The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-07-30
From The Daily Item, July 26.

Messrs. G. w. Norman, of the Co
lambia Record and Mr.. ID. III. Win
slow. OF the Bureau of Roads, u. s.
Department OF Agriculture who COM
pose the Columbia Records Good
Roads Party. arrived In the city last
night about z o'clock from Camden
I'm two Brush Runahouts. the reliable
little cars I'm which they are making
the tour OF the State. They have Wis
ited fourteen counties thus far and
an each county good roads rallies
have been held and much interest has
been awakened In the good roads
campaign. The party will visit every
county I'm the State and the tour will
not be completed until September
1st.
The good roads meeting. which had
been advertised for two weeks, was
held I'm the court house at IL o'clock,
but the attendance was not as large
as had been hoped for. there being
comparatively few representatives
from other sections Of the county, al
though II was gratifying to note the
presence OF several prominent citi-
zens who had come from a distance
OF ten to twenty miles tn attend the
meeting and lend their presence and
influence to the Inauguration of the
campaign for better roads In Sumter
county.
The meeting was called to order
few minutes after IL o'clock by Coun-
ty Supervisor p. M. Pitts who presid-
ed He stated that the meeting was
held as the result Of the campaign for
good roads undertaken by the Co.
iumbia Record for purpose Of arous-
ing interest In the subject In every
county In the State. He introduced
Mr.. G. w. Norman. who represents
the Record and who Is in charge of
the party.
Mr.. Norman briefly stated the OBJ
"a for as the ultimate result o; the
campaign-the Improvement Of the
roads throughout the State. so that
there will be good roads every where
and travel easy and pleasant. He in
troduced Mr.. winslow. a practical
road builder and engineer who has
had eighteen years experience in
euiiding roads, a part OF that time
as a contractor. At present he is In
charge OF the road work for the De-
psrtment OF Agriculture and Is doing
good work in his line. On account of
mis- experience as a road engineer and
also on account OF his intimate knowl-
edge OF conditions and needs In South
Carolina he had been detailed for this
good roads campaign through the in
nuence OF Commissioner Watson.
Mr.. Winslow In opening his adj
dress made the bold statement that
good roads are of more importance
to the State and the people than pro-
hibition or the tariff and that when
the people are come to full reali-
nation OF this fact the campaign will
be success. He related incidental
~ some OF the experiences of the
party with bad roads. but concluded
this part OF his talk with a statement
that was not fiattering TO Sumter
county for he said that thus far the
longest stretch of real bad road that
had been encountered was found I'm
Sumter county yesterday afternoon.
Some worse places had been found,
but none so extensive.
In South Carolina ne said bad
roads were the rule not the excep-
tion. the ratio being one mile of good
road TO twenty-four bad. while for
the country at large the ratio was
one mile OF good road to thirteen
bad. The county supervisors are do
ing the best they can under existing
conditions. but they are handicapped
by lack Of money and machinery and
no support by public sentiment.
He then discussed the necessity for
good roads, their permanence when
once established. and the advisable
ffy OF having a competent road engi-
neer to supervise their construction.
He then discussed the sand-clay road
and the mistakes that are frequently
made In undertaking to build them
BY hap-hazard methods without re-
gard TO properly mixing the sand and
clay so as TO obtain the consistency
That gives a permanent road service.
He told how TO ascertain In what pro-
portion the sand and clay should be
aixed and how TO mix them on the
roadway. after II had been graded.