The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-08-16

great Improvement to tho worse por-
tion Of onr streets, that tho plan and
execution Of the work was in the high
est degree wise and commcndablc.
Having consciously or unconsciousIy
adopted what is known in Ohio as the
"treo pike road plan", it might bo
interesting and instructive in this con-
ncction TO give tho observations of
Judge Lawrance,, of that State, upon
the operations Of tho system in Ohio.
AS to the construction hc says:
'These roads are generally opened
nom forty to ,siXty feet wide, turn
pikcd with earth twenty feet wide so
as to. drain freely on side bitches, and
raised with broken stone or gravel not
less that ten nor more than sixteen feet
in width, nor less than twelve inches
thick in the centre, and eight inches at
least at the outer edges Of tho .road.bed
of stone or gravel. But tho law pro-
vidcs that the roads may be- construct
cd "wholly of earth when stone or
gravel is not acccssible."" The roads
arc provided with culvcrts and bridges
where necessary"
AS to the operations. and effects of
the Ohio plan, he continues:
"All tho pixies arc free. When it
was first proposed to make pixies in
these forms in Ohio there was much
opposition and Il large amount Of liti-
'gation. But tho roads were found so
desirable and convenient that opposi-
Gon soon died out, and al objection is
rarely heard of, except from some
locality where men fail to secure a
location to suit their wishes.
t1ou will observe the law author
ICES free pixies without the bed of
gravel or stone. In all the counties
where gravel is found gravel has been
used. III quite number Of counties
there arc pixies made of broken stone,
but this is expensive. In some corn-
ties free pixies arc made Of cartl' only.
81 can say that ihc free turnpike law
OF Ohio has worked, and is working,
satisfactorily. | believe it will work
wcll in South Carolina. In many
parts Of your State you have such q
sandy soil that good very good roads,
can be made upon the free turnpike
plan, even without the cost of gravel
or broken stone.
"Tllc good roads secured in Ohio
under our free turnpike laws have
added immensely to the comfort and
convenience of the people, and largely
enhanced the value Of farms, and city
and village, and all property. think
it safe to say that in the portion of
Ohio where | reside full twenty-five
per cent. has been added to Tic value
of farms by the free pixies. With
these good roads farmers can take their
produce to market with a less number
OF horses than formerly, and in this
way their expenses are reduced. The
demand for horses has, however, large
~ increased, because many more pco-
pie in cities and villages and in thc
country now own carriages and bug
gics than in the days Of poor roads.
In my part of Ohio, at all seasons of
thc year, in wet weather and dry, our
people drive in bnggics six and eight
miles an hour with case and comfort
TO themselves, and without injury to
horses. Good pixies are Il source to
wealth, by diminishing Inc cost. Of car
rying products to market, and Of rccciv-
ing products in. return, by adding to
the convenience and speed Of travel
for all private and public purposes,
Including mail facilities, and by add
ing to the value of all property. Good
roads induce Immigration. Before we
had pixies i'll my part of Ohio, people
would come to find farms to purchase,
or places TO locate in business, and 90
away with their capital, because we
had no roads which were good at all
seasons Of the year. Now they are
leaving older counties, and those even
with good land where good roads are
not, or cannot be done, to make homes
with lis.
"Frcc pixies have social and moral
effect, by enabling people to travel and
visit neighbors. aud friends far and
near who would not otherwise be yis-
tied so frequently, If at all.
"You have in South Caroline a genial
climate, wide extent of fertile soil
full of capabilities, water power which,
never freezes up with which Immense
manufactures can be successfully con-
duclcd, and around which existing
cities will increase and new ones
spring up, adding to your wealth and
resources already so great. You have
mineral resources Of, great value, and
you should add to all these and to the
beauty and comfort of your hospitable
homes, and for the convenience Of your
brave, entcrprising and generous peo-
pie, good free pixies"
Winnsboro is to be congratulated
upon this signal step in the right dircc-
ton. e
ono OF South Carolinn's Most Prominent