The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1900-10-18
GOOD ROADS FOR CHESTER.

nave set 10 work III earnest to provide
Sood roads for it. A few weeks ago
lhey took the first step by organizing q
society for the purpose of promoting
such work, and at its meeting ten DAYS
ago, the committee appointed to pro.
pose working plan submitted one
which was unanimously adopted.n
According to the local paper, the Ches-
ter reporter, the plan adopted and
recommended TO the county authorities
is as follows:
|. TO prepare list of all persons
liable for road duty of & days or a ~
commutution tax, and to enforce ser
vice or collect the tax " through the
treasurcr's Office with general tax"
3. TO establish Il repair force for
road maintenance in each township,
under road master employed by the
year" the force to be kept Ut work
all the year except in bad weather.
and each such folcc to be supplied with
"a team Of two mules, Il plough, and
such other necessary Implements as
the county is able 10 furnsh.'
8. That the county employ Il com
petcnt civil engineer, when necessary,
to direct all permanent work and to
instruct the township road masters in
their work. If the county shall under
take to macadamize the nam public
roads or Ito any other permanent work,
requiring long time for its colAple-
ton, then TO employ an engineer for
such time that the work may be
thorough.
| 4. That the county commissioners
levy one mill for permanent work."
that the chain gang be employed on
such work only, that the board pur-
chase or hire the necessary machinery
for permanent work, and that applica-
tion he made TO the pcnitcntiary au-
thorltlcs FOR 10 to 20 convict lab0rcrs.
The convict laborc1s would help the
cause materially, but it is evident that
their aid is not essential to the plan
and will be dispensed with if Unnecessary.
Its main features arc the provisions
| Tor the strict enforcement of the road
service or its equivalent in money, the
inclusion of the road tax on the gen
cral tax, the employment of the chain
gang on permanent work only, the
steady employment OF the repair force
all the year, the assured use of the
| necessary " machinery,' and The com
potent supervision of the whole work.
The plan cannot fail to insure the ma
| terlal ana continuing improvement OF
all the roads of the county, and the
placing Of the principal ones in first
class condition, and il might he adopt
| ed by other counties greatly to their
| advantage.
incidentally to the sub bject of such
improvements it may be remarked that
| the time is cvidcnlally near at hand
when good roads will possess Il special
value and Importance in any pant of the
country besides and beyond that of
| aGording smoother ways for the pas
sage of ordinary and slow vehicles
only. The automobile has come to
stay, and it is not a mere toy, but is
capable of rendering useful public
service, as it is largely so employed nj
ready in many cities, and it's possibil-
ties are not yet nearly developed. An
exhibition OF its speeding qualities
given III Chicago 4 few days ago is M
tcrcstingly reported by one of the local
papers.
The competition was between the
| Winton fOur-whceled gasoline automo-
bile and two motor trcyclcs over q
tifty-ihilc course. The four-whccler
made the hf,y-miles III hour, II min
tcB and 80 seconds. The thirty-sixth
and forticth miles were each made in
90 seconds. The average speed per
mile was 81 % seconds. This rccOrt
, was beaten, however, by one OF tn,
tricycle. motors, which made the sc
, miles in hour, g minutes, 81 seconds
although it slackcncd speed once to feed
more oil to its small engine. 1t made
the second miles in minute, 20 is
seconds. The highest speed of the
f0ur-Wheelcd automobile was at the
rate of 40 miles an hour ; that of the
tricycle. motor was Is miles an hour.
| Commenting on the exhibition a
Chicago paper says: " While such
speed as this is impracticablc except on
an unobstructed and smooth course, IT.
demonstrates the amazing development
of the self-propclling vehicle within a
few years. The pcriccting of automo-
bllcs for practical uses is only in its In
fancy, and such contests stimulate
while they illustrate its rapid growth. )"
Forty miles an hour is good railroad
speed, and when it is remembered that
some of the machines are sold for as
low price as &750-which is far less
than the cost of railroad, and not more
than that Of n fine horse or cow--and
that they can be run on any country
road that is smooth and firm, it would
appear to bo good policy for any coun-
try community, which desires rapid
transit for any reason to put it's roads
in such shape. 1t is not required
moreover, to make the roads level
The motors can so up and down hill
They have recently assembled and de-
sccndcd Pixies Peak, and other noun.
tains, without difficulty. --NcUs and
Courier.