The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-11-17
The Good Roads Con-
Yention.

Columbia, November 1O.-Tbe Good
Roads Convention was held in the Su-
preme Court 1t was evident that the
assemblage was bent upon business
| alone. It was a representative gather
ing of substantial and leading citizens.
They ell met for one pupose-to see
what could be done. for the improve
ment of the State
Gen Roy Stone, United States road
commissioner, wae there, and by oppor-
tune suggestions materially aided in
the work. He made short, informal
address which was fall of suggestions
and bore directly Oh the conditions that
obtaio 10 this State.
SUPERVISOR King, Of Darlington,
who issued the call for the Convention, !,
called the meeting to order. He brief
ly told Of the motives which prompted
him to call the Convention, aud ex-
pressed his qualification at the manner
in which it had been responded to-.
He then suggested that temporary
organization be perfected This was
done BY calling Mr.. j. E. Breazsales
chair. Mr.. Breazeale expressed bis
qualification at the honor bestowed on
hin. and briefly outlined the work Of
the Convention. One of the most i'm
portant things that this body would
have to do, he thought, would be to
memoralize the Legislature to make a
uniform road Law for the entire State,
which would provide for systematic
method Of road improvement.
The committee on order reported as
follows First. Reports Of progress
from counties. Second. Propositions
of amendments of road laws and gen.
eral discussion. Third. This Con-
veption to resolve itself into the South
Carolina Good Roads Association.
Fourth. Each county delegation pres
ent to report within ten days name
for the vice president of the associa.
ton for the county. Fifth. A CON-
mittee of ten, to be chosen separately
by this Convention to report within
thirty days a permanent organization
to draft constitution and bylaws for
it's government, and to call meeting
of the association at it's, discretion
also to fill all vacanies in county vice
presidencies. Sixth. The county vice
presidcntss.t to organize county branches
of the association in their respective
localities.
This was adopted. and at this point
further reports of road improvements
from the different counties were dis
peosed With. Mr.. Whitmire, of
G,eenyille, offered the following:
Resolved, That it is the sense Of
this Convention that the Legislature
amecd the present road laws Of the
State SO that the limit Of the tern of
convicss 10 county chaig gangs shall
be ten years instead Of three years, as
prescribed by the law at present.
This was adopted.
The following. offered by Mr.. Lyops,
of Abbeyille, was rejected We would
recommend that the law be amended
SO as to require all persons liable to
| road duty to pay certain per capita
tag. with no option Of working so many
days in lieu of said tax.
This, by Mr. Stuckey, of Sumter,
was adopted
Resolved, That the Legislature be re.
quested to SO alter the law as to give
the supervisors Of the several counties
the exclusive power of appointing and
discharging the overseer and guard of
Che county chain gang.
A motion that committee Of one
from each county be appointed to me-
morialise the Legislature to pass wide
tire law was referred to the permanent
organization. The following, offered
by Mr.. Mitchell. of Charleston, was
adopted
Resolved, That committee of five
be appointed by this Convention to
draft an Act for the creation of road
commission for this State by the Legis-
lature, and report at the first meeting
Of the organization.
The committee of ten for perfectiug
the organization was elected as follows !:
M. L Donaldson. Of Greenville "
P. Snelgrove. of Anderson. w. S
King, Of Darlington, W. P Cantwell,
of Charleston, J. P Kilgore. of
spar.anbure, F. H. Hyatt, of Rich
land, A. w. White. of York. M. B.
McSweeney. of Hampton, T NJ. Little
John. of Cherokee, and j. F. Breeder,
of Marlboro.
At the night session Of the Conven-
ton. the capacity of the Supreme Court
room vas inadequate for the crowd in
attendance. Mr.. F. H. Hyatt was
called on for a speech. He told Of
work which was being done 10
Richand County He was followed by