USA > Alabama > Hand-book of Alabama. A complete index to the state, with map > Part 43
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The highest normal average temperature is $2.29, in July, and the lowest is 43.1º, in January, giving a range of 39.1º. The winters are seldom very cold and the summers are not excessively warm. The last frost in spring occurs on April 15th, and the first frost in autumn comes on November 15th, so that the farmer is blessed with seven months in which no cold oceurs sufficiently severe to even nip the most tender bud, except at rare intervals. It is a fact well known that, because of this long season for growing and maturing plants, some- times several crops are gathered on the same body of land in the same year.
The cold weather does not begin until December, and only one month in the winter is really disagreeably cold, viz : Jan- uary. The wis ter is usually mild and snow seldom falls heavy enough to cover the ground more than two or three inches.
* Dr. Anderson's article ended here.
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ADDENDUM.
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WATER LINES OF ALABAMA.
Alabama ranks among the first of the States of the union in the number, extent and valne of her magnificent water lines. Every section, and nearly every county, of the State is watered and afforded commercial facilities by some one or more of its navigable rivers, while the large creeks and other streams, which flow through and irrigate the soil, are almost innumerable. A single glance at the accompanying map of Alabama will verify these assertions.
The importance and value to. the State of these great natural lines of transportation. when properly improved and developed, cannot well be over estimated.
Professor Tuomey. the first State Geologist of Alabama, in his report on the geological formations of the State said :
" The rivers of Alabama. whether we consider them as one of the great physical features of the State or in an economical point of view, are exceedingly interesting. There is scarcely an extensive and really valuable agricultural tract in the State that has not its navigable stream."
The first of these water lines is
MOBILE BAY AND HARBOR.
The bay of Mobile, the great reservoir of south Alabama, is a beautiful expanse of water. and. all things considered, the finest harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. It took its name from the Mobile Ind. sus, who once ived upon its shores .* It has all
· See ante.
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the essentials of a good harbor, except sufficient depth, and this can be obtained at comparatively moderate cost. The bay is nearly land-locked, and its lower anchorage, twenty-seven miles south of the wharves of the city of Mobile, with an area of from ten to twelve square miles and an average depth of twenty-four feet, affords a safe and capacious roadstead for vessels of that draught. It is not subject to tornadoes, and in it no vessel was ever lost by storm. For fifty years, but one vessel has been dismasted in Mobile bay, and that one was by a water spout. Vessels seldom drag their anchors in the bay, owing to its fine holding ground, and but few have ever been blown ashore.
The length of the bay, from its mouth to the city wharves. is thirty miles. Its width, immediately at its entrance from the gulf, is three and a quarter miles. At its lower anchorage it is from twenty to twenty-two miles wide, and at its northern extremity, not more than eight and a half.
The improvement of the channel of Mobile bay was begun by the general government in 1827, the depth of water then being five and one-half feet through Choctaw pass and eight feet on Dog River bar.
This was deepened by dredging under appropriations from 1826 to 1852 of 8228,830.68 to ten feet through both. In 1860 the channel in Choctaw pass had shoaled to seven and one-half feet. From 1870 to 1878 the channel was deepened by dredging to thirteen feet, under appropriations amounting to $401.000. Length of ent, eight miles.
From 1881 to 1888 the channel was deepened by dredging to seventeen feet, under appropriations amounting to 8740,000, but this project was not completed when the last project was adopted. The length of ent was 25.91 miles.
The present project for the improvement of the channel was adopted in -August, IS$8, the object being to afford a channel of entrance from the Gulf of Mexico to the city of Mobile of 280 feet width on top of eut, with a central depth of twenty-three feet at mean low water, by dredging, at an esti- inated cost of $1,980,000. Act of September 19, 1890, extended the work up Mobile river to the mouth of Chickasabogue creek and increased the estimated cost to $2,043,500.
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The entire length of channel under present project is 31.85 miles, and the entire length of continuous cut is 29.98 miles.
The amount expended on the present project up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, was $306,680,32.
The average central depth of the dredged channel on June 30, 1891, was 19.4 and the minimum depth on that date was 14.7 feet.
The amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1592, was 8275,198.23, and on that date the average central depth of the entire channel was twenty-four feet and the min- imum central depth was 20.2, with no increase of width .*
The entrance to Mobile bay is defended by Fort Morgan, on Mobile point, and Fort Gaines, on Dauphin island-the distance across being three and a quarter miles, but the chan- nel through which an enemy's vessel, entering the bay, would have to pass is within less than half a mile of the heavy guns of Fort Morgan. There is a light house on Mobile point, and another on Sand island, three and a quarter miles further south, in the gulf.
MOBILE RIVER.
Proceeding north from Mobile bay, the second of Alabama's great water lines is Mobile river; formed by the junction of the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers, 42.30 miles north of the city of Mobile, where begins the delta of the bay. This broad. deep and short river has now depth and width sufficient for all commercial purposes now required of it, and over it, without difficulty, passes at present the entire trattie of the Alabama, Tombigbee, Little (or Upper) Tombigbee and Black Warrior rivers. When the Coosa river obstructions are removed, the commerce of that great water line, from Rome, Georgia, and
. The river and barbor act of July 13. 1-92, appropriated the sum of $212,300 for continning the work of 'nprovement of Mobile harbor, and provided that contracts may be entered into by the Secretary of War for -och materials and work as may be necessary to complete the present project of improvements, to be paid for as appro- priations may from time to time be made by law, not to exceed in the aggregate >1.181.300, exclusive of the amer . by that act and theretolore appropriated.
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above, will also seek its natural outlet over this stream ; and, if the Guntersville and Gadsden canal, connecting the waters of the Coosa and Tennessee rivers, is ever completed, the immense trade of the latter great river will, likewise, be directed this way.
Mobile river bounds, in a measure, the counties of Mobile and Baldwin, and, sweeping by the city of Mobile, empties into the bay of Mobile just below the city.
ALABAMA RIVER .*
The Alabama river is the main section of the river system which enters the State in its northeast corner, meanders, by a circuitons route, through seventeen counties, and finally flows into Mobile bay, near the southwestern corner of the State. · Beginning at Mobile bay, this river system is made up as follows :
LENGTH
1st. The Mobile river 44 miles
20. The Alabama river. 312 miles
3d. The Coosa river. 315 miles
4th. The Oostenaula and Coosawattee rivers, of Georgia. 105 miles
Total length 776 miles
This river system is now navigable, with the exception of a stretch of 116 miles extending np the Coosa river from We- tumpka. This portion of the river is now under improvement by the I'nited States government.
Eleven miles below' Wetumpka, the Coosa river joins the Tallapoosa river, and. from this point the united rivers are called the Alabama river. From Wetumpka to Mobile, a distance of 367 miles, the Coosa, Alabama and Mobile rivers furnish a navigable waterway throughout the year. The average slope of the river is four inches per mile. The normal low water width of the upper portion of the Alabama river is from 500 to 600 feet, and of the lower river, from 700 to 500
. This sketch of the Alabama river, and the succeeding sketches of the Coosa, Chattahoochee. Choctawhatelse, Excambia and Conecuh, Tallapoosa and Cahaba tivers were kindly prepared for the present edition of this HAND Book by Captain Philip M. Price, United States Engineer, officer in charge, to whom the author hey- to make here the proper acknowledgment.
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WATER LINES OF ALABAMA.
feet. In the portions of the river having these widths the low water depths vary from eight to fifteen feet; but, where the river has been widened by the erosion of its banks, bars and shoals are found.
Before the improvement of the river was begun by the government, in 1878, the low water depth on many of these bars and shoals was only from two and a half to three and a half feet, and the river was very much obstructed by sunken logs and snags, and many boats were destroyed by striking these. At low water stages boats could only run by daylight, and long detentions at the bars and shoals were frequent ; two or three weeks were oftentimes occupied in the trip between Mobile and Montgomery. Although the appropriations for the improvement of the river have been inadequate for the economical prosecution of the work, and much below the amounts estimated by the engineers, the work done has re- sulted in clearing the channel of dangerous snags and over- hanging timber; in the improvement of the worst bars: in opening the twenty miles of the river below the "eut off :" in increased safety to navigation ; greater regularity and re- duction in the time of trips, and enabling boats to carry larger loads. Boats run by night, as well as by day, at all stages of water.
The plan of improvement adopted consists in seouring out channels through the wide shoal places by building jetties and dikes to confine the low water flow to a narrower channel. Eight of the worst places on the river have been improved in this manner. Where the appropriations have been sufficient to keep the works in repair, a least depth of six feet has resulted.
For snagging purposes, and for general work on the river, the government has built and maintained a stern wheel snag boat, the Win. J. Twining. 155 feet in length and thirty feet beam.
The river and harbor bill of September 19, 1890, required a project and estimate to be submitted to Congress for securing a six foot channel below Wetumpka: The required estimate was duly submitted, and in consequence thereof the river and harbor act of July 13, 1892, appropriated $70,000 for beginning the necessary work. The improvement is now being made, with a view to securing a six foot channel.
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Eight of the nine counties bordering on the Alabama- viz., Elmore, Montgomery, Autauga, Lowndes, Dallas, Wilcox, Monroe, and Clark-are among the finest agricultural counties of the State, containing a large area of cotton and corn pro- dueing land, not excelled in the south. The county of Baldwin, though not so well adapted to agricultural purposes, produces in its immense forests of pine great quantities of fine rosin and turpentine, besides affording excellent pasturage for sheep raising and wool growing.
The timber along or accessible to the Alabama river is very heavy, and, owing to the great variety and superior quality, is very valuable. Owing to the very circuitous route of the Ala- bama river, most of the plantations in the counties bordering it are enabled easily to reach the numerous landings for the shipment of their products and for receiving their fertilizers and other supplies.
Three large stern wheel steamboats each make regular weekly round trips between Montgomery and Mobile, touching at all intermediate landings.
The estimated value of the freight carried on the Alabama river during the year 1890 was $10,000,000.
COOSA RIVER.
The Coosa river is formed by the junction of the Ooste- paula and the Etowah rivers at Rome, in north western Georgia. It flows thence in a general westerly direction, and passes into Alabama across the eastern boundary line of Cherokee county. It then bends gradually to the south, and east of the south, through or along the Alabama counties of Cherokee, Etowah, Calhoun, St. Clair, Talladega, Shelby, Coosa, Chilton, and El- more, until it is joined by the Tallapoosa river, eleven miles below Wetumpka. The course of the river is tortuous, and the estimated distance from Rome to the junction with the Tallapoosa river is 315 miles.
The two rivers then form the Alabama river, which is nav- igable, at all stages of water, to its junction with the Tombigbee
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WATER LINES OF ALABAMA.
river, a distance of 312 miles. The Alabama and Tombigbee form the Mobile river, which is a deep and easily navigable stream from this point until it enters the Bay of Mobile, at the city of Mobile, forty-four miles below.
The distance by river from Rome, Georgia, to Mobile is therefore about 671 miles.
Above Rome, the Oostenaula and Coosawattee rivers are navigable at moderate stages of water for a distance of 105 miles.
From Rome to Greensport, Alabama, a distance of 162 miles, the Coosa is a beautiful. placid stream, with stable banks and bottom, and a normal width of from 300 to 500 feet, and a least depth of three feet, at low water, since improvement. The few troublesome bars and shoals which formerly existed in this portion of the river were improved by the United States government from 1877 to 1880, and since that time steamboats have vavigated this part of the river at all seasons of the year.
From Greensport to Wetumpka, a distance of 142 miles, the character of the river changes; the banks and bottom remain firm, the latter being generally rock. The profile of the river exhibits a succession of deep pools, varying in length from one-half to eight miles, separated by shoals ( formed by ledges of solid rock or loose stones and detached bowlders, which frequently rise above the surface of the water ) which extend along the river for distances varying from a few feet to twelve miles, and having depths of water varying from a few inches to several feet.
The total fall of the low water surface of the river from Greensport to Wetumpka is 367 feet. The normal low water width of the river is from 600 to 800 feet. At " The Narrows " it contracts to 100 feet, with a depth of over eighty-five feet. The greatest width is 3,700 feet at Butting Ram shoals, where the water is very much dispersed, and the river bed is an intri- cate mass of rocks, reefs and islands.
Observations made at Wetumpka. in the fall of 1889, showed a low water discharge of 5,796 cubic feet per second, which is almost exactly the same as that officially reported for the low water discharge of the Mississippi river at St. Paul.
The improvement of so much of this portion of the river as lies between Greensport and the East Tennessee, Virginia
وجب
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& Georgia railroad bridge, by a system of locks and dams. combined with channel excavation, was undertaken by the United States government in 1879. On account of small ap- propriations the progress made has been very slow.
Early in 1890 three eut stone masonry locks, each having an available exterior capacity of 40 x 175 feet, were completed and opened to navigation. These are designated as Locks Nos. 1, 2 and 3, and are situated at distances below Greensport of 0.68, 3.86 and 5.24 miles respectively.
At Lock No. 4, twenty-six miles below Greensport, the dam has been built, and the river is now navigable to this point. Lock No. 4 is now being built.
The Broken Arrow coal fields lie between Locks Nos. 3 and 4. Since 1871, several surveys and estimates for continuing the improvement down to Wetumpka have been made, and the reports submitted to Congress. These reports have been unanimous in setting forth the importance of the work, in order to furnish water transportation on to the Gulf of Mexico for the immense deposits of iron, coal and other products of the Coosa valley.
On March 15, 1887, a convention was held in Montgomery, Alabama, composed of delegates from Alabama and Georgia, for the purpose of urging upon Congress the improvement of the river. The convention was presided over by the Honora- ble Thomas Seay, Governor of Alabama, and a memorial was drawn up and submitted to Congress by a committee of fifteen prominent citizens of the two States. In consequence of this movement, another survey was directed by act of August 11, 1888. This survey was completed and the report submitted to Congress on December 30, 1889, and during that session of Congress, by the act of September 19, 1890, the improvement of the river was authorized by an appropriation of $300,000.00 ; of which $150,000.00 is to be spent in continuing the improve- ment above the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia railroad bridge, and $150,000,00 in beginning the improvement at Wetumpka, Alabama. It is estimated that thirty-one locks and dams, of which three are already finished, will be re- quired to complete the improvement between Wetumpka and Greensport.
The Coosa river presents the cheapest and most certain /
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WEITER LINES OF ALABAMA1.
water route to the Gulf of Mexico of the coal, iron, cotton and cereals of a vast extent of country.
The removal of the obstructions which ent in half this river -- now navigable for hundreds of miles below and above such obstructions-is a national duty, in view of the commerce it would pour into the Gulf of Mexico. The opening of the Coosa would enable the government to move munitions of war from the interior to the seaboard safely and expeditionsly.
It would place the navigable waters of the Coosa so close to the navigable waters of the Tennessee that water commu- nication between the two streams must certainly follow, and thus afford the Tennessee river and its vast tributaries an outlet to the gulf by way of the Bay of Mobile .*
CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER.
.Rising in the mountains of northern Georgia, the Chatta- hoochee flows in a southwestarly direction to West Point, Georgia, where it turns to the south, and thence forms the lower half of the boundary line between Alabama and Georgia.
About twenty-five miles below the southern boundary line of Alabama, it is joined by the Flint river, and the united rivers then form the Apalachicola river, which empties into Apalachicola bay at the town of Apalachicola, Florida.
The falls of the Chattahoochee at Columbus, Georgia, form the head of navigation on the river, and furnish a fine water power, which is utilized by many large cotton mills and other manufacturing establishments.
The distance from Columbus, Georgia, to the junction with the Flint river is about 224 miles, and this portion of the river, together with the Apalachicola river, furnishes a good naviga- ble water way, and affords to the plantations bordering it, water transportation. either to the numerous railroads crossing
. The river and ba, boraet of July 13. 1:22, appropriated > 180,000.00 for vontiming the work of improvement of the Coos river between Rome, Georgia, and the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia railroad bridge, in Alabama, and SPI Rom for continuing the work between the bridge and Wetumpka.
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the river, or to the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachicola. Several lines of large steamboats make regular trips between Colun- bus and Apalachicola.
The first appropriation, of $2,000.00, by the general gov- ernment for the improvement of the Chattahoochee, was made in 1835, but after that no further appropriations were made until 1874, since which time work has been systematically carried on, with average annual appropriations of about $14,- 000.00.
Previous to 1874 the river was, much obstructed by logs, snags and overhanging trees, and by a number of rock and marl shoals, and by sand bars, so that navigation was both difficult and dangerous. Steamboats could only run by day- light, and not unfrequently laid on sand bars for weeks at a time, waiting for a rise in the river. Very many were lost by striking logs and snags.
There is now a good navigable channel, at all seasons of the year, below Enfaula, Alabama, and between Eufaula and Columbus at all times except during the prevalence of extreme low water. Steamboats now make regular trips with but few detentions, and run by night as well as by day.
The improvement so far affected has been accomplished by scouring out the sand bars by works of contraction, by cutting channels through the worst of the marl reefs, and by pulling snags and sunken logs from the channel and cutting over- hanging trees from the banks. The government has built and maintained a large stern wheel snagboat and other plant for working on the river.
A number of the shoals and reefs still require improve- ment in order to furnish an easy and safe navigatian at extreme low water, and work will be done on these as funds may be appropriated by Congress.
.
CHOCTAWHATCHEE RIVER.
The Choctawhatchee river rises in Barbour county, Ala- bama, and flows through Henry, Dale and Geneva counties, in Alabama, and Honnes and Washington counties, in Florida,
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WATER LINES OF ALABAMA.
emptying into Choctawhatchee bay, from which there is water communication with Pensacola bay, through Santa Rosa sound.
The town of Newton, in Dale county, is regarded as the head of navigation, and the adopted plan for the improvement of the river contemplates furnishing a low water navigation to this point. So far, however, on account of inadequate appropriations, but little work has been done between Newton and Geneva.
A bridge, not provided with a draw, a few miles below Newton, now obstructs steamboat navigation.
The improvement of the river was begun by the United States government in 1874, and has been carried on since with annual appropriations averaging about $6,000,00.
The improvement is mainly carried on with a capstan pro- pelled snag boat. When work was begun, the river, although having an average width of 350 feet, was almost totally ob- structed, permitting only narrow barges and flats of light draft to be navigated, and the channel-if a channel existed at all-was such as to be extremely dangerous to navigation, particularly during low water stages. The work done has resulted in giving a fairly navigable channel, except at extreme low water, from the crossing of the Pensacola & Atlantic Rail- road, at Caryville, Florida, to Geneva, Alabama, a distance of twenty-five miles, and a partially improved channel from Geneva to Pate landing, twenty-five miles above.
Considera: 1- portions of Coffee, Dale and Geneva counties are dependent on the river for transportarion.
Four steamboats now ply between Geneva, Alabama, and Caryville, Florila. where connection is made with the Pensa- cola & Atlantis Railroad.
The population and products of these counties are increas- ing very rapidly.
The river below Caryville, Florida, is mostly used for the transportation of timber, large quantities of which are rafted to Pensacola. Farida.
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HAND-BOOK OF ALABAMA.
ESCAMBIA AND CONECUH RIVERS.
The Coneenh river rises in Bullock county, Alabama, and flows in a southwesterly direction to the State boundary line between Alabama and Florida, and thence southerly until it empties into Pensacola bay. After passing the State boundary line, it is called the Escambia river, and this portion of the river is about 100 miles in length. The river at low water is from 150 to 350 feet in width.
Throughout its course it flows through one of the finest timber regions in the world, and is principally used for the transportation of logs and rafts, although steamboats occa- sionally run on different parts of it.
In 1880, when its improvement by the United States gov- ernment was undertaken, it was much obstrueted by snags and sunken logs, overhanging timber, and a bar at its mouth.
Since 1880 the average annual appropriations for its im- provement has been about $6,000.00. With these appropria- tions a snag boat has been maintained for annual snagging operations, and the bar at the mouth has been twice dredged.
At the present time the river is navigable at ordinary stages for steamboats drawing five and one-half feet of water, from its mouth, at Ferry pass, to Skinner landing, a distance of seventeen miles, and for boats drawing three feet, to the Alabama state line. The river has been so far cleared of logs, snags and overhanging trees, that the lower 118 miles is in a good navigable condition for stages of water above two and one-half feet.
The plan for its improvement contemplates clearing the river of obstructions from Pensacola bay to the mouth of Indian creek, an estimated distance of 293 miles.
TALLAPOOSA RIVER.
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