Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1902-09-10
THOSE ROAD MACHINES.
A Letter In Which the Writer Does Some Faur.
ing-Wants Cash Basis.

Fort Madison, September 6.-Edtors
Courier: We noticed short letter pub
| lished in the Westminster Times of July
II in regard to the new county machinery.
The writer said that they would "work
ten miles per day, or 90 miles a week, at
cost of one dollar per mile with the
now machinery, and said Mr.. Cook can
come over when they fire up, and get a
look If he wants to-" The foregoing
was signed "R. NJ" I have been wait
ing for results. To make a short reply
to the above, wonder where "R. M" is
to-day; wonder if he is not ashamed of
his calculations. Work was commenced
with the machines on July 20. They
have been working thirty days, and I
have been informed that thew have NOT
worked more than Is miles. This is
one half mile per day. have also been
informed that tho cost for the two en-
gines, including labor, fuel, ETC., is at
least $12 por day, which is $24 per mile.
Wonder what "R. M" thinks of thatP
Instead of 10 miles per day it is one.half
mile per day, and instead of one dollar
per mile it is twenty-four. / think there
are more than 1 300 miles of road in the
county, and it would, at one-half mile
per day, take them about eight years to
work the roads one time, and at a cost of
$31 900. Now, if / am not mistaken in
the man, am not surprised that "R M i"
would think that they could work ten
miles per day, because l don't suppose
he ever did a days work in his life. But
when he invites me to go and see it, this
is surprising that he would think that
any sane man would drive twenty miles
just to see some man try to do an i'm DOS
sibility. If half mile per day is the
best they can do, they had better give
me one of those engines to pull my corn
shredder, and bring the rock crusher
down on the river for the boys to crack
walnuts with.
Now, as to Mr.. Schroders statement of
August l3 in regard to the financial CON
dition of the county, it certainly does
seem real funny. He says in the outset
that "it is next to impossible to give the
exact figures" Now, if it is impossible
to give correct figures, why did he give
any at alp We can get figures that are
not correct from most any man we meet
figures for 1901, and we think most of
the expenditures have been since that
time. But if it is impossible for the Off
cials to give correct figures, suppose
the county business will never be
Strengthened out. Mr.. Schroeder saws
"the County Commissioners have abso-
lutely no control of expenditures be-
cause they were for articles that we're
necessary" Now, it does seem strange
that the county officials have no control
OF the county affairs. We know they
have not had any control of the convict
gang for quite while, but we did think
they had control of the county's business
affairs. Probably they are not response
Die for the county having to pay for six
dollar flour, sugar, coffee, hams, canned
goods of all kinds, spectacles, flve-dollar
trnnks, ETC., bought and furnished to a
lot OF convicts, or rather charged up to
the convict gang. But the convicts
never saw any of it, SO they say. / sup
pose the Commissioners could not help
this because they had no control of them
selves. That's funny sure. Mr.. Schro-
der says the four thousand dollars, cost
of road machines, does not have to be
paid until 1905. Does he think this a
good business methodP We can buy
most anything like machinery 20 or 90
per cent cheaper for cash than we can
buy it on three years. time. How much
| easier can we pay that debt in 1905 with
about three hundred and fifty dollars in
terest added on than we could paw Il
now. But suppose the Commissioners
are not responsible if they have no CON
troll of themselves.
Mr.. Schroeder further says "they will
more than pay off all claims audited up
to this time" There is an old adaoe
That mans hind-sight is better than
his foresight But here we find one man
whose foresight is the best He saws ii
is impossible to tell exactly what thew
nave done, but he can tell precisely what
they will do next fall.
We think the business of the county
should be put on cash basis, and we
are wiihng 70 nave our taxes raised to
put 1t there If they will keep it there i'm
the future. This time business will ruin
any country. Yours, etc.,
| j. A. Cook,