The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-05-09
AS to Working the Roads.

Last week the editor had an inter-
view with Supervisor ]. B. kearse
on the subject of working the roads,
in view of the recent criticisms in
dulged in by tax payers who are not
pleased ~ results. At the outset Mr..
kearse said it should be remembered
that the conditions prevailing during
the fall and winter were the worst
in many years. The oldest inhabit-
ants say that never have they seen
so much water on the ground and the
damage to the roads SO immense. In
this county fifty to seventy-flve
bridges and causeways were washed
away, and the expense to repair
these has been enormous. Had it
not been for the road tax collected
the past year Mr.. Kearse says the
county funds would have been sadly
depleted for road work, in fact he
does not see how the county could
have kept out of debt had it not
been for the road tax, on account of
the extraordinary expenses for roads
and bridges.
Some time last year a large 'por-
ton of Fits bridge over the Edisto
was burned, and Mr.. Kearse replaced
a large part of the bridge with a
causeway. This was all washed out,
and the expense of repairs was con-
siderable.
In Three Mile township twenty
bridges were washed away and had
to be replaced, eleven of these being
at one crossing. In many instances
boats had to be secured to go down
the streams and recover the lumber
of the bridges. At least three-fourths
of the road tax money spent has been
for replacing bridges and causeWays.
On account of these extraordinary
conditions it was impossible for the
small chain gang to do the work, so
overseers had to be employed. That
good men were picked, men in whom
the board had every confidence, and
Mr.. Kearse is satisfied they have
worked the roads as we'll as anybody
could have done under the circum-
stances. It has been hard matter
to get hands, for other work paid the
hands more than the county offered,
and they could not get convicts from
the penitentiary authorities. MIR.
Kearse denies empha*ically that the
roads were worked by the overseers
in wet weather and their farm work
was done in dry weather. In fact
we had had little dry weather at all,
and the roads had to be worked when
the hands could be secured. NO
doubt some roads were worked IN
wet weather, but this could not be
avoided, as the weather was bad
most of the time and the people were
clamoring for the roads to be fixed
so they could haul their fertilizers.
In Midway township not $500 has
been spent, and the fund for this
township was over $500 originally.
Very little money for road work in
any township has been paid out dur
ing the past month, and it is the in
tention of the board to reserve the
remainder of this fund for work on
the roads later. There is now on
hand nearly two-thirds of the total
amount derived from the ecommutation
tax, and Mr.. Kearse thinks there is
no grounds for claiming that the
money has been wasted or improp-
erly spent. He believes that the
money has been as we'll and wisely
spent as was possible, and believes
if these people who are dissatisfied
knew the full status of affairs they
would realize the difficulties which
have confronted the board and would
be more disposed to give that body
credit for intelligent action.