INTRODUCTION. 
41 
statement of the amount of work which it is capable of performing, as for 
example in driving cotton mill machinery, being sufficient to turn 10,- 
200.000 spindles, which is four times as many as are found in Massachu- 
setts, and far more than in all the factories in the United States. 
The Catawba was measured at Marshall’s Ferry, near Hickory, and 
gives at that point a force represented by 245 horse powers per foot; 
which, taken as an average for the fall of 750 feet from Pleasant Gardens 
to the State line, gives a total of 184,000 horse powers, or a capacity of 
7.360.000 spindles. 
The force of Haw River, and of Deep River, at the confluence, is for 
the first 200, and for the second, 120 horse powers; and that of the Cape 
Fear, therefore, 320, or nearly as much as that of the Roanoke ; the ag- 
gregates are, for the Cape Fear, to Fayetteville, 45,000 ; for the Haw, 
from the Piedmont Railroad bridge, with a fall of 470 feet, and an aver- 
age force one half of that at Haywood, about 50,000 ; and for the Deep, 
with the like assumption, 35,000 ; and for the three, 130,000 ; or an ag- 
gregate force sufficient to turn 5,200,000 spindles. 
An approximation may be made to the power of any of the rivers of 
the State heretofore described, by a simple calculation based upon the 
relative drainage area and the fall. Such calculation will give for the 
South Fork of the Catawba, for example, a probable mechanical effect 
per foot of about 50 horse power in its middle course, and an aggregate 
of 25 to 30,000. 
The sum of the powers above computed is more than 600,000, or 
nearly one-fifth of the whole theoretical estimate for the State, al- 
ready given. And this aggregate only includes the main rivers, and 
would be largely increased even by adding the amounts for the larger 
affluents. So that it will be apparent that the theoretical estimate is 
quite within the limits of probability. 
But there are several remarkable water powers in the middle and east- 
ern sections of the State, which are worthy of more particular notice. 
One of the most notable of these is at the lower falls of the Roanoke 
which terminate at Weldon. The whole force of this magnificent river, 
developed by a fall of 100 feet in about 10 mijes, could easily be rendered 
available by means of the canal which has its outlet at Weldon. The 
power of the Merrimac at Lowell is not comparable to this, and it is in 
the midst of cotton fields, and yet has never turned a spindle. Another 
fine water power is found on the Catawba at Mountain Island, 12 miles 
west of Charlotte, the fall being at least 40 feet and having the advan- 
tage of a similar canal. It drives only one large cotton factory, while it 
is a sufficient for a whole city of them. 
