Columbia, the capital of South Carolina, is located at the falls of the Congaree River. Today there is a canal of about three miles in length, 60 or 75 feet in breadth, terminating at the lower part of the city. At the end of the canal is a duck mill. In 1868 the Messrs. Sprague, manufacturers of Rhode Island, took up a plan of developing this water power at Columbia, but "in consequence of their misfortunes, failed", and the whole matter of the canal passed to the hands of the State Canal Commission. Some prominent Columbians, hoping to revive the project, contributed money to the employment of one Mr. Holly, a first-rate hydraulic engineer of Rochester, New York. Mr. Holly was making surveys and progressing satisfactorily when, after three months, his engagement was discontinued. The reason for this was that Thompson and Nagle, engineers of Providence, on a tour of inspection through the South, were attracted to the water power at Columbia, and Mr. Thompson appealed to the State for franchises, in which appeal he was supported by the citizens of Columbia who had helped promote the modest work under Mr. Holly. On February 10, 1880, the final contract between Thompson and Nagle and the State Canal Commission was entered into; by its terms the engineers were to have the use of 200 convicts for three years, and at the expiration of this time they were to have developed at Gervais Street 15,000 horse power of water power, and have in operation a cotton mill of at least 16,000 spindles. Thompson and Nagle thought the necessary capital could be had at the North. They failed to secure it, and attributed their failure to the turmoil of the presidential campaign which was raging. Though this was probably a valid basis for the appeal to the Legislature for an extension of the rights granted them, the application for extension was denied. At this juncture, modifying the scope of the plans somewhat, the foremost citizens of Columbia took up the matter themselves, and organized the Columbia and Lexington Water Power Company to bring about the development.[210] Nightly meetings were held of those interested in the purchase of Mr. Thompson's charter. In one hour eleven subscribers gave $5,000 each--$55,000--toward the amount.[211] A few days later the subscriptions in Columbia had reached $117,600, and the expectation was that the sum set to be raised in Columbia--$125,000--would be exceeded.[212]