The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-24

tho quantity OF the clay. Kaolin
chalk Will not do, for we have expert
mented with 1t and find that it will no,
pack hard, and it absorbs water,
Where there are no clay hills on tho
road-and that is the case in some sec
| ttons OF our cOunty-we haul clay from
the nearest mounds on the roadside
and 1t gives mo real pleasure to state
that the land owners In such SECTIONS
worked by us have readily and goner.
ously allowed us to haul the clay from
their lands free OF all charge and
have no doubt they would do likewise
in any part OF the State.
We have tried sand on clay roads
and mot with as much success as VIC
have in working clay into sand roads,
and Whenever clay gets boggy we pro
poso to suspend claying sand and will
sand tho clay, which is an expenso
that should be avoided Whenever pos
siblc.
Now word as to tho cost. The esti-
mate given you sometime ago, viz: $50
per mile, IL approximately correct, but
1T ID proper for me to say that in estl.
mating tho cost wo do not include the
cost OF our chain gang plant, for that
We regard as in the nature Of perma.
mont Investment. We merely estimate
tho actual cost for the maintenance OF
tho convicLs, feed Of the mules, and tho
wear and tear OF road tools. With an
average force OF SO convicvs We make
four miles OF composite road per
month. True, we have not thus far
done 80 for tho reason that tho chain
gang has had To be occasionally en-
ploycd at emergency work in other di-
rcctions, but II employed exclusively in
| making composite roads SO cOnvicts can
make four miles per month at u cost as
| above estimated.
We desire il to be understood tn at
we do not claim, and have never
claimed, that sand and clay composite
will mako as durable road as IL prop.
| erIy constructed macadam, and it is
proper to say also that ours has vet to
| stand tho test OF a continuous rainy sea.
| son, though 1t has been tested by somc
heavy summon rains anu stood the te st
admirably. All that we DO claim for
our sand and clay composite is that
where, MS Is tho case generally
| throughout South Carolina. financial
| q" uditiOns do not admit Of mncadnm
road building, tho next best thing is
the sand and clay composite, for it
makes d smooth, hard r0ad-bcd and
costs css than the repairs alone Of the
macadam would cost. Whenever the
necessity OF good roads and arc willing
to tax themselves to build them, thor
our roads, especially those adjacent II
cities and towns, could be mecada
miZed, and 1t seems to mo that such
law as that recently passed In the Stat
OF Now York would then be an advar
tagCous one for us hero in South Care
, Ina. That law requires tho State t
pay SO per cent. the county % per cent
and the land owners on each side of tn
road that Is to bo improved u pc
cont. OF the road Improvement.
| started out merely to answer in
qu,ries as to the manner OF building
and the cost OF construction OF thu
sand and clay composite road, but hnv
ing driftcd somewhat beyond thu
point, let mo go on a little further ant
say that In my opinion you are wiscl,
agitating the reduction Of State farm
Ing and the increase OF convict labor
In works OF public utility such as this
Q; road making. rs is known OF al
men, TIE free labor system OF working
roads Is a miserable farcc and . dcat
failure. Let the counties havc all tn
convicts they need on the roads an,
then we can build them scientifically
We can then repair and build bridge
keep the roads In thorough repair, d
needed sanitary work near the cities
: drain OF fever breeding swamps an
put stop to the constant drain upo
, county revenues which has grown II
under our present makcshift system
Let us abolish the free labor syster
0 entirely, make the road tax compu
sorry and apply such tax to the pa,
n ments for iron bridges, which woul
- bo permanent structures, obviatir
} the need Of wooden ones which have
J. be constantly repaired to the great G
= pense OF the taxpayers.