The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-08-25
CAPITAL HIGHWAY CONFERENCE
COLUMBIA, SUMTER AND WEDGE
FIELD GETTING TOGETHER.
Movement Started to Build a High
way to Columbia Via Wedgefield-
This Route Has Several Advantages
Over the Gamers Ferry Route.

There Is now substantial reason to
believe that the talk Of direct au-
tomobile highway between Sumter
and Columbia is going to amount to
something more than talk The busi-
ness men of Columbia represented by
the Chamber of Commerce, the busi-
ness men of Sumter and the people
Of Wedgefield have agreed that the
most desirable and the most practi-
cable route, all things considered, is
via Wedgefield. paralleling the Allan
tic Coast Line. There is now a good
public road from Sumter to Wedge
field that Is almost an air line, and
from Wedgefleld to the Camden
Crossing. at the edge Of. the Wateree
swamp. there is an old public road that
can be rebuilt and made into an ex-
cellent highway by the county chain
gang at no great cost, and the only
expensive section Of the proposed
highway is that through the swamp
from Camden Crossing to the river.
The distance between the two cities
by this route would be practically the
same as the distance by rail-43
miles. The discussion at the meeting
last night. in which representatives
OF Columbia. Sumter and Wedgefield
participated, brought out a number
OF facts not heretofore generally
known. and at the conclusion of the
discussion it was practically decided
that If the road Is to be built it must
be on the Wedgefield route.
Columbia was represented by G.. w.
Moorman. secretary Columbia Cham
Der of Commerce; F. H. Hyatt, presi-
dent Good Roads association of South
Carolina and vice president Interna-
tional Association for Highway I'm
provement; E. A. Jenkins, W.
Blanchard, James A. Hoyt. editor the
Record and vice president Chamber
OF Commerce; William Elliott. man.
ager Columbia Street railway: H. e.
Edmunds and Word H. Mills of the
State.
sumter was represented by H. L.
scarborough. vice president Chamber
OF Commerce; P. M. Pitts. county SUI
pervisor; j. r. Ligon, alderman, and
Messrs. II D. Jennings, H. G. Osteen.
d. d. Noise, R. w. shelor, H. ]. Har-
by, j. A. Mood and f. I. Reardon.
Other prominent citizens of Sumter
and Wedgefeld present were Mayor
w. B. Boyle, Aldermen H. d..
Barnett, Robt. F. Haynsworth.
w. G. Stubbs. H. c. Haynsworth, r.
L. Wright, Messrs. r. C. Manning
w. l. Lee. DR.. H. J. McLaurin and
n. j. McLaurin. Jr., ]. w. Jackson.
w f. Shaw. j. H. Cunningham, H. A.
Moses. E. e. Rembert, G. e. Hayns-
worth; F. f. Thomas of Wedgef,eld.
Albert Aycock Of wedgefleld, ]. M.
Hardy. Geo. F. Epperson, s. H. Ed.
munds. ThOs. e. Richardson, Post,
master Geo. d. Shore.
The Columbia committee came
over on the o'clock train and were
met at the depot by Chairman ]. A.
Mood Of the Sumter Chamber of
Commerce committee and taken at
once to the City Council chamber
where the conference was held. The
meeting was called to order by Mr..
n. L. Scarborough, vice president o.
the Chamber of Commerce, who pre-
sided In the absence Of President r.
/. Manning. DR.. j. A. Mood stated
the object of the meeting to be 10
consider the advisability and practi-
cability of building a direct highway
connecting Sumter and Columbia. Mr..
j. A. Hoyt, of Columbia, stated the
attitude Of the Columbia Chamber of
Commerce and the officials of Rich
land county. the views of the latter
being embodied in the letter of Su-
pervisOr Owens, who was unable to
attend the meeting. The letter of
Mr. Owens. which follows. was read: