The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-08-12
lkuEF work 0lelIIlED.
AEPREsENTATIvE OF WAR DE.
rARrlGENT SPENT THURSDAY
IN TOWN.
- BEING formulated TO Expend
&oyernmcnt Funds ON Public High
~ Work to Give Employment 10
1pn~e Rendered Destitute or Needy
- hood.
~. r. 8. Howard. wateree District

Mr. r. s. Howard. wateree Distric,
Superintendent. representing Major
1oungberg. District Engineer of the
VAR department, OF Charleston, official
- charge or the distribution OF the
3und for relief OF storm and flood
oe6erers for South Carolina, spent
4hursday In this city investNrpth hg
,oyop conditions. GF
Nr. Howard conferred for several
4eurs WITH President r.. b. Belser md
0ocreeary Reardon Of the Sumter
cnombsr OF Commerce. and was taken
- Mr. Belscr's automobile for a ride
ovcr portion OF the county TO see
efop conditions and talk with the
0rmsrs In some sections.
He found tho crop damage. par
16cohrly cotton and tobacco very Sc
tlon4 and corn hurt very rauch in
After the trip through q section OF
~ county another conference was
MA at Chamber Of Commerce, and
ouDorvtsor Pitts was talked to over
~ phone at his house.
Qr. Howard agreed to adopt the
~ (3os<ion previously made to the war
Cd5ortment by Secretary Rsardon. and
fol1 ooncurred in by President Belser
~ Supervisor Pitts. that tho best
methoA Of distributing this fund Is to
kufnlsh work for those who are desti-
tote Or In serious financial difYiculties.
uuldlng new highways or improving
eNAbhshsd hishways. and In every In
6eance dissipS ditches to drain the
reo1s nsv " vait. or improved 30 as
- drain the roads and to permit OF
4Fnipins farm lands into the road
o. course. wherever there exists alb
4p)o<e distress on the part of any one
No is physically unable to work and
~ ned food. medicines or other
41tpaiss tho war department through
~. Howard instructed the secretary
e tns Chamber OF Commerce to no.
~ MAJOR Younsberg Mt Charleston
- tee names OF the applicants. but It
- ~ theutht that there are any abb
~ ny destitute Or ssaryins people
~ ceonsy At present.
'-< 1~@x. - :. ", -..-.,II| - - -
~ - greater need for help and
axe deqtitutlon sixty or ninety days
% tlAan At present.
- the cotton crop is cut Off fully
~ Per cent. on an average. and a
@oat deal more In many Instances
(he reevnue from picking cotton will
b greatly reduced. and with other
unfortunate circumstances there are
hundreds who will feel the evil ef-
fscts of the disastrous storm later on
more than they do now.
So that providing means of work
win In measure supply money to
hs,p out later on.
of course the relief fund Is pri-
marily to provide emergency help
BIT those VINO have more directly in
tsfs~&ed themselves In obtaining the
quickest posxible methods of relief
vo4l usat furnishing immediate work
that viii be OF a more or less perma-
penet nature to the victims 6f the
storm. BY improving and draining
hiehways. which. when properly
drained. Will serve three fold pur-
pose. that Is to say will increase the
value of farm lands by better roads
and drained roads. will enable low
lands to be. properly drained into
public highways. and mt the same
time improve tho public health.
Mr.. Howard Issued written authority
10 President Belscr to have the
Chamber OF Commerce Immediately
organize a road Improvement and
Drainage gang from among the storm
suRerefs who want work. and TO have
the work done under the supervision
of the County Supervisor and Board of
County Commissioners. and the war
department. will pay the bills. Messrs.
G. N. Hurst, Clerk of the County
Board. and Clerk of Court II. l.. Scar
borough were seen by Mr.. Howard
and agreed to serve on the relief com
mittee with the Chamber OF Com
nercs officials. More or less local In
terest and cooperation on the part OF
the farmers Of the districts to be
helped and on the part of the county
authorities will be necessary.
The government fund makes no pro.
vision for paying any one to super
Ma the diafrihIilon of fha fund nr A..