The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-25
For Good Roads in South Carolina.

For Good Roads in South Carolina.
The Board of County Commissioners
of this (Richland) county are seriously
contemplating an effort with the next
year to macadamize the roads of the
county. Recently they made an ex-
pertinent on $50 yards of road near the
city to ascertain the cost Of putting
down such roads. While the official
report of Captain Sligh, in charge of
the county chain-gang, has not yet
been filed, it is understood that the
test proved most encouraging, Rich
land County is in fine financial condi-
tion, and she can we'll afford to start
the work. The Board, however, is
anxious to get the next reassessment
of realty before going into the matter
for the whole county, but by very
short additional tax being added next
year the work can be begun and car
ried on. Again, the bonding plan is
open and can be adopted. A steam
roller will cost $3.50, and rock
crusher, elevator, etc., will cost as
much more. There will practically be
no other outlay. Richland is fortunate
in having a granite foundation. In
the upper portion of the county granite
can be secured at almost any price,
and the cost of hauling will be moth
ing. This is usually the heaviest item
in the making of macadam roads. The
County Board seems to be very much
in earnest in the matter.-Columbia
Is. C.) State.
Building Country Roads by State Aid.
At the Rock River (Ill.) Chautauqua
Mr.. Otto Dorner, of Milwaukee, de-
livered an interesting address on
"How Shall We Obtain Better Roads?"
He said, in part:
sI am glad of an opportunity to
say to a gathering of farmers that the
League of American Wheelmen pro-
poses to help them in bringing about
proper division Of the cost of good
roads, so that the city people, the
capitalist, merchants and manufac-
turers, the wealthy corporations, rail-
road, insurance and telephone COM
panies, in fact, every class of people,
shall contribute to the cost of building
them.
1.-The League Of American Wheel
men believe tina. many Of our country
roads should be Euilt by State aid;
that part of the cost of good roads
should be paid out of the State tax,
which would be levied upon all prop
erty and all classes of people alike, 80
that every taxpayer should contribute
q proportionate amount, according to
to the amount of property he owns.
We propose that the States shall help
to build roads and divide their total
cost between the people Of the locality,
who are most directly benefited, the
adjoining property owners whose land
rises in value as result of the i'm
provement, and the State as represent
ing the entire population.
"This is not Utopian plan; it is not
theory only, but has been adopted
in practice with great success in New
Jersey, in Connecticut, in Rhode
lSlanu, LA IeHuSNlNdulhs ul'', III u
modified form, in Massachusetts, New
Jersey has become famous for the fine
roads she has built These were con-
structed by q State aid system under
which their cost is divided about as l
have indicated. The farmers of New
Jersey are enthusiastic over this State
aid system, and the towns and conn
ties are glad to pay their share of the
cost of these roads so long as the State
pays it part. The country districts in
New Jersey are overwhelming the
State authorities with petitions to as
sist in the Improvement of local roads,
and the Legislature can not appropri-
ate funds for the purpose sufficient to
meet the demands from the farmers.
1.-The New Jersey Commissioner of
Public Roads tells me that large part
of his time is occupied in listening to
the pleadings of farmers that the roads
in their districts shall be- the first to
receive the benefit Of the State aid. 49,.