The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-12-24
PERSON COUNTY.
B
LOAD MAKING.
Laws Originated With
... Il. B. Murray-Wh hat Has
!. AnDn hN IL DrnnrnSSiyn InuniN

.--y0onc Dy II progressive ounty.
Columbia. Register.
fshave always taken the greatest in
Ttcrest in. thc aeitatiOn for good roads,
for | believe roads are an imD0rtanb
adjunct Of civilization. The roads OF
South Carolina are in a dcplOrablc con-
ditiOn, though in some counties they
have been considerably improved in
the last three on four years through
the operation of new road laws.
think thai before another decade has
rolled away, the roads Of South Caro-
lima VII begin to compare favOrUbly
Wit. those Of any other Southern State,
two Q" three counties in North Caro-
lina being expected. The citizens Of
South Carolina are taking more in
terest In the public highways now than
ever before, having ut last awakened
TO some realization Df how much they
have lost because Of the horrible con
clifton OF Suuth Carc!iDa's roads. I'M
migrants from other States are goins.
,jaI, '."'@ lands and settle where tho roads
~. f, Tor good roads mean Increased
,ucIivy <tOr communication and less
wear adI tear on stock and buggics
and wagons, stnd<that, larger loads can
be hauled with greater case by the
Samo teams. Good roads are cheaper
- Nt
big sum to make and maintain them.
Mgctlenburg County, \. c., which has
the best roads III the South, has; learn
cd this lesson. naat cUuntv now has Il
splendid system Of macHdamizcd roads.
which is constantly being improved.
Those roads have cost the county lots
Of money, but the returns have far
moro than JUSTIFIED the outlay. The
farming lauds in that county arc said
to have doubled in value, while better
farming lands in South Carolina coun-
ties with pooc roads have in the same
tine fallen OIL SO per cent. in value.
county scat Of Mccklenburg County,
has been wonderfully built up.
Talking about good roads, | have
received from Supervisor w. j. Smell
grove Of Anderson County worry in
Jercsting vest pocket pamphlet entitled
How They Work Public Highways
III Anderson County, S. c. II is an
illustrated description Of tho work done
under Mir. Snclgrovc, who is one Of tho
most efficient County Supervisors in
South Carolina, and is reprinted from
the souvenir edition Of the Anderson
Tntclligencer. Mr.. Snelgrovo and q
number Of other gcntlcmen request re-
publication Of this article in The Re-
it will be read by every citizen Of South
Carolina who Is interested in the sub
ject Of good roads, for IL contains much
valuable information. The article fol-
lows:
"Anderson County leads the State,
aud probably the South, in good,
smooth country dirt roads and in the
new system Of road making Ia every
direction from Anderson. run broad,
smooth roads To the limits Of the coun-
ty, which are SO thoroughly graded
and constructed as to rival many Of the
noted drive-days Of the North ana
East. And these roads are playing Il
very important part in increasing the
volume Of business in the city Cf An
1arsOn. TO the citizens OF Anderson
County 1t is now Il matter of surprise
that our common roads have been for
SO many years and so universally
neglected, amidst SO much progress
and prosperity in every Other dircc-
tion. 1t is indeed remarkable. Trade
relations, both Interstate and foreign,
have brought magnificent and thor
oughly equipped railroads, which span
tho c0nnGry in every direction, and
connect us with al most every market
of the world, but the common roAds
over which every pound OF produce
mus" De DhulGu 10 lcCu INC great
thoroughfares OF commerce ana travel
have been, Tor many years, even more
than o century, sadly neglected year
alter year. The Legislatures have
assembled, enacted la"a pertaining to
almost everything else. but to intro
duce Il new systen OF road making
oithor never occurred TO them or
seemed sfraught With SO many diIlicul-
ties, no one appeared willing TO IN.
dertakc II until in 1885. Maj. f.. b.
Murray, now deceased, Il young and
remarkably bright Representative from
Anderson County introduced bill
providing for q wider road bed, an in
crease In the number Of days work re-
quired and for q tax of II Of one mill
to@be set aside as ~ permanent i'm
proyement fund.
GThis bill became q law December 2l,
1886. 1t did not meot with general
but its effect proved most
Beneficial. 1t directed the attention
of,tho people to the subject Of better
roads. and In 1893 0 bill was introduced
giving TO- us the present system of road
This bill became q law