The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1909-09-04
SEEING THE ROADS.
INSPECTS GARNER'S
FERRY AND SUMTER'S LAND
ING ROUTES.
Representatives OF Sumter and Rich
land Counties Look Over the Sug-
gested Routes for the Proposed
Highway to Columbia.


between Sumter and Columbia is
sought, the old Garner's Ferry road
must be chosen. But if other consid-
erations are to have weight then
either the State Farm, Sumter's
Landing or Wedgefeld routes must be
adopted.
party composed of Supervisor
Owens, of Columbia, Supervisor Pitts,
of Sumter, Mr.. c. w. Moorman, w. S.
Lykes. Word H. Mills and E. A. Jen-
kins, Of Columbia, DR.. j. A. Mood, r.
l. Manning, T. B. Fraser, M. 3. Ran
die, L. d. Jennings, L. e. White, E. 1.
Reardon, Marion Noise and H. G.
Osteen made trip Of inspection to
Gamers Ferry and Sumter's Landing
Tuesday for the purpose Of obtain
ing first hand information that will
aid in deciding which is the best and
most available route for the proposed
Sumter-C Columbia highway, and what
they saw and learned satisfied them
that the Gamers Ferry road is the
shortest and under present conditions,
the most available route for an auto.
mobile highway to Columbia. 1t was
equally as evident to some Of the
party, If not all, that longer route
via Horatio and Sumter's Landing
would be more advantageous prop
osition from business standpoint for
this city and Sumter County. A road
to Columbia by way of either the
State Farm or Sumter's Landing
would accomplish a double purpose,
provide new and a shorter route
to Columbia than by Camden and
provide the people of the northwest
ern section Of the county with a gooI
road leading direct to the county seat.
The party did not visit the State Farm
as DR.. Mood and other members Of
the committee spent a day there last
week and obtained all necessary in
formation.
The Columbia representatives came
over on the 1920 train and after
breakfast the start was made from
the Court House at o'clock. Four
automobiles were required to trans
port the crowd: Mr.. E. A. Jenkins
White Steamer, Mr.. L. d. Jennings
REQ, Mr.. M. B. Randle's REQ, and DR..
j. A. Moods Royal The run was
made to the edge Of the swamps at
Garner's Ferry In quick time, The
cars followed the old road into the
swamp about mile and a-half be-
fore 1t was found impracticable for
wheeled vehicles. The party then
proceeded on foot about q mile fur
ther over the three streams that will
have to be bridged. The old bridges
have rotted away, only the piling be-
Ing left. Each of these streams Is
fifty to sixty feet wide and could be
bridged at no great cost. The old
roadway is in fairly good condition,
the embanknent. which Is five or six
feet high in some places, being firm
and solid. It Is said that the three
and half miles Of road lying between
the point where the party halted and
the river Is in substantially tho same
condition as that inspected. The cost
of putting this six miles Of road be-
tween the edge Of the swamp and the
river bank In condition for travel at
all times except when the river is
very high. was variously esti-
mated from 500 to $500 a mile.
1t was also stated that the old road
as 1t stands Is passable at all times
except when the river guage regis
ters 28 feet or more at Camden. and
2S feet at Camden is a considerable
freshet.
From Garner's Ferry the party pro-
ceeded to Sumter's Landing, going by
way Of Horatio. At this point there is
practically no swamp on the Sumter
side of the river and the cars went al
most to the river bank. The cost of
making a flrst-class road to the Wa
teree's edge would be merely nominal
But OIL the Richland side the swamp
Is three or four miles wide, and from
the swamp a new road would have
to be built five or six miles through
the hills to connect the crossing with
one OF the public roads now in exist
ence.
II the Sumter's Landing route
should be selected, Sumter County
would have comparatively little work
to do, except putting the Stateburg
road, the Fish road and the road from
Horatio to the river in good condition
in other words improving roads