The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1902-01-15


roads, the cost of keeping them in re
pair would be very small item Ii
, comparison to what our present road
are costing. In fact, the saving in no
having to work the permanent road
, 30 often would in very short tim
, pay for their building. This has beer
found to be the case wherever good
permanent roads have been built.
From the seventh annual report o
the commissioners of public rJads fol
the State of New Jersey, one of th'
leading States in the good roads move
ment, the following is taken merely t.
show in what respect good roads are
held by the people who have used then
and know of theil advantages :, The
people seem to be 60 wonderfully im
pressed with the idea that by good roads
the value of land will be increased
transportation cheapencd, travel anC
business attracted, school houses and
churches filed, and civlliz ,tiOn ad
vanced that they are praying as earn
estly for them as for great riches
Consequently the pressure for new
roads Is SO great it seems almost i'm.
4 possible TO hold the people back. They
are SO anxious th At they are not will
ing to copfiue thems, Ives within the
limit Of State and county appropria-
tlons. They are constantly insisting
upon building ahead of the State APP
preparation, in order that they may
enjoy them now.
1t has been estimated that in 40
counties in Indiana where good roads
have been built, "the average increase
in the selling price of land, due to ex-
isting imp owed highways, is SO 4S per
acre. The estimated average increase
per acre that would result from i'm
proving all the public roads is 50 90.
/ The estimated average cost of convert.
ing the common public roads into
improved highways is 81 LAC per mile.
| The estimated average annual loss,
per 100 acres, from poor roads is
$7G 2S." On the basis of this calcula-
tion the average annual loss frcm poor
| roads IS ~ cents per acre. 1t will be
seen that the loss from poor roads
would soon pay for the building of
good roads, and after replacing the
amount paid for their construction,
the good roads will continue to pay.
OF course, it cannot be expected
that South Carolina should do as much
as some of the States have done, but
any action which may be taken, look
ing TO the betterment of our roads,
will be of great benefit and in the long
run will actually save money. Most
OF the work done by our chaingangs
upon the present roads is simply
thrown away.
The building of public highways is
as much of science as railroad build.
ing, and in order TO build roads will
require money, and in order TO secure
money there will have to be provision
for raising it by taxation. The Good
Roads convention, which was recently
hold in Greenville, passed resolutions
'reQucs, 'ng the Legislature that each
county be given the privilege TO de-
termine by election the right of such
county to levy tax, not to exceed 2
2 mills on the taxable property of
such county, if go much be necessary,
in order to build good roads, and that
such counties as desire &c do so be
given authority to issue bonds to con-
struct and maintain their public high
ways and be authorized to issue bonds
upon so deciding by county election.
a resolution was also passed at this
convention requesting the Legislature
to enact such laws as will encourage
the use OF broad tires, and also that
the county chaingangs shall be put to
work exclusively on building good,
permanent roads. These suggestions
are practical business propositions and
will work great benefit TO the State if
4 n nd hot
they be followed.
1t is most gratifying TO note the i'll
terest which has lately been taken by
the people of South Carolina in this
subject Most of the counties of the
State are awakening to realiz ition of
the Importance of the subject and
much ls being accomplished.
In this connection the work which
has been done aud is now being done
by the Southern railway in this dlrec-
tion deserves commendation, and no
doubt much of the good which has re-
suited from this awakening is due
partly TO its efforts.
ANY action ,oking 10 The betterment
of our roads which, in your wisdom,
you may see fit TO take, will be so
much done toward the promotion OF
the general prosperity of the people.
Whatever plan you adopt should be
efficient, economical and equitable.
Aud that you should adopt some plan
is patent to every thoughtful citizen.
CHILD LABOR.
In M last message directed your
attention to the importance of giving
| careful consideration to the question
of child labor in our manufacturing
establishments. With the rapid
grow th of manufacturing industries in
our State this has now become ques-
ton that directly concerns the people
Of South Caroline and o problem that
is demanding solution. The solution
should work no injustic upon the mil
owners; nor should the health and the
future happiness and prosperity of the
children, who will in few years be
citizens and voters, be neglected.
Nothing should be done that Will in.
jure the manufacturing interests, nor
retard the progress and development of
South Carolina iu material growth.
There ls no doubt that to keep tho