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

from what he had observed On his
two trips to this county that the
gradings were bad, the crowning was
bad and the bitches We're a mystery
TO sane man. He said that one
road could be built at a time. or if
the labor was sufficient. several could
be built at the same time. The
builders must be sure however that
they secured the right kind Of clay
and sand before they started to build.
He concluded his speech by tell
ing Of an incident that had happen
ed In neighboring county. He said
that he had been the supervising en-
gineer In having a steel bridge built
that cost one-third Of the total bond
that this county was trying to get for
good roads in the whole county. He
was looking over the bridge one day
when an old man passed and stop
ped to look at the bridge. He enter
ed into conversation with the man
who stated that 1t was a beautiful
bridge, but the debt for 1t fell heavy
on the taxpayers. He asked the old
man what property he paid taxes on
and found that the amount of taxes
caused the old man by the bridge
was four cents, saving of something
over dollar and a half to him
should he go by the ferry. He said
1t was this way with too many farm
ers. They thought about the few
cents or dollars that they had to pay
for taxes but did not consider the
several hundred dollars that the taxes
were means Of saving.
Mr. r. B. Belser came next with
prepared speech on 1.-THE Neces-
sity of Good Roads," and "why the
Bond Issue Is the Best Method to Sc
cure Them" He said in substance:
We have in Sumter County little
less than 500 miles Of public road, Of
which, approximately 100 miles have
already been clayed or is naturally
good road. This leaves about 400
miles which will need to he improved.
1t is recognized that the only prac-
ticable surfacing material for a coun-
ty-wide system Of public roads for
this county is the sand-clay mixture.
Ey the sand-clay mixture we do not
mean all clay, but the proper mix
ture OF sand and clay in the correct
proportions. Sand-clay roads, prop
erly built, have proved very durable
and give as low cost of transporta-
ton as macadam or any Of the other
commonly used road surfacing. The
transportation over both u we'll grad
ed sand-clay road and macadam road
being given in recent Government
Bulletins at 8 per cent per ton mile
that Is to transport one ton one
mile. The average over the present
system Of roads in the county Is not
less that 81 cents per ton mile. This
means that perfect system of sand
clay roads would cut down the cost Of
transportation over our county roads
to one-third the present cost.
Now from statistics gotten from a
number of counties in which the
sand-clay road system has been ex-
tensively used, and the opinion of
good engineers who have been over
the ground. 1 am satisfied that the
roads of the county can be built on
an average OF $500 per mile. This
means that to complete our system of
highways we would need 5000 0OO
S6o'oOO OF this has already been au-
thorized by the Act Of 1910 provid-
ing for an issue Of $4,000 in bonds
for good roads to be issued at tba
rate Of $4,000 year. The remain
ing $15O,O0O, on which we are TO
vote, Is to carry out the plan to give
us complete system Of county high
ways. If these bonds are voted. and
issued as provided at the rate of
$4,000 year for the next five wears
this will supplement the $4,000 a
year provided for In the Act of 1910.
which together make up the fund
100000 estimated as necessary TO
give us a complete county system of
improved roads.
After these bonds aro all ise,,o,
IL VIII take $4,000 a year to pay the
interest at IL per cent, which is
the rate Of interest the bonds are OK
pected to bear--and $4,000 put IN
as sinking fund each year TO retire
'he pohdS at the end Of 20 years.
Note that it Is intended to retire
the bonds at the end Of 20 years. and
mat the Act authorizing the vote on