Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-24

government stands ready to pay half
the cost of their services in this con-
nection If the people directly interest
ed are willing to pay the other half.
One trouble that has been in the way
for quite a long time has been that
there has been no adequate drainage
law for York, and certain other coun-
ties of the state. Quite complete and
comprehensive bill was gotten through
some years ago; but the up country
members got the idea that 1t was in
tended more particularly for low coun-
try conditions, and they had their
counties exempted from the provisions
Of the act. Mr.. Beamguard did get q
bill through while he was member
Of the house; but 1t turned out to be
Objectionable in certain particulars,
and no effort was made to put 1t into
effect: but the understanding Is that
during the present session YORK mas
been added to the list Of counties that
are authorized to operate under the
general law, and unless the measure
happens to get lost in the shuttle In
the closing hours Of the present ses-
sion, and Mr.. Wilborn thinks there is
little danger Of that, drainage work
within the next few months.
This work Of dredging the creeks 80
as to re-habilitate the thousands OF
acres Of fine bottoms long since gone
to waste, Is too big an undertaking for
individual enterprise, and the problem
has been to perfect system OF coop
eratiye work. that would be at once
lust, equitable and effective. All this
is provided for in the law just now
coming Of force. The plan is to bond
the lands to be benefited with the full
consent Of the owners under a system
that will require each land owner to
pay only in proportion to the amount
of benefit he receives. For instance,
there is provision for five different
classifications, ranging from the best
to the poorest, and after all these DIFF
ferences have been drawn, different
holdings are grouped and incorporated
for bonding purposes. The bond plan
contemplates a twenty-five year loan.
During the first five years, the land
owners pay only the interest, and after
five years there Is added sinking
fund with provision for collection and
investment in such a manner as will
provide for the retirement Of the bonds
at the end Of the twenty-five year pc
riod.
The beneficial results that have been
obtained under this system in North
Carolina are being held up everywhere
as object lessons In the case Of every
section Of creek that has been dredged
there were a number Of people who
could not see where the benefits were to
come in, and were reluctant to bind
themselves for the undertaking, but
Mr.. Wilborn's information Is that now
everybody Is we'll pleased with What
has been done. The Crowder's Creek
experiment, from information obtained
from people interested. has been very
satisfactory indeed. and 1t Is said that
there is not a land owner whose bot
toms have been dredged who would be
willing to return to the old conditions
for twice the cost Of the improvement.
Among the York county creeks that
need Improvement are Turkey creek,
Bulock's creek, Allison creek, Beaver
Dam, and a number Of other smaller
streams. Those who have studied the
subject with enough thoroughness to
enable them to arrive at comprehen-
sive conclusions, say that the invest
ment is one that ought easily to yield
profits ranging from two or three dol
lars to ten dollars for each dollar in
vested.