The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-22
COMMITTEE VISITS WASHINGTON
Unpublished History Of Sumter Coun-
tvs Good Road Campaign and
Visit to Director Page of Good
Roads Bureau.

, The use Of the split log drag, at
ter heavy rains, on sand-clay roads
so approved and used throughout the
country. except In Sumter County,
was under discussion few days ago
between several gentlemen who won
dered why it was that this simple
and almost inexpensive article can
not be made to work in Sumter
county
One OF the gentlemen discussing
the subject smiled. and remarked
that a rather funny thing had oc-
CURED in the Office Of the director Of
the bureau Of Good Roads Of the
United States in Washington. several
years ago. when a committee repre-
senting the Sumter Chamber of Com
merce, and City Council was in that
city to request an additional appro-
priation for Sumter's federal building,
to invite Secretary Of Agriculture
James Wilson to visit Sumter and to
see the Interstate Railway Commits
sioners about certain irregularities
or freight rate determinations against
Sumter compressed cotton.
This committee consisted Of
Messrs. r. 7. Manning, j. A. Mood
Marion Noise. Geo. d. Shore. w. II.
Scale. and e. I. ReardOn. Major
Scale was county supervisor at that
time. Mr.. Manning WIS president Of
the Chamber Of Commerce. After
this committee had appeared. with
Congressman Lever. before the House
Committee on Public Buildings. had
extended the invitation to Secretary
Wilson. paid their respects to Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and met Secretary
of War, now President Taft, and
told the railroad commissioners the
rate trouble. etc, the committee went
over to the good roads bureau to see
Director Page and to find out some-
thing about Improved road machinery,
and get other information as to road
building.
Supervisor w. II. Scale was anx-
ious to find out what was the best
Ewsy - spend fsve thousand donses
appropriated for road machinery in
Sumter County, by special enactment
secured by the Sumter delegation.
Major Scale and Mr.. Manning
made speeches lauding the progress
siveness Of Sumter county in i'm
proving it's highways. Major Scale
said that Sumter County wanted the
very best and latest models of road
building machinery regardless of
cost, and thought Director Page or
some Of his numerous road experts
ought to be able to tell him a few
things about road machinery. He
said the Sumter county commission
ers had delegated him to represent the
county in the effort to secure an ex-
ira appropriation for the Sumter
postoffice. and incidentally to interview
Director Page about how to spend
that five thousand dollars for road
machinery.
Director Page listened with much
interest to the splendid talks by
Messrs Manning and Scale. When
they had concluded the good roads
director pressed an electric push
button in his desk. A very pretty
and business-l -like-looking young wo-
man came in from an adjoining Of
flee. Mr.. Page requested her to
bring In certain photograph. The
Sumter committee awaited her re-
turn, with much interest indeed. This
committee expected to see the pic
ture of some large and complicated
iron and steel road making engine.
But when the young lady returned
with the photograph the "Sumter
committee were somewhat "jarred"
to observe the picture Of a rather
odd looking and crude contrivance.
Director Page then informed them
that the photograph represented the
split Log Drag" which the United
states government road experts
found to be the very best thing to
Keep sand-clay roads in shape, II
used as directed. and that these drags
cost only two dollars and fifty cents
each.
lie explained its use In detail. and
recommended the simple "split log
drag as the thing to use for numer-
Gus reasons. The Sumter committee
thanked him for his attention and