Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-02-09
WANTS A ROAD CONVENTION.

Mr.. Harry Wylie, of Rock Hill, was
before the county board Of commits
sioners Wednesday in the interest Of
good roads. He came, incidentally, to
make some suggestions with reference
to roads in which the Power company
is interested, and for the improvement
Of which the county Is desired to give
fair share Of assistance; but the prin-
cipal object of his visit was to give
some practical suggestions on the sub
ject Of good roads in general.
The reporter was not in the Office Of
made his suggestions; but on hearing
about the matter, took occasion to get
full statement for the benefit of the
public. Mr.. Wylie is practical man.
Of wide experience and high intelli-
gence. His views, therefore, are enti-
tied to very careful consideration.
What was driving at, more than
anything else," explained Mr.. Wylie,
was to get the commissioners to call
convention Of all the road overseers
in York county, to be held in Yorkville
sometime during July or August, for
the purpose Of swapping ideas on the
road question. I think we might have
a number Of papers on road work, and
the discussion Of them will prove Of ed
ucational value. The commissioners
treated my suggestions with all the
consideration I could expect, and from
what they said, I believe they will be
rather inclined to call the convention.
1.-THE truth is," Mr.. Wylie continued,
1--WE are in bad way on the road ques-
ton, and I think the trouble Is due
more than anything else to the chain
gang system. Now understand me.
The chaingang is capable Of making
good roads. 1t can, and does, do lot
of valuable work; but 1t does not do
anything like half Of what Is expected
Of it. There comes the trouble. T do
not mean to reflect upon the road over
seers, and what I say must not be so
taken; but it is fact that since the
chaingang was instituted, it has be-
come the general tendency for each
neighborhood to wait for the chaingang
to do work it should do itself. 1t Is
very much like the school question.
Years ago, you remember, before the
free school was instituted, the people
Of a neighborhood who were able to do
so, were glad to chip in and help estab-
ish a first-class school. Even after
y, m of
public assistance, people were still
willing to help make up the difference
necessary for nine months school.
But nowadays you seldom hear Of
anything Of this kind. There are few
people who are willing to make volun-
tary subscriptions for school purposes.
Just why this Is, l shall not pretend
to say; but it is a fact. 1t is the same
thing with reference to roads. There
has been a time when road hands gen.
but that time seems to have been pass
ed, and most neighborhoods are dis
posed to wait for the chaingang to do
little jobs Of bridging and ditching
that could be done just as readily by
the regular road hands. The result Is
that the work is postponed from year
to year, the troubles all the time grow
ing worse, until finally 1t is necessary
to change the roadbed as the only way
out of the dilemma.
THE most important item in connec-
ton with road work is that Of drain
a whole and they could be improved so
per cent by drainage alone. Between
Yorkville and Rock Hill I can point
out at least a dozen places where the
roads are going to destruction from