Butts County GaArchives News.....High Falls April 7, 1897 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Don Bankston http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00024.html#0005864 April 24, 2005, 10:40 am Jackson Argus – Week Of April 7, 1897 April 7, 1897 HIGH FALLS Big Things for High Falls It is now given out that one of the largest water power electric plants ever established in the south will soon be build in this state. It will be located at High Falls, on the Towaliga river between the Southern and Central Railroads, sixteen miles from Griffin, nine miles from Jackson, eleven miles from Forsyth and fourteen miles from Barnesville. At this point there is a sudden drop in the section of country and the river has what has been pronounced by eminent engineers one of the finest natural advantages for water power development that is anywhere offered south of the Niagara Falls. There is a fall of 103 feet, producing at a flow estimate fully 2,000 horse power. The possibilities of this water power has been fully appreciated and various preliminary attempts have been made to utilize I, but not until recent has it assumed definite shape. Henry County Weekly Jackson Argus – Week of April 7, 1897 …………………………………………………………………………………………….. To Harness High Falls The Atlanta Constitution said editorially last week: The articles printed in yesterday’s Constitution will give the people a fair idea of the plans of these gentlemen who propose to utilize an immense power that has been running to waste since the beginning of time. This power will be transferred into electricity and in this shape it will be transmitted to neighboring towns, there to be utilized for lighting purposes or for manufacturing purposes or for running factories, large or small. In this way Griffin, Forsyth, Barnesville and Jackson may become sites of manufacturing. Griffin has already made a notable beginning and so has Jackson and Barnesville. This tendency to manufacture will be given a most powerful stimulus by the enterprise of Messrs. Boyd and Grantland, which seems to be in the nature of an assured fact. And even more important than the enterprise itself will set for other section of the state. It has been often said by men competent to speak that there is sufficient water power in Georgia to run every manufacturing establishment in the country, if t could be properly utilized. Recent invention in the way of applying electricity has now made it possible to transform this natural power into that subtle fluid so that it can be carried miles away from the initial point and be applied more cheaply and with less loss than steam power. The inauguration of the enterprise of Messrs Boyd and Grantland will, therefore, be of vast importance as an example and a stimulant. There is hardly a river in Georgia which does not offer opportunities for profitable investment in the matter water power and (cant find the rest of the article – sorry) Jackson Argus – Week of April 7, 1897 ……………………………………………………………………………………………..The High Falls water power in which Griffin is most interested, is not however, the only one that is to be developed in this section. There are two good shoals on the Ocmulgee river, beyond Jackson, that are capable of running many factories, and instead of conveying this power to a distance the more usual plan of building a railroad to them here be adopted. We find these interesting details in the Jackson Argus. Griffin News Jackson Argus’ – Week of April 7, 1897 ………………………………………………………………………………………….. HIGH FALLS, OF MONROE COUNTY TO BE HARNESSED WORK COMMENCED All the preliminaries for the harnessing of the great water power of High Falls in Monroe county, are beginning to be arranged ready for active work at early spring time. Messrs. Moore & McCrary, of Atlanta, skilled engineers, and surveyors have been up the grounds all this week, making estimates and formulating plans for active operations to begin in the near future. Col. J. D. Boyd, in speaking to the Call yesterday about the possibilities of this gigantic enterprise, said that he was afraid to express an opinion but he would not be surprised to see every city within 50 miles of the falls lighted by their power, if not the street cars run the same. They have 1,580 horse power, naturally, which could be increased nearly one half, should it be necessary, at a mere nominal cost, and to utilize this immense force by transferring it into electric currents, would revolutionize things in Middle Georgia. Engineers and scientists of every section will watch with interest the development and utilizing of this immense power. – Griffin Call Newspaper. Jackson Argus – Week of January 7, 1897 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/butts/newspapers/highfall633gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.1 Kb