The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-12-05

|
| the scale Us we
| lie highways. ns -,.nU,,
| ed condition. and one Of the 81 our
situation is p radical change in the road system.
| We-l,ars railroads now running to most Of thes
/ County sites in the State and, as o consequence,
| the County villages have become market towns
| to the inhabitants Of the Counties in which they
| arc located, where their produce is sold, and
from which they mostly supplied with 4heir
| commercial supplies What IAN impetus would
he given to agriculture, to progress, and i'm.
provement in every way, il TO these different
County sites, from the extremties of the respec-
tive Counties, were running well-gradcd, level
and firm highways? Every branch of industry
would thereby be materially benefited, the ex-
pense of carrying to market every article re-
duced and the neccssarics Of life 6, realty cheap
en- ed to the consumer.
The difference to case nm rapidity Of trans
nortation resulting from improved Highways
improved by proper skill and labor bestowed in
laying them out lcveling and keeping them in ,
| constant repair-is much greater than is usual
ly imagined
AS an illustration of this fact, would refer
| to u statement made by one who has thoroughly
examined this subject, as follows "In rond
rising hundred feet in the distance of two
thousand its ascending slope would be one in
twenty. Onctwcntieth Of the whole load drawn
over it must he actually lifted up the entire
height of one hundred feet but upon such n
slope horse could draw only one. half ns much
as he can upon a level road, and two horses,
therefore, will be needed on such road to do
the work Of one if the road was level If this
be the fact-in the matter of lcvcing and prop
crly grading Smply--thc cost of carrnge could
be greatly reduced and when Is added to this
the constant repairs of the surfncc-whch could
be kept up by n iudicious system the advan-
tages would be incalculahle. These advan-
tnges would not be confined to those who trado
Mt lp maj rEptt lint IN tIn
towns themselves, enabling them to grow and
expand Indefinitely multiplying their popula-
tion and Increasing their wealth. Our present
system, if adhered TO for all time, could never
produce these results. 1t is deficient in two cs-
sential particulars-skllcd super intcndcnce and
control, and constant and efficient labor. These
cannot be supplied by the present system. Each
County should have practical engineer or road
commissioner in sole charge Of the County high
ways his whole time should be devoted to the
business. The necessary labors should be fur
nished him by County and other convicts, COM
mutation tax and such other labor ns might not he
able or willing TO pay the tax. And this officer
should be hold strictly responsible for the condi-
ton of the roads. In system Of this Sort af-
ter short experiment, | am fully persuaded
the people would most cordially cooperate; and,
besides furnishing employment for many de-
serving young men, and inducing scientific ed
| ucation in n direction much needed for the full
~
would spring up in the different Counties and
with the different officers in charge. which would
soon work n most wonderful change in the facc
| Of our country-lcading to the wealth and pros
! perity of the whole State. | most earnestly re-
commend this subject to your consideration as
the one matter most needing attention in cur
| present condition.
Governor McDuflie, in his Message TO the
General Assembly in 1887. in discussing the
road system Of that day, said: "Tke roads
| through the State are in n much neglected con-
ditiop. | Travelled through some of the Western
districts Of the State after The crops were
laid by, and found the roads in many places al
most impossible by wagon or carriage. The cit
izen loses as il may be safely affirmed, four times
as much labor rs is rendered to the State, and
the portion that is bestowed on the roads is so
| injudiciously directed that il seldom does any
substantial good, and very often amounts to
public nuisance" This was said more than fifty
years ago. and is as appropriate now as then
Supposc that more efficient system had been
adopted then, and since that time faithfully car
ried out until now. half century. The imagi-
nation could scarcely picture the difference.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONER.
Under the Act of the General Assembly
passed Mt its last session, creating the Office Of
Railroad Commissioner. and defining its duties,
appointed General VI. l.. Bonlam, Of EJgefeld,
10 this Office, who entered upon the discharge Of
his duties in January.
The Act requires that the report Of this officer
should be made through the Governor to your
honorable bodies, and | herewith transmit it.
The salary of this officer and the incidental ex-
pcuscs, rs provided for in the Act are to Je
borne by the several corporations owning crop
Grating railroads in the State, according to the
gross income, to be apportioned by the Comps
troller General. All the railroad companies In
the State have promptly responded to the assess
mcnts made upon them by the Comptroller for
this purpose except the South Carolina Railroad.
| This company being in the hands Of o Receiver,
appointed by the United States Court, has de-
t clined as am informed, up to this time to pay
f its apportionmcnt, awaiting the judgment Of
c that Court as TO its liability. The proportion
: due by this road constitutes very considerable
n part of the commissioners salary and other ex.
o pcnses, and, remaining unpaid, is calculated Il
c impede this officer in the discharge of his duty
= aud seriously to affect his efficiency. In mos
: of the States in which Railroad Commissioner