The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-12-23

The Chamber of Commerte rally at
the Claremont Hotel Tuesday night
was a most successful occasion from
the various angles at which it may
be viewed. There was a good attend
ance, a good supper was served, and
a number Of matters of much interest
and concern to the future welfare and
development Of Sumter, city and
county, were discussed. The speakers
made enlightening talks and none of
them spoke to long, as is sometimes
the case at these Chamber of Com
merce gatherings.
Perhaps the most interesting, and
certainly the most radical, step pro-
posed was the resolution offered by
Mayor L. D. Jennings in the interest
of building permanent roads in the
county, Mayor Jennings is an earn
est advocate of good roads and now
that he a secured permanent streets
for Sumter, he wishes the work ex-
tended beyond the city limits.
His resolution, which was unani-
mously Endorsed by those present, was
that the Sumter County legislative
delegation be instructed to have an
act passed at the coming session of
the legislature allowing each town
ship, upon petition of 20 per cent. of
the qualified voters Of the county, to
vote on the issue Of bonds to build
kpersnanent roads in the county. the
IsH.s,assIatlsSa q. sssss
4 certain per 6sikp Of the taxable
property in thes eownship. ~ be de-
cided by a boardsaRpointed for the
purpose
I Mr.. Jennings made..sa strong argu-
ment in favor Of h~is.rssolution. con-
demning the old system Of building
sand-clay roads, ~whsshrhad to be re-
built every year, as Aaseless expense,
and displacement ofss.money which
might go for permaaent roads. He
argued for a tax on automobiles,
based on their power, the money to
go to build permanent roads. He
stated that the automobile owners
would willingly pay this tax, as they
would more than save the same
amount in the wear and tear on their
machines. The roads did not have 20
be built wide, but they should extend
from n edge of the county to the
other, he stated. If they We're voted
in one township, and permanent
roads secured, other townships would
fall in line. The bonds could be paid
in 20 OIL 80 years. he stated.
During the course of the meeting.
besides the permanent roads PROPOSE
ton, a full time county health officer,
the work of the Chamber of Com
merce during the past year and the
work before it in aiding the farmers
to prepare and meet the advancing
boil weeWl, the threatened menace
Of the boil weevil and steps to warn
the farmers to prepare in time to
meet it, the building up Of a good city
and many other matters of equal in
terest and importance were discussed.
A subscription was taken to place
the Chamber of Commerce on a SCUM
der financial basis and approximately
$500 was pledged by the hundred and
three persons present. This amount
will be supplemented by what can be
raised by a canvas of the business
men not at the meeting and the bust
ness houses not represented. The eff
fort is to secure $4,000 a year for the
support of the organization, which
was given unanimous Endorsement as
a necessity for the community. 1t
was shown hat the expenses of the
organization were approximately 5000
n month n that for the past few
wears the body had been carrying a
deficit Of several hundred dollars
SuCIl year,
The meeting was called to order
shortly before 8 o'clock in the dining
room Of h Claremont, where all
were invited to supper A we'll pre-
pared and bountiful supper was plac-
ed on the tables and everybody SEEM
cd to enjoy the repast. Just previous
to and during supper music was fur
nished by j. f. King & Co. from one
Of their large Edison machines. At
the close of the supper, the meeting
was opened by n short statement by
President Belser OF the Chamber OF
Commerce.
Mr.. Belscr referred To the hotel i'm