The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-07-07
THE TIMES AND ID.
SUPERVISOR WRITES
OF HIS DUTIES AS COMPARED TO
COMMISSIONERS.
The Public Seems to Be Under the
Wrong 1mpression.-What Should
Be Reported to Him.

Be Reported to Him.
/ write this article to outline the
plan which l think should govern
in the distribution of the changing
work throughout the county; and
also to discuss the division of the
duties between the supervisor and
the township commissioner as to the
work to be done in. the township.
III do this for the reason that l am
receiving so many requests, letters
and petitions from various sections
Of the county, asking for the chain
gang, or for the immediate perform
ance of some particular piece OF
| work.
First, as to the chaingang, under
the law, the supervisor has charge
of the chaingang and is required to
distribute it's benefits as impartial
| ly as possible In carrying out
this law, + am giving the townships
about the same number of days dur
ing the year. There are two chain
gangs and twenty-five townships IN
the county, and so, at the rate OF
thirty-three days TO each township,
the chaingang would require one
year to cover the county; and this is
what 1 am striving to do, keeping
in mind that some townships are
much larger than others, and that
the roads passing through these
townships situated nearest to the
City of Orangeburg are Travelled more
by greater number of people than
any other roads, and, therefore,
should receive more work.
One chaingang is now in Elizabeth
township, and from there I shall
bring it down through the townships
in the Fork,-Rocky Grove. Good
land, and SO on-giying to-, each Of
them about the same number of
days. The other chaingang is in
Poplar township, and I intend to
take it down through the townships
lying between Four Holes and the
Santee River, on down to Dean
Swamp, giving to each of those
townships about thirty-three days
work.
Secondly, as to the division of du-
ties between the supervisor and the
township commissioner. Under the
law, the work to be performed in
the township may be divided into
two classes; that to be done by the
commissioner; and that to be done
by the supervisor. The law places
the township road fund, composed
of the communication road tax, the
one mill tax and the supervisors ap-
portionment, entirely in the hands Of
the township commissioner. With
that money, the commissioner is ex-
pected to keep in repair all the roads
in his township, and all bridges up
to SIS dollars in cost. In making
contracts for the repair of bridges,
however, he is limited to twenty-five
dollars; but in making contracts for
the repair of roads, he is not so
limited. :,
The supervisor has charge of the
construction and repair of bridges,
in townships, where the cost exceeds
twenty-five dollars, but he has to
pay for this work out of the gen.
eral, and not out of the township
fund. The supervisor also has charge
of the chaingang work in all Of the
township, directing where and how
it shall be done.
The law is very clear in seperat-
ing the duties of the township COM
missioner from those of the super
visor in the foregoing manner; and
while the township commissioner
cannot be held responsible for the
distribution of the chaingang work,
it is also unfair to hold the super
visor responsible for the condition
generally of the roads and bridges
in township. With only the linl-
tied time of thirty-three days avail
able for each township, the superVis-
or can do no more than devote that
time to the most important of the
main lines Of road running through
the township, leaving the branch
lines entirely to the care of the
township commissioner.
l get numerous letters asking ME
to repair small bridges and to have
done small jobs of work on roads,
such as filling up holes and wash
outs, ETC. All such matters should
be taken to the township commits
sioner and not to the supervisor. 1t
is only when the cost OF repairing
a bridge will amount to more than
$25 that l should be consulted, and
in all such cases, l promise to give
the matter my prompt attention. My
work on roads is confined solely to
such bridges, and to that done by
the chaingang.
l find that the demand for the
building of good roads in the coun-
ty far exceeds its means. To meet
this growing demand, it will be nee
essary for the county to provide
some way to increase the amount
now available for road purposes.
F. j. d. Fielder