The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-10-30
Good Roads the Need Of the South.

Negotiations which have been pend
ing for some time were closed last week
by which the National Good Roads
Association, assisted by the Office of
Public Road Inquiry, U. S. Depart
ment of Agriculture, will run Good
Roads Special Train over the lines
of the Southern Railway, stopping at
various points for the purpose of
building sample roads and holding
meetings with the view of educating
the people along the lines in practical
road building. These arrangements
were perfected by President ". b.
Moore, of the National Goods Roads
Association, with the Southern Rail
way Company. 1t is planned to spend
several days at each point, giving am
pie time to construct road from one
half to one mile long.
President Spencer, of the Southern
Railway Company, is taking great
deal of interest in this subject of good
roads for the South. Ever since the
organization of the National Good
Roads Association, the Southern Rail
way has been represented at its Ma
tional meetings and many of its public
demonstrations and this train is dis
tinctiyely a Southern Railway under
taking, to be carried out at heavy
expense to that company, and is in line
with the development policy so persist
emily followed in building up the
country tributary to the lines OF the
Southern Railway.
The train will leave Washington
about November /. It will consist of
about ten cars, on which will be trans
ported all necessary machinery for tie
building of roads, officers, road .ex-
perts and laborers The trip will con-
sumo several weeks.
So much has been said and written
in regard to this subject of good roads
that the people of the South are prac-
tically in thorough accord with the
idea that good roads are an acquisi-
ton to the country. It is hoped that
every citizen Of the South will, If pos
sible, attend these Good Road Meet
ings and witness the modern and up-to-
date methods of building public high
ways.
AS the lines of competition are being
drawn closer and margins of profit mar
rover, every element looking to the
economical production and distribu
ton of the products Of the country
should be employed, and as it has been
thoroughly demonstrated that good
roads are the prime factor in the up
building of every section of the coun
try, every citizen of the South should
take personal interest in this sub
ject. The South needs better roads;
every farm would be benefited there
by, the public will appreciate the ad
vantages thereof, and it is hoped the
educational feature carried on by the
National Good Roads Association,
supported by the Southern Railway
Company, will accomplish the pur-
pose of this movement.
The South can have good roads if it
will, and the sooner the citizens get
together and work along some well-or-
ganized and practical line these results
will be reached the quicker. There
is nothing that will do more to in
crease the value of lands and advance
the development of the rural districts
than well-constructed roads. The i'm
provement of the road system will have
wonderful effect in stimulating the
settlement of people on farms, and as
these settlements are being made SO
will the value of the land increase.
Wherever a city or town is found
possessing well:male roadways lead
ing therefrom the business of that
point will be found in a prosperous
condition. Therefore, the citizen of
every town in the south will be pro-
noting his own interests if be gives
this movement his moral and, if neces-
sary, financial support.
Every State. County, City and Town
Officer should give this subject of
better roads serious consideration,
take the matter in hand Immediately
and show his constituents that the
movement for better roads will receive
his utmost consideration and co-opera-
tion.
It is universally decided that good
roads are wanted. In order to secure
them all must pull together. working
Systematically and on practical lines.
This grand tour planned by the South
ern Railway Company is signal for
action. IF the STATES visited are not
alive to this and do not avail them
selves Of the opportunity to secure in
formation afforded by the Good
Roads Special Train, - no one will be
at fault except the citizens of the
States in which the exhibits are made
Let it be resolved to have good roads
and to put that resolution in effect at
once.
For the purpose of interesting the
citizens of the communities adjacent
to the points where these meetings
will be held in attending them, low
round-trip rates will be made from
nnintS in the territory trihntary TO