Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-01-16
The Chainaang.

Upon information from Columbia
that the York county delegation by a
vote of 4 to l, had decided to intro
duce a bill in the legislature to force
the county commissioners Of this coun-
ty to have the chaingang work GER
tain roads in Bethel township before
beginning on the east and west road,
the executive committee Of the Cham
ber of Commerce held a called meet
ing last night and sent delegation to
Columbia this morning to confer with
the members Of the delegation and If
they could not persuade them to re-
consider their action that they make
efforts to defeat the bill when it came
before the general assembly.
The following were named as the
committee: John T. Roddey, w. w.
Miller, John F. Williams, B. ]. White
and w. B. Wilson, Jr.
1t will be remembered in this con-
nection that at recent meeting OF
the county commissioners they re-
scinded a former action to work this
Bethel road after the north and south
road was completed and begin work
on the east and west road, according
10 the road law. This action, rescind-
ing a former one to work the Bethel
road, was taken after delegation
lTOIl lIllS place idlu lIio ldSlo bcloi Z
them that Bethel had gotten her full
share of the chaingang's time, or
more, according to the taxes they
paid, and also impressing the fact on
the commissioners that Catawba and
Ebenezer townships, which include the
city of Rock Hill, pay about half of
the taxes paid in the county and fur
nish half or more of the convicts, and
that they had not had work from the
chaingang in the past four years.
1t strikes US that this chaingang
proposition for the whole county is
getting in rather bad shape, and as
the western and northern part of the
county will not be satisfied without
having one all the time. we would
suggest that Catawba, Ebenezer and
Bethesda townships arrange to get to-
gether, and let Fort Mill come in if
they wish, and these four townships
have a chaingang Of their own and
let the others get together as many
of them as wish and have their own
gang. Then if the gang doesn't come
up to their expectations one part or
one side Of the county cannot "cuss''
| the other about getting all Of the
chaingang's time.-Rock HILL Record.
If the action of the York delegation
is as reported, it is right, and we hope
the members thereof will stand their
ground.
In view of the manner in which the
Bethel proposition was put up to the
county board, protesting that Bethel
had not gotten her fair share Of the
chaingang, we heartily commend the
answer of the commissioners as re-
Gently published, and we believe that
all the Bethel people who have lib
eral amount of true sportsmanship in
their blood will do the same thing.
There was nothing unfair in the
statement that was prepared by Su-
pervisor Boyd but as matter Of fact
comparatively speaking, the showing
was not nearly so one-sided as ap-
peared. 1t will be remembered that
while apparently Bethel received ST.
S74.20 against only $1,634.36 for Ca
tawba, Mr.. Boyd further on put down
$5,790.25 as having been paid on ac-
count Of the Ivy mill bridge in Cataw-
ba, and that raised Catawba's figures
to $7,424.61, only $449.59 less than
was pdlu OUT OH account VI Deluei III
the same period. If the balance Of
the sum paid out on account of the
Ivy bridge were included in the COM
parson the aggregate would make
what was paid on account Of Bethel
look very small.
But there is another thing. Bethel
was not responsible for that big out
lay on account of bridges The loss
of bridges was providential, and the
county was absolutely compelled to
make them good, not so much on
Bethers account as on its own ac-
count.