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

post Office has adopted the policy CT
dDolishing rural free delivery mail
rGu es 'vfertVer the roads are not
properly ma,ntsi ined, and this he ad
vanced as another urgent reason for
immediate Improvement Of the roads
in this State.
Mr.. r. b. Belser, of this city was
the last speaker. Mr.. Belser is a
good roads enthusiast and has given
the subject great deal Of careful
study. and has visited at his own ex-
pense, other counties and States
where progress in road building has
been made for the purpose Of obtain
ing information at first hands. From
the information thus gained, added
to a thorough study Of local condi-
tions he has developed plan for road
Improvement in Sumter county that
seems practicable and within reach at
a reasonable cost. Mr.. Belser's speech
was. In substance, as follows
give you any eloquent discourse on
the subject of good roads. nor to
paint flowery pictures as resulting
from their construction. 1t Is my
purpose, however, to lay before you
a plan which, If adopted, think will
enable us to build the necessary
roads and obtain the benefits result
ing therefrom in the near future.
Since a child 1 have heard people
talk good roads. but, gentlemen, to
get good roads we have got to do
more than talk good roads; we have
got to build them. To build good
roads We have got to provide the
money, and this is the phase of the
subject which wish to take up with
you today.
We have in Sumter County about
500 miles Of public roads. OF this
probably 100 miles Is naturally good
hard road or has been improved by
sand-clay surfacing. This will leave
approximately 400 miles which will
need to be improved to make a COM
plete system of good roads for Sum-
ter County. We have In this county
property assessed at $7,500,0OO. 1t
may be safely stated that this as
sessment, taking all the property into
consideration, does not exceed 25 per
cent Of the actual market value Of
the property; so that the actual pro-
perty represented by this $500, 900
is at least $4,000, 900. OF this total
little over $16,0o0,0o0 is real estate.
1t will thus be seen that the county
has on an average little over $780,
600 worth Of real estate to the mile
OF public road. 1t has been conser-
vatively estimated that a system of
good roads for the county will add
at least rs per cent. and probably
good deal more. to the real estate
value Of the county. This would give
us total increase for the county Of
$4,000.000, or an increase for each
mile Of public road built of a little
over $500. The average cost per
mile for building this system of pub
lie roads will of course depend upon
the method Of road construction ad-
opted.
But two systems of roa building
for county roads have been general
ly adopted in our county; macadam
and sand clay. Macadam costs from
$4,000 to $4,000 per mile, according to
conditions; sand-clay method costs
from $500 to $500 per mile, accord
Ing to grading necessary and avail
ability of proper material. IT has
been estimated that the cost per mile,
under conditions in this county, will
be about $500. The cost Of macadam
on an average Of $4,000 per mile bas-
Is, for 400 miles would be $4,000
the cost OF 400 miles Of sand-clav
road at $500 per mile would be $780,
great and the maintenance expenses
SO heavy. ranging from 5000 to $500
per mile year, that at this distance
from the necessary material both for
construction and maintenance, it's use
had best be dismissed as impracti-
cable. The sand-clay road is no
longer in the experimental stage and
where properly constructed has prov
ed highly satisfactory. Furthermore,
the maintenance expenses is less
than that of any other known road
material. 1t has been stated by the
supervisor Of Richland County that
the average annual maintenance ex.
penses of the sand-clay roads, (not
including bridges) of his county is