it were independent of other consid-
crations, but this undertaking is to
be considered as Il whole to under
stand what it promised.
Leaving aside the consideration OF
local frcights between Charleston and
Columbia and other upstate points
il is declared that the cotton mills
alone could save enough out Of the
operation of this electric and water
maui to certain points to nay for the
aanaI in five ycrS. Leaving out the
counties Of Aiken, Bambcr&, Barnwcll
Chester, York, Lancaster. Marion
Marlboro and Chesterfield, which may
not be considered as directly tributary
to the canal operation, the cotton mills
OF this state, have 1921 .32l spindlcs
consuming l2j,O00,O0O pounds OF cot
ton per year. a boat line in success
ful operation would save the shippers
of cotton goods y 10 cents per hun
drcd pounds on haul from Spartan
burg to Boston. This would aggregate
approximately million dollars a year
saved to the textile industries if all
OF the manufactured products should
be shipped over this route.
;Ii !ih ~ I.hES Oath