The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-04-15
GOOD ROADS.

yelopment, the first essential to
bring it about, is the building OF
the highways, thereby putting
the country in closer touch with
the towns, which is an encour-
aeement and stimulant to agrl-
cultural interests. This is an
agricultural country, with IN
dustrial of-shoots, but the nam
dependence is the farm, ana
when our lawmakers negle3c:5
the guardianship of our puolc
highways, they permit our man 2S1 q
source of supply to suffer. me
farmer, like all other vocatlons
must in order to make his call
inc profitable, be able to put ms
produce on the market rapidly,
in large quantities at a minimum
expense, and with deep sandy,
:or clay bog and stumpy roads,
be cannot do this, because the
draught on his stock is TOO
GREAT: therefore. he must make
three trips or use three times the
number of stock, be slow IN get
TING to market, and not be able
to supply the demands OF his
nearest markets; the result OF
which is, to discourage the up
building of the home markets,
and putting the farmer at a dis
tance for the disposition Of his
produce.
There is a disposition, fast
becoming popular to organize
for the purpose of building up
our public roads, and in some
counties the work has already
begun, the people are voting
upon themselves a special tax
for road purposes, like we do a
special tax for schools, ana
where this is done, roads are
made with a view to lessen
draught on stock and shorten
distances. In these progressive
sections the county authorities
work their roads with modern
machinery, one machine and
three hands doing the work OF a
gang of fifty men, and doing 1t
much better; the roads are sur
veyed, Strengthened and leveled,
and a horse can pull, with less
wear and tear on wagons, 1our
times as much as he could on
roads such as we have. how
has this Improvement resulted:
The lands IN those sections
where the roads have been built
have increased in value many
times, the population has grown
enormously, and capital is con-
stantly seeking places for IN
yestments. Villages Of ten
wears ago, are now wide-awake,
progressive towns, with facto-
ries and other money producing
enterprises. The tendency be-
ING to 60 where the people are
progressive and where they are
farseeing enough to realize that
taxes paid for road building, is
an investment for the upbuild-
inc and the development Of the
country.
Our roads are a constant
source of complaint, every grand
Jury has something to say about
their miserable condition. it is
also known that farmers are
greatly delayed in hauling their
fertilizers by the bad roads, and
yet when we speak of spending
money to remedy this trouble, it
is likely to arouse opposition. Ii
there is anything our law makers
can do for the material welfare
OF the whole people, it is to de-
wise plans by which our county
authorities can giveus a civilized
road system, at present we have
not got one; the plan Of depend
ing on the warned hands is a
humbug, and the chaingang. al
though very expensive is not
sufficient to do anything more
than to patch broken places:
What is needed is a road tax, and
have authority to vote a special
tax and use the money under a
contract system: let the county
authorities buy several road
machines and place them about
in various sections, hire the ma
chimes run by Intelligent men
and in a short while the people
Will realize the profits on the in
vestment; instead of hauling two
bales of cotton with one mule,
and taking nearly all day, they
would haul six bales and sc
into market in a trot.
In some of the upper counties
the people are not waiting fol-
any further legislation, the gooo
roads idea is so popular, that the
people get together in their re
spective townships and pledge
the necessary tax for the work
the counties buy traction
engines, scoops and plows. We
can do this here at much less
expense; we have not the hills
and streams to overcome that
they have in the up-country,
and the building Of good roads
with US will be comparatively
cheap. This is a subject we
should like our readers to inter.
est themselves in, and We hope
o,,, l>oo, ,J of coo, m iScio,oorc Wi