The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-08

L.
but that he could not we'll do SO with
out first taking up the social side of
the question. He said that by means
or good roads the social intercourse
! In the country would be as easy as ir
/ the town and that this would tend 10
keep people in the country. He said
that all farmers on Well conducted
farms would in a few years be OBJ
liged TO have their automobiles Just
"a much as they are obliged to have
their horse and buggy now. He saii
that he was not interested in Sum-
ter or Sumter County, but that he
was deeply interested in the State OF
Souh Carolina and In everything con-
nected with her welfare and for this
reason he was interested In what the
people of Sumter county had in the
way Of good roads, as 1t was an In
, tesral part OF the State.
Sumter County stood far behind
other counties in the State which
were not near so we'll adapted To
4 farming and provided with the same
, facilities for good roads as was this
county. The present condition of the
roads was a disgrace to its people.
The advantages OF good roads in
| creased in the ratio Of fellowship with
others and this was as the square Of
the distance covered by the good
roads. The opportunities for increas-
ing ones social relation. with his fell
lows were greater with good roads
and the advantages from this stand
point alone were many.
The building Of good roads cost
, money. but at the same time It was
saving Of money for it put the pro-
ducer nearer to the consumer and de-
creased the cost Of TRANSPORTATION
and injury to ones farm vehicles.
He said that Sumter county was for
| tunately situated with respect to the
building Of sand-clay roads, for 1t
could get both the sand and clay ut
most points easily, at a small cost.
The bond issue has been tried and
had always worked out successfully
and was in the opinion Of many the
best method of getting them.
He stated that unfortunately the
f'o mer was a man who had q dis
'ros'tion not to incur debt When the
f~rmers thought OF the paying off IF
a. debt of 100000 he did not think Of
what 1t would cost him, but of Tie
big debt which was incurred. In
most cases the debt would be scarcely
fet by the farmer, who paid $1.O0 out
OF every $1,000 of taxable property
that he turned in. The improvements
to the road would In all cases more
than pay for the increase of taxes.
He said that when ne first went to
Columbia several years ago that a
friend of his came to him and told
him that he could make his fortune
In real estate IL he bought up oil
OF the land he could, borrowing
money from the banks to pay for il.
He did not like TO incur any debts 80
refused TO take this advice. His
friend went ahead and borrowed all
OF the money that he could and
bought all OF the i2nd that he could.
Today his friend was worth half a
million, because he realized that 1t
was n good thing to go into debt at
the right time. This was a good
time for Sumter county to go into
debt To get the good roads.
He stated that $4,000 a year was
now used i'm keeping the road In re
pair, but with all Of the roads in
good shape that not more than half
OF that amount should be needed 10
keep them in good condition. He
said that this system OF putting in a
small piece OF good road here and
there and letting that in between re-
worst system in the world. That the
system ought To be extended gradual
ly and that one road should be com.
pleted before another one taken ND.
lie next took up the matter OF ditches
and said that they were the mcst
dangerous feature and most useless
feature that he had ever seen any
where. lie did not see how any per
son who was building the road could
under any circumstances he willing to
leave such death traps right along by
the roadside. Many OF the roads I'm
the county which We're now supposed
To be good roads were not good roads
and would be condemned by any road