The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1916-07-13
THx sAnrDz BRIDGE.
Its Great Importance to People
Of this Community.

Editor County Record
In reference to the article in the
last issue of your paper concerning
the enterprise of bridging the San
tee river, | desire to call the public
attention Of our citizens to the i'm
portsnce of such 4 proposition and
to the initiatory steps which are now
being taken to ascertain whether or
not the enterprise can be successful
ly undertaken at this time.
To bridge the Santee river, thereby
connecting Charleston's social and
great commercial interests directly
with the rapidly developing Pee Dee
section Of the State, and the uniting
of the interests of the great counties
south of the Santee with those OF
the counties north Of it has been the
dream of the leaders since the pio-
neer days Of Carolina, and therefore
just this suggestion as to its impor-
tance is sufficient.
The question of the bridge and its
location has often been raised, but
perhaps never before with such san
guine prospects for its realization as
when injected into the discussion Of
good roads and State highways at a
meeting in Charleston July 3. held
under the auspices of the city s
Chamber of Commerce.
Heretofore whenever this subject
wa. raised it either ended in discus
sion or died with the enthusiasm Of
the occasion, but the real interest
that developed in the recent Charles
ton meeting indicated that the time
il now ripe for action. 1t was claim
ed by those present best qualified to
make estimates that the bridge with
proper connections for practical pur-
poses could be built at cost of about
thirty or forty thousand dollars, and
the representatives in the meeting
from the counties south of the river
Immediately offered the assurance
that they would raise one-half the
necessary amount if the counties
north of the river would raise the
other half, who in turn could speak
only for their communities but were
of the opinion that the counties
north of the river would respond
readily with their portion.
In the conference appointed for
the purpose,it was decided after due
consideration that, for economical
reasons, and because of the fact that
the point on the river known as the
Gourdin's, or Murray's, ferry was the
most direct, connecting the two sec
tions of the State, the bridge should
he located at that place.
The Chamber OF Commerce OF
Charleston agreed to have expert en-
gineers survey the swamp adjacent
to the crossing and ascertain the ap-
proximate cost Of the construction
of the bridge at the point dssignat-
ed, and that then Charleston would
offer to give 50 much Of the totai
cost Of the bridge if the counties
south and north Of the river would
raise the balance Of the necessary
amount.
The proposition il to raise the mo-
ney by personal subscription and by
donations from corporations and
Boards Of trade, from the National
Government and from State funds.
Bond issues are not contemplated,
and, speaking for Williamsburg
county, there will be no bonds. The
bridge, if built, must be constructed
by public-spirited citizens and those
most directly interested. This. how
eyer, can be done, for it is not a Will
liamiburS- Berkeley proposition only,
but involves the interest Of two
great sections of the STATE easily able
to put the enterprise through to its
completion.
One Of our citizens has already
pledged 4 round thousand dollars to-
ward the bridge. and We have heard
Of two others Who, each, haye prom
ised five hundred dollars.
The big packing house now being
huilt at OrxbQeburQ in the latest ap-