The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-09-25
NOW FOR A FREE BRIDGE.

WQetner We Will IL 50 VI uot tHe
question of good roads and bridges
has forced itself upon US in such a
forceful and emphatic manner that
We cannot afford to lay it aside M
considered. We can no longer shut
our ears to the neces stiles and ur-
gent demands of the times nor push
it aside with careless Indifference.
We will either have to devise bet
ter ways and means than those wblcb
have heretofore obtained to improve
the condition cf our roads tnt
bridges, or We will remain at the ut
most tail eud Of The procession Will n
is marching On toward hi2 h'E stage
cf prosperity. There is no other alter
native and it is but an ex!raVaganf
and useless waste Of both lime and
clergy to seek another.
Good roads are essential TO 'be
prosperity of a State, county atd
community AID it is just as imp' rt-
ant to the we'll being cf the S.ate,
county and community for those hav
ing the supervision of thSir admin.
tration to provide them as 1t lis 10
provide court Douse to prosecute
those charged with crime, aad a Hl
for the incarceration Of climll ais. Il
is just as important for the Board OF
County Commissioners to have M
public highways built in substan-
tial manner as it is for them to
discharge any of the other duties de-
volyiDg upon them by constitutional
and statutory requirement and 1t is
made encumbent upon the grand jury
of county to take cognizance fevery
,derelict on of duty IN this respect
The law, therefore, has made every
provision that it can consistently do
under our system Of government to
encourage the building OF good roads
and maintaining good bridges, so it
is only question of the people them
selves and the county government
whether we will have them or not
Our present Efficient Board OF County
Commissioners have been very liberal
in the matter of improving tie high
ways of the county considering the
limited funds at their com mand for
this purpose and have taken com
mendable interest in this matter and
seemingly disposed to lend their indi-
vidual and official influence IN fur
thering any reasonable and logical
plan having for lis obi ct the perms-
neut and substantial improvement OF
the public roads of the county.
Tue people Of the Fork need
free bridge across Saluda river. This
want has been long felt and is be-
coming more and more so each day
Oftentimes in the past those people
have been put to many very annoy
ing inconvenience in obeying the
mandates of the court and in the dis
charge of the public duties devolving
upon each citizen to say nothing OF
the delay and the lost of both time and
money in transacting their private ef
fairs. The river ovelfows it's bank;
Inc roads are often inundated by the
backwaters for a considerable dis
tance inland, and where this is not
the case they are cut into mush and
slush by the burden cf the traffic
done on them. They are entitled to
relief from the evils under which
they are suffering, and they should
be given that relief Immediately
The people on the south side are
perfectly willing to contribute !lber-
ally toward that relief even to tub-
mittipg to small extra levy which
can be wiped out, say 10 five years, to
raise the money necessary With which
to build this bridge. We have sound
ed many of our leading cid most in
fuential citizens and We know for
certainty whereof we speak. They
all agree that something must be
done and that Immediately ard they
are willing to assist in a substantial
manner.