The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-22
GOOD ROADS MEETING,
MIR. Il. G.. Mcleod OF BISHOP.
VILE SPEAKS TO VOTERS
AT GAINS MILL.
Other Speakers Are Mcssrs. T.. NJ
Pitts, III. {. Haynsworth, and II. Is.
Belscr, Who Show the Advantages
Of Good Roads.


roads meetings was held Thursday
at Gains Mill with Mr.. $. d. Cain
former county superintendent of ed
ucation, presiding. The speakers for
the occasion We're: Hon. Il. G.. Nc
Leod of Bishopville, who spoke on
| the advantage of good roads. He
spoke in his usual inimitable style
and was heartily applauded by his
hearers at the close of his speech
Mr.. II. G. Haynsworth spoke on the
savings that resulted from having a
system Of good roads. Mr.. p. NJ
Pitts, county supervisor, spoke on
why the roads were needed now and
how the county board intended to
build them. Mr.. r. B. Belser again
went over his convincing statements
of facts and figures, showing con.
clusively that now was Sumter coun-
tvs opportunity to get some roads
that were roads and not simply pub
lie highways.
The meeting was called to order
by Mr.. S. ID. Cain, who made a short
and pointed talk. He said that the
good roads which were to be built
would mean much for Privateer. He
was glad that all Of the county would
get the benefits Of the roads, for hith-
erto Privateer had been sadly neglect
ed when 1t came to the building Of
roads by the county. He understood
that this was a movement for good
roads throughout the whole county
and. IL everybody got good roads as
they were assured that they would.
he thought that everybody ought to
be and would be satisfied.
Mr.. P. M. Pitts, the energetic and
hard working supervisor Of the
county, came next with few prac-
tical remarks on why all of Sumter
county did not have good roads now.
He said that all Of the people living
now would be in their graves, which
would be overgrown with grass before
the roads were built throughout the
entire county, If the present system
Of building roads is kept up. 1t
was practical impossibility to keep
the roads which had been built and
to build more roads with no more
funds on hand than had been en-
ployed for that purpose formerly.
He said that the county board Of
commissioners had discussed the mat
ter fully and had decided last year
upon the issuance Of $4,000 In bonds
for the building of good roads. Since
that time the board had taken up the
matter Of construction and had found
that the work Of building the roads
could be done better and cheaper
by contract, so they were now try
ing that system of building roads
with the portion Of the $500 to be
used this year. He then went more
fully into the explanation OF how the
sand clay roads were being built.
The cost was approximately $3.50 a
mile for the building Of the roads, al
though ii varied considerably accord
ing to the character OF roads which the
building was done on and the dis
tance from suitable clay. He said
that the roads must have proper
grading and drainage and the coun-
ty board intended to build only roads
OF this character. He said that a
change which he had to propose was
that instead of using the present sys-
tenn Of six days labor that each voter
should pay the sum Of $500 to be
used in the road fund in addition to
the present poll tax.
Mr.. II. G. Haynsworth then took
up the ball and kept it rolling. He
started off his talk with the state
ment that a great senator had once
said that there was nothing more i'm
portant at this present day and time
than intercourse by means Of good
roads, except Christianity. He said
that undoubtedly the most important
question before the people Of the
country at the present time was that
of good roads; no other issue being
nearly so important. He stated by
way Of illustration that the rural
delivery of mail demanded that the
roads should be in good condition
and that they should be kept in
such condition. The good roads were
a means Of intercourse that brought
the churches and schools closer to-
gcther and the city and town nearer
To each other If the roads are good,
much time will be saved in travelling
| from one place to another and the