The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1921-08-10

and one-half miles in length, but it's in
take was fifteen miles further down
the Santcc and the new project has
no connection whatever with the old.
The reports of the government en-
ginccrs made within the last few
months show that the Santee canal
had eight locks and two double locks
OF Scotch masonry. There was no di-
version dam, turning the waters of
the Santcc into the canal, The boats
were, in fact, lifted up to a point
thirty -four feet higher than the San
tee river and siXty-Scvcn feet higher
than the Cooper. The handling of the
boats depended largely upon the rain
fall to fill the basin or reservoir at
the top of the ridge. The report Of
the United States engineer says that
the old Santcc canal was used from
1900 to 1880, when it fell into dsusc
because railroads could be built and
operated so chcaply then. According
to this Sa''lc report, the year 1880
showed 750 boats passed through
the Santcc canal carrying 10000 bales
of cotton, 17,50D tons. That is more
cotton than Columbia now handles in
the course of a year. There was a
four-foot depth in the old Santcc
canal.
In lS| the United States govern
mcnt, through Lieut.. Col Gilmore,
made survey with view to reopen
in gthc canal. At various times cf-
forts were made to reopen water
transportation between Charleston
and the interior Of the State. The
engineers as late rs 1910 recommend
ed an appropriation by the govern
mcnt of SllO,OOO for the construction
of such a canal but no action was
| taken by Congress-. Such a canal
would not have produced any power
| and would have been built and 0pcrat-
cd at government expense.
The last effort to navigate the Con-
garcc river was by Tie Columbia and
! Georgetown Steamship Company
| which afterwards transferred to thc
| Columbia Railroad and Navigation
| Company. These efforts were costly
because Of frcSEcts, impcdimcnts in
| the lower river, etc. But the expert
cncc Of those efforts has indicated
how the river may be navigatcd sue.
ccsSfully. One business man in Co.
lumbia states that his firm was savcc
| $1,000 a year while the boat line was
| operating, and another firm was able
to ship bath tubs to Atlanta, and &c
| sell to trade in half Il dozen States
| The boat line made some money al
! the beginning, but the coming Of the
! European war IN 1914, and Other
causes, stopped the development OF
the river lines. Boats were then Oh.
Grated between Columbia and George.
! town, c0astwisc steamers cased 10 put
in to Georgetown in 1914.
Open New Territory
The proposed development will opcl
| two large untouched pieces Of terri
tory in South Carolina. The electric
line between Columbia and Greenwood
will traverse fine farming section
The canal will drain and irrigatc ap
proXimatcly 100, 900 acres of the most
| fertile lands in South Carolina, ant
open them to transportation as in NJ
other way possible. This means :
great step toward the elimination OF
| the mosquito, and the rich lands may
be turned over to white settlers 70,
truck farming. These were once the
choicest lands in South Carolina, ant
| all along the route Of the canal may
| be seen relics Of bygonc days, with
here and there deserted barony. Fol
matter Of 20 miles the home of ne
white man is visible. The cutting oi
| the main canal will make possible
the draining of numerous SWampS By
the use of lateral ditchcS
There is an immense body Of for.
est and hardwood and cypress timber
that would be opened to commerce
the largest untouched body of cypress
east of the Rocky Mountains.