The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1877-12-25
A MEMORIAL.

Oy cOHCcHfH.
The undersigned, members Of. and
constituting the Board Of County Com
missiouers Of Kershaw county, would
respectfully mcmorialize your honorable
BODY to the following effect:
That by a vote Of the citizens Of said
county, authorized to be taken by some
action of the Legislature, We believe 1t
was determined to build bridge across
the Wateree River near Camden, over
which all persons should be permitted
to pass free of toll That by subsequent
action of the Legislature Commission
was appointed and constituted to con-
struct such bridge, and authorized TO
provide the funds necessary for the pur'
pose by issuance and salo of bonds:
which should afterwards be paid from
funds to be raised by taxation upon the
property of the citizens Of said Kershaw
county, and that when said bridge was
completed, it was to be turned ever to
the Board of County Commissioners oil
said county as part of the property OF
the same, which they were to care for
and keep in state Of preservation and
repair.
That said bridge has been built at a
cost to said county Of some 25,00o
dollars, and has been turned over to
the Board Of County Commissioners
of said county, to be cared for by them
as the other bridges of said county.
That said bridge was not covered or
painted, but has been exposed to the
weather since it was first commenced to
build. say in April, 1872, and that
it has already been necessary to incur
considerable expense for several years
past, in repairs to the same, and that 1t
is rot now deemed entirely safe tor
travellers to pass over, and cannot be
made so without the outlay Of con-
siderable sum of money, which the Com
missioners have not at their disposal,
nor have they any means Of themselves
to raise the same, and that even to put
on it the repairs which will be annually
necessary to keep it in passable condl-
ton, will require the expenditure OF a
larger sum of money than the Comuis-
siopcrs can command for this purpose,
without allowing other important bridges
and interests Of said county to suffer
While we are constantly exposed to the
risk and hazard Of having the same en-
tirely swept away By freshcts or other
wise destroyed, and Of being heavily
mulctcd in damages and costs Tor any
accident or disaster that may bcfall
passengers while attempting 10 pass
over the same. Under these circum-
stances, we deem it to be our duty to
ask your Honorable body TO pass an
Act converting SAID bridge into Toll
Bridge, and that We be thereby author
lied to exact from each and every per
son using said bridge, such reasonable
toll as is usually charged for such prlvl-
legc-the fund derived thercirom to be
devoted, in the first place, to keeping
SAID bridge in repair, and to such other
county purposes us may be dcemed cx-
peditnt. And, as the bridge IL IN such
bad condition at present., as to be un-
SAFE, we feel ilDpellcd by duty, to ask
as prompt aud vni'ie"' "u'iO" U" tnIs
important subject as your honorable
body may be abe to give to the same.
We would also memoiial'ze your hon
orable body concerning the county debt
existing at present against this county.
AID would respectfully show that it
consists, as far as known 10 your memo
ria!ists, OF an amount due for deficien"
cips of said county up to December 10th,
1873, as asrerlaned by lroc cdings iu-
sti,u'rd in the Court IF Common Pleas
Of said Bounty between the creditors of
sail county, interested in fun! pro-
vided to pay the same; after applying
the same Us .ar as collected, there re.
mains due Of said debt, up to I'ec~m-
Der 10th, 1873. balance of Sll53 SO
And that We are author
lied, under a joint resolu-
tioE Of the Legislature. Of
that date, to raise by taxation
u lnnd Of some S9.729 81 to
pay tho sau.c, which is to be
devoted exclusively to that
purpose.
by joirt resolution Of the
General Assembly Of this
Stale, passed March 23. 1876,
the then Board of County
Commissioners for the said
county were authorized and
required to ascertain the amt
Of the debt Of said county for
the fiscal year ending October
81, 1871. and tht the same
was found to be 3,9l1 05
Of which there has been paid
!rom tax raised for that
purpose, say, G3S II
And there still remains duo
for the fiscal year ending Oc-
lober 81. 1874, the sum of 3,113 3S |
with no further provision
made for the payment Of the
same. That for the fiscal year
'ndinS October 3lst, 1875,
here exists deficiency IL
according to the
,est information We have of
lac same, to some 1912 Il
That for Tie fiscal year end
no Octnber 3Ist 1876 tbnrn