C)2C) TRANSPORTATION IN SOUTH CAROLINA, 



Avater. "NVando river enters Charleston harbor. From Charleston to 

 Savannah there is a steamboat navigation between the islands and the 

 main, with the exception of about half a mile between the Broad and the 

 Savannah rivers, where a canal is now cutting. Hence it will be seen 

 that witli fourteen miles of canaling, a good steamboat navigation, en- 

 tirely inland, and parallel to the coast, may be effected from the North 

 Carolina to the Georgia lines. It is supposed that five locks will be all 

 that are necessary. This work has been estimated at less than .$250,000. 

 It would appear to fall within the system of internal improvement con- 

 templated by the general government. 



The Ashepoo has a schooner navigation to the Ashepoo feiw. 



The Ashley river enters Charleston harbor on the southwest of the 

 city, and is navigable for schooners to Dorchester, twenty miles. 



The Cooper river is a good navigable stream to the entrance of Biggin 

 creek, thirty-four miles by land from Charleston. From this point to 

 the Santee river, the Santee canal, twenty-two miles long, has been con- 

 structed, passing a summit sixty-nine feet above tide waters in Cooper 

 river, and thirty-four feet above the Santee. There are on this canal 

 thirteen locks. A great part of the produce from the upper Santee, Con- 

 garee. Broad, Saluda, Wateree and Catawba rivers pass this canal in 

 boats carrying one hundred and twenty bales of cotton or twenty-five tons 

 of merchandise. 



It is said that upwards of three million dollars was expended in the 

 internal improvements thus described, without estimating the value of 

 the labor assessed upon the localities adjacent to the works. In spite, 

 however, of State expenditures, in spite of roads, bridges and ferries, in 

 spite of canals, companies and steamboats, in spite of patriotism and 

 State pride, the trade of upper Carolina could not be permanently 

 retained by Charleston. 



In Judge O'Neal's Annals of Newberry it is mentioned that, in 1813, 

 the late Hon. Ker Boj^ce, then keeping a store at Newberry, " began to 

 trade overland with Philadelphia. Cotton was hauled from Newberry 

 to Philadelphia, and goods brought back, by wagons. He and the late 

 Thos. Pratt annually mounted their iiorses and rode to Philadelpliia, 

 purchased their goods, and thus laid the foundations of their respective 

 fortunes. In 1815, they visited Amelia* island on horseback, pur- 

 chased a stock of goods which they understood was there for sale, and 

 transported it to Newberry by wagons." These operations ceased with 

 the peace of 1815, and they were, perhaps, rendered possible only by the 

 war and the fidelity of Charleston to the National cause, and to the em- 



* Amelia Island, in Florida, was then lntely taken from the Sj)aniard-=, and a noted 

 I^laee for contraband trade. 



