Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-11-05
PUBLIC ROADS, Sc.

facts touched upon, al the next session,
when they will, We hope, he presented to
the consideration of thai body in some
form or other.
There has probably been more remiss-
ness and we may say (ndeet will show
in summary torm) more injustice and
inequality in the division Of labor in road
working, than in any thing Else upon
which our state has legislaled upon ii.
In The first place, The commissioners OF
roads, under their present organization and
modes Of acting, are almost nuisance.
With very limited powers and in The ex
ercise of even these poUrrs, directly res
puusible 10 neishbors aud the constituents
of district whimsical and conflicting in
their righrs-,hey are especially il aspi
rants for Office, compelled 10 shrink from
doing what they should consider their
duty.
They may have. in many instances The
letter of The law". TO suslain them, hui
no body Of men, from various causes,
wouhl assume that responsibility, which a
state superintendent paid 10 enforce its
laws anu consrue general results, would.
That on, readers may more fully COM
preheno our purpose, wr will begin ny
starring a few facts.
Merchants living in the upper villages.
using The public roads far more than any
other individuals, and whp by the existing
laws lake no part iu working The roads;
when the Winter and Spring SEASONS by
heavy travelling render them SO bad, that
they are charged 100 pr. CT. pr. hundred
more for hauling up their goods than a,
other limes-who ultimately loses tlIis
100 pr. cent! The road worker-he is
the merchants customer. and when he
settles up his accounts in January, he
finds the profit Of the merchant includes
this extra cost, and he is therefore indirect
ly taxed with this additional sum. which
Tie merchant and season co operating pro
duced-mighi We not carry This philoso
ply to its ulImalum. arh say which !he
inadrertence nr remassnesS Of our Legasia
tors produced.
Still more emphatic. ic.-Twp farmers
living in the same vicinity. working The
same public road real estate equal, nun
5cr of hands equal, say 20-une having
Of Ibis number 10 females aud 10 males.
the other Is females and S males. he lar
Ter is relieved Of 100 pr. cent less cork 90
the road than the former.
Again take ibis vicinity for an instance.
There is piece Of road 6 miles in extent
aud on a sandy level worked by 100
hands. Above This on n road of abnuI the
same extent but with an incomparably
worse bed, there are ah0uI % hands,
The overseer on this lalter road. works
The IL days required by law and not only
he. bu doubtless the whole State of Sou'lI
Carolina, is abused by every wasoner
who rravelsr The former road is hardly
ever used and few know or care whether
il is worked or not.
Such facts are presented all over The
slate-nolhing is more common han such
unjust, unwise, and oppressive contrasts.
We have repeatedly of late, tunder such
trying times Of ecouomv) heard it warm
- -1l ~
must be changed. We have heard it urg-
ed, thai every mans estate must be assess
ed. merchants and all. and each pay his
ratio in ready cash. This is the only
convenient way that road labor can be
equally divided. or properly and usefuly
distributed. Let this aggregate lax be
placed in The hands of our Supernten-
danl Of Public Works, who should super.
wise and confer with our commissioners
let out through these contracts &c, nr
let the Superin,endant be empowered III
lay ouI and contract for the construction
of main roads. through the Stale, defining
and supervising the nature of the work.
&C. We however. insist on no plan
sufficient is il for us 10 say hat it IA plan
is devised by which our most a',"ndunI
labor now unequal and inactive, be made
available We can have l",npikes 10 York
vile, Spananbure and GrrrnvilIr from
The very anloun's of labor now required
Ivy Law from The various communities in
the State. All that i, needed is hat that
labor be concentrated and placed ia an a
vallable shape South CurOlinian.
Rail Road from Charleston TO Teras.-
The City Council of Nalchez have called
a meeting of the citizens Of that place for
the purpose of inviIing an examination
into The expedieucy of extending the
great line of Atlantic Rail Road, con.
rnencing at Charleston. S. c., and ending
al Montgomery, Ala. so as 10 strike The
Mississippi at Nalchez. The immense
trade and travel, says The Free Trader.
which will snon be Serling UPWARDS Texas,