Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-05-17
For the Yorkville Enquirer.
THE PUBLIC HIGHWAYS.
An ABLE DISCUSSION OF THE SURJECT B1
SENATOR HART.

Hon. A. P. BUTLER, C0na'r agriculture
of South Carolina: My Dear Sir: The grow
ing interest manifest throughout the upper
section of the State in relation to the meth
ods of working and improving our common
roads, induces me to offer a few suggestions
through this communication to you, on the
subject. 1t is matter which SO vitality
affects the interest of an agricultural COM
munity that 1 know of no more appropriate
department of the State government than
yours, to set in motion an era Of prog
ress in this most neglected of all our institu-
tions. The farming community whose sue
cess depends upon it's ability to deliver
in market at any and all times, and in the
most economical way the product of its
industry, and to transport in the same
way it's necessary farm supplies, is entitled
to require of its public servants the most
serious consideration Of this subject. 1t is
matter of congratulation, that the Hon.
NJ. c. Butler proposes to devote his emf
nent abilities to this subject during the
coming summer.
Some years ago the writer began the agi-
tation of this matter in his own county,
hoping then to awaken such an interest as
would bring reform of the system. But
the fear of increased taxation stified the
effort. Now, in an era of prosperity to our
people, with safe and economical govern
ment, and growing demand for the best
and easiest methods of producing the larg-
estyield from our soils, the time is propitious
for directing public thought to the easiest
and cheapest method of handling and
marketing this product after it is harvested.
Our common roads over the hill and clay
of the upper section of the State are simply
execrable. No progressive people will be
fn ,hr,off fn inn
to their industry, if they can find a remedy.
The remedies are abundant, butthe public
will demand the cheapest, the quickest, and
the most efticacious, when the work of re-
form is commenced.
ROAD WORKING.
The present system of repairing roads,
by calling out all able bodied males between
certain ages to perform certain number
of days work, under the charge of super
intendent, has been practiced from time
immemorial in this State. The antiquity
of the custom has perhaps obscured its utter
Worthlessness. In practice it works some
what thus: Mr.. A. has four able bodied
men on his farm liable to road duty. On
road working day he has some other use for
these men, and he sends boys as substitutes,
who are not capable of performing the
quantity or quality of work required. The
working squad generally, considers the
affair as holiday and fr0lic, and a force
of twenty-five hands will not, and cannot
be made to do as much substantial work
under this system as half the force of hired
hands, under an energetic contractor would
perform in the same time. Further; the
character of the work consists principally
in piling a few bushes in the washes and
the cuts, and dragging light covering OF
earth on top, which the first rain sweeps
away. This, with an occasional ditch across
the road to turn water from the middle of
the road (which is with scientific accuracy
always left the lowesD into burrows plowed
out on the sides, is the extent of the work.
When the winter rains come, such road gen.
orally requires the farmers stOutest team to
drag thousand pounds of produce to mark
ct. Pleasure vehicles are either housed
until the summer sun dries up the streak
of mud kindly called a road, or if used, are
left with the carriage maker for repairs be-
fore the trip is finished. The wear and
tear, and toll and expense of one winters
use Of such a road, is worth a large per
centage of the cost of making it a good one.
WHAT is THE REMEDY?
1t would be we'll worth the while of the
General Assembly to select Commission
composed of men of practical ability to
revise the present system of road mainte-
nance. If, however, the subject could re-
ceive sufficient attention in advance, it
might be prepared to adopt remedy some-
l. All roads to be maintained and work
ed by contract.
2. Each able bodied person liable to road
duty to pay a communication tax in lieu of
work.
3. Such person to be allowed to work
under direction of the contractor at a fixed
per diem, in discharge of his communication
tax.
4. A small annual tax, if necessary, to
defray the expense.
5. The contractor to give bond, and be
held responsible for the condition Of the
road at all seasons of the year.
PERMANENT ROADS.
But this system is costly, and at best, a
temporary makeshift. 1t might be worthy
of experiment until something better can
be had. What the country eventually de-
mands, is system of permanent roads
which when once established may be main
tanned at trifling expense, and will be
adapted for use as well in wet as in dry
weather.
Throughout the whole of the Piedmont
region, embracing the counties broken into
hills, underlain with red and white clay,
where the roads are worst, the remedy is
easiest. The hills and road beds are lined
with stone, worthless for all else but road
making. A county engineer would be
able to designate the sections of each road,
where a permanent road bed is most need
ed. Farmers adjoining these highways,
if offered small remuneration per cubic
yard, would soon clear their fields of the
loose rock that impedes successful culture,
and deposit on the roadside at designated
points for use. The worst sections of such
highways, under the hands Of an energetic
contractor, might, at small expense, be
MacadamiZed to the extent of an eight foot
centre track for loaded vehicles, leaving a
track on each side, Of dirt road. This
system would constitute the nucleus Of
to greater width as the growth of the coun-
try demanded it. The eight foot track
would meet the requirements of heavy
traffic for a time, and could be constructed
at one third the expense of a full width i'm
provement. This system, carefully practiced
for a few years in each county, would OBJ
literate the bogs and mud lanes that in
many places are so discouraging to farm
ing industry, and would eventually be per-
fected into first class roads. In many places
the original road bed would require to be
changed, to avoid steep grades or other
faults of original location.
THE EXPENSE.
It will likely be answered that this latter
system is too expensive for the present
growth of the country. We answer to this
objection, let us take single county and
illustrate the cost. York county has about
$50 miles of the most execrable market
roads in the State. Its property is assessed