The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-01-31
SOME SUGGESTIONS
ABOUT GOOD ROADS.
Prof. Holmes Valuable Ad.
dress to Legislators.
The State Jan. 26.

The State Jsu. 20.
The legislature of South Carolina
last night listened to an enjoy able
aud much enjoyed common sense
talk on the subject OF good roads
This theme did not occupy the entire
time of Prof j. A Holmes of the
University of North Carolina end
State geologist, but be referred briefly
to many latent resources which
should be developed, fostered and
maintained
Mr. Holmes is q native of South
Carolina. and though a young man,
is among the foremost of those
who are devoting time aud
brain to the upbuilding of the south
in the development of natural riches.
He is self made man. and the most
forcible illustration of the cost Of bad
roads which he used last night was
taken from bis own life He reoited
how when q boy be had made three
bales Of cotton to cid in obtaining an
education To haul that cotton from
Laurens to Newberry cost him SIS,
and consumed Eve days. on account
Of the horrible roads-as much On
expense ss trip 10 New York on
the cars.
Mr. Holmes began his lecture by
referring to ths splendid growth of
South Carolina in her cotton mill
industries. aud illustrated with bis
stereopticon the water power of Pei.
Fer and of the Columbia canal Rap
idly running from water power to
water itself, he gave good advice
about the sinking OF wells 90 as to
escape typhoid germs
Forestry was beautifully illustrated
and ably discussed He showed on
the canvas the splendid pine forests
Of North Carolina 10 their virgin
state, and deplored the fact that this
great source of revenue was nearly
extinct on account of forest fires.
The loss to North Caroliua had been
81 ,0O0. 900 annually on this account
South Carolins's pine forests are not
30 much ruined The causes of this
devastation are sometimes careless
ness and sometimes cussedness, and
in North Carolina the forests have
been killed. the seed germs destroy
ed and the land made q desert by
these fires. He appealed 10 the leg
islature TO throw safeguards around
the pine forests and also to protect
the gum and the cypress in the
swamps, where the land is being sold
to foreign numbering corporations for
Q pittance.
He spoke of the good which the
bureau of geological survey was
efeciing 10 causing diversity of
farming in North Carolina, and said
that the farmers were not complain
ing OF the cost of this bureau, for it
had brought $4,000. 900 of foreign
capital into the State and had helped
the farmers to practice economy
There is no use. he said, for South
Caroline to try to get appropriations
from congress to help in such work
unless the State does something
itself Our representatives in con.
gress are crying "paternslism run
mad and the western and eastern
men are saying. "give us appropria
tIons for our waste places and we
will do something ourselves"
be then came to the subject upon
which be was to address the general
assembly by ipvitstion-good roads
He laid down the proposition that
those people who have not good roads
are paying Q "mud. sand and bill
tax" snd for this they get no bene
ft. No creature in the animal OF
vegetable kingdom is benefited by
bad roads. not even tadpoles. fol-
they die in dry weather From
letters written to 10000 farmers, he
had been able to estimate that the
mud tax" has cost North Carolina
$lO,OO0.0O0 yearly. and the cost in
South Carolina is half az great
With bis stereopticon be showed how
in other sections Of this country bills
wore graded and the roads made
smooth aud firm.
10 California oonv labor is used "a
prepare the mscsdau at cost of abou,
20 cents q day, against rs cents 10
North Carolina for free labor He
suggested that Q State rock orushin Q
plant could be established ct or in con.
nec'ion with the South Carolina
peni;entiary and by convict labor the
cost reduced TO minimum. The
oouuties could arrange with tho rail
roads for a nominal rate Of trausporta.
too The poorer counties might say
hat 1t was very we'll for Greenviile
Spar'snburg, Anderson, etc to
uodertske this work, but they
themselves oould not Prof Uolmes