Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-08-18
THE coop noaps MEETING.
Citizens Met IN Walialle Court
House to Discuss Road Matters.

Yesterday morning at IL O'Clock a
number of citizens from over the
county assembled in the Court House
to discuss matters pertaining to bet
ter roads for Oconee. The meeting
was not as veil attended as had been
hoped for, there being about sixty
people present.
Supervisor n. Phillips called the
meeting to order, stating it's purpose,
and also stating that .iis county oiTi-
cials were out OF funds for road
building for the year 1909, and ask
ing that the citizens present formu-
late some plan by which an intelli-
gent movement for more funds and
better roads might be started.
senator Earle also spoke in ex-
planation OF the purpose of the meet
!. ing and the condition of affairs Of
the county. Representative Paul p.
{ Sullivan was also present, and they
stated that they were ready to stand
back of the Supervisor and Commits
sioners and to authorize any reason
able tax levy the people see fit to
suggest to cover the present def
cheney and provide funds for the flu
ture. The whole trend of sentiment
of the meeting seemed to be favora-
DlS W d q communication TAX.
Reports were made by a number
of the county road overseers. A few
reported their roads in fair condi-
ton, some reported theirs passable.
while Others brought in the reports
that they had done the best they
could, but that their roads were
In places almost impossible. All
were unit in one report, however,
and that was that their funds were
practically exhausted, with nothing
left for a fall working. From the
reports given it would seem that
the 81 commutation road tax Sup
plies but little if any over 81 per
mile on an average, taking the coun-
ty as whole, for the public roads.
1t was the unanimous sentiment
OF the overseers present that the
commutation tax should be made So
instead Of 81, and that if 50 tax
was found insufficient that it should
be raised to So. The sentiment was
decidedly in favor of better roads
and more money to work them with.
Several of the road overseers re-
ported that in their districts, en-
bracing from 10 to 20 miles of
road, the commutation tax available
to begin work was from SO to Sc
and $8. Those amounts, of course,
are inadequate for any practical
road work, and with the shortage Of
available cash in the general funds
there is now no possibility of sys-
tematic or adequate road repairing
or building by the Supervisor and
Commissioners until conditions are
changed or provision made by which
additional funds can be gotten in
hand to do the work that is needed.
After considerable discussion of
various plans by which road making
might be materially aided in the
county, Capt. j. J. Ballenger, of Rich
land, suggested that the ten county
mules and seven convictS be kept
constantly at work on the public
roads with the road machines,
acrapes, etc, instead Of being sent to
the poor farm for service there. His
idea IS That even under the very ad-
verse circumstances in which the
county finds itself, the gang and
mules can be made to do much good
work the year round on the public
highways, saving the county more
than they would make by work at
the county farm.
Capt. ]. ]. Ballenger, Of Richland,
Col. r. A. Thompson, of Walhalla,
and e. A. Perry, of Salem, were
chosen by the meeting to select rep
resentative citizen from each of the
eight TOWNSHIP; of the county, who
Will be called tugether later to for
mulate some definite plans for assist
Ing the Supervisor and Commission
ers in their work for better roads.
These three gentlemen met imme-
diately at the close of the general
conference and made the following
appointments
Wagner Township-R.A. Th6mp-
son.
Keowee Townshipz-E. A. Perry.
Seneca Township-J. j. Ballenger.
Whitewater Township Jesse Lay.
Center Township-Jas. Brown.
Pulaski Township-D. N. Carter.
Tugaloo Township. A. Cook.
Chatt0oga TOwnship-R.L Symes.
This committee will hold meet
Ing at Walhalla on the Gath of Au-
gust. Each one of the township rep
resentatives is requested to be pres
ent on this OCCASION
1t was ascertained from statements
made that in the Richland commu-
nifty AMI some other sections some
valuable work has been done by in
dividuals, resulting in no small ad-
vantage to the county, Capt. Bal
lenger has changed one public road
near Richland, having built new
about half mile. This was done
with his own teams and hands. 9th
ers have also contributed valuable
assistance in s milar ways.