The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-12-05
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- railroads now running to most of tho
County sites in the State. and, as 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 are mostly supplied with their
commercial supplies. What an impetus woull
he given to agriculture, to progress, and i'm.
Nrovement in every way, if TO these different
County sites, from the cxtrcmitics of the respec-
tive Counties, were running we'll l-gradcd, level
and firm highways? Every branch of industry
would thereby DC materially benefited, the cx-
rcnse of carrying to market every article re-
iuced, and the neccssarics Of life catly cheap
cncd ~ the consumer.
The difference rs to case an rapiiiiy Of trans
nortation resulting from improved Highways
improved by proper skill and labor bestowed in
laying them out, lcvcing and keeping them in
constant rcpair--is much greater than is usual
ly imagined.
AS nn illustration Of this fact, would refer
to statement made by one who has thoroughly
examined this subject, as follows: "ln a road
rising hundred feet in the distance of two
thousand, its ascending slope would be one in
twenty. One-twcnicth of the whole load drawn
over it must lie ';ally lifted up the cntiro
height Of one hun ed feet tut upnn such a
slopes horse could draw only one half as much
aS he can upon level road, ami two horses,
therefore, will be needed on such II real 10 do
the work Of one if the read was level" If this
be the hct-in the matter OF lcvcng and prop
cr!y grading Smply--thc cost Of carriage could
he greatly reduced ami when Is added to this
the constant repairs of the suriacc-which could
be kept up hy II iulciouS system the advan-
tages would hc incalculahc These advan-
tnGcs would not be confined to those who trade
at the markc; towns, but would extend to the
towns themselves, enabling them to grow and
expand Indefinitely, multiplying their popula-.
toa and Increasing their wealth. Oar present
system, if adhered to for all time. could never
produce these results. 1t is deficient in two cs-
sential particulars-skillcd supeiintcndcncc and
control, and constant and efficient labor These
cannot be supplied Ivy the present system. Each
County should have II practical engineer or road
commissioner i'll sole charge of the County higL-
ways his whole time should bc devoted to the
business. The necessary labors should be fur
nishcd him by County and other convicts, com
mutation tax and such other labor as might not he
| able or willing to pay the tax. And this officer
should he hold strictly responsible for the cOnli-
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, anil inducing scientific cd
| ucation in direction much needed for the full
development of our resources, patriotic rivalry
would spring up in the different Counties and
with the different officers in charge, which would
| soon work most wonderful change in the face
| Of our country-lcading to the wealth and pros
commend this subject to your consideration as
| the one matter most needing attention in our
present condition.
Governor McDuflie, in his Message TO the
General Assembly in 1897, in discussing the
road system Of that day said: "TLc roads
through the State arc in n much neglected con-
| ditioh. travelled through some of the Western
districts of the State soon after The crops wero
| laid by, and found the roads in many places al
| most impossible hy wagon carriage The cit
izcn loses, as it may be safely affirmed, four times
! as much labor rs is rendered TO the State and
J the portion that is bestowed on the roads is SO
! iniudiciously directed that it seldom does any
substantial good, and very often amounts to n
public nuisance This was said more than fifty
years ago, and is as appropriate now rs them
Supposc that more efficient system had been
adopted then, and since that time faithfully car
ried out until now, half century. The magi-
nation could scarcely picture the difference.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS
Under the Act of the General Assembly,
passed at its last session creating the Office Of
Railroad Commissioner, and defining its duties
appointed General VI. l.. Bonham. Of Edgefeld,
10 this office, who entered upon the discharge of
his duties in January
The Act requires that the report of this officer
should he made through the Governor TO your
honorable bodies, and herewith transmit it.
The salary of this officer and the incidental ex-
pcrscs, rs provided for in the Act, are to lie
borne by the several corporations owning orop-
Grating railroads in the State, according to the
gross income. to be apportioned by the Comp.
troler General. All the railroad com panies in
the State have promptly responded to the assess
mcnts made upon them by the Comptroller fol-
this purpose except the South Carolina llailroatl
This company being in the hands Of q Receiver
appointed by the United States Court, has do
t clined as am informed, up to this time 10 pa,
its apportionmcnt, awaiting the judgment o
9 that Court as to its liability. The proportio,
due by this road constitutes n very considerable
\ part oil the commissioner salary and other cx
g pcnses, and, remaining unpaid, is calculated {
G impede this officer in the discharge of his dut
: aud seriously TO affect his efficiency. In mos
: Of the States in which Railroad Commissioner