The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-07-22
WANTS SiNTEE CROSSING.
H. II. MEDLIN POINTS OUT LOCA.
TION FOR ROAD WHICH WOULD
COST LITTLE.
10 Build up Good Route Through
Swamp at Tate's Landing, He Saws
Would Not Cost More Than $4,000
Thinks That Four Counties Inter-
cstcd Would Aid i'm Securing Road.


For many years the good people of
the counties Of Orangeburg, Calhoun.
Sumter and Clarendon have felt the
great need Of a crossing across the
Santee river. And while no doubt a
great deal of thought and some time
has been spent relative to this cross
ing, as yet nothing has been done.
Many places for crossing have been
suggested, We might say, from Remini
to the lower part of Williamsburg
county. And it seems now that the
people in Williamsburg are very anx-
ious for this crossing, and they argue
that the best place for this crossing
would be Gourdins, or Murray's Fer
ry, and it may be that this place
would be alright, but we are of the
opinion that it would suit the four
counties above named far better to
have this crossing many miles up the
river. Mr.. w. r. Davis, our county
supervisor and Mr.. d. c. Mason, IL
business young man of st. Paul, re-
Gently went over a route leading from
the road to Prence's Pond to the riv-
er at Tate's landing, which they say
is only about two miles through the
swamp to the river, and across the
river is high bluff and two miles
from the river on the other side we
struck the highway from Charleston
to Columbia, and on this roue of two
miles through the swamp is natural
island Of several hundred yards, which
would not only save the building of q
road bed that distance, but would fur
nish plenty of dirt for the road build
ing both ways for some considerable
distance. 1t is said by men of good
business judgment that this road could
be built for about twenty-five thousand
dollars. OF course this does not mean
that bridge could be built, but a.
ferry could be used for the time being
and bridge built later.
Well, no doubt, that some fellow
who is not so very much interested in
this proposition will say, well, where
Is the money coming from to do all
this road building?" In the writer's
opinion there are at least threl
to raise the dough" fouthia
vu1 SnI, @oI mn
personal subscription, sec
nation from corporations, an
of trade, and thirdly the writer tklf[lZ1
that arrangements could be made to
have the chain gangs from the four
counties above named help do this
work. While we are Of the opinion
that we could hardly expect anything
from the national government or Of
State funds. And too there would be
some cost for the right Of way and the
timber along the route, but we are
inclined to think that this right of
way and timber could be secured at a
very small cost, as no doubt the par
ties owning this land will be interested
in this road. And we believe If the
people will get in behind this propo-
sition, and we cannot think otherwise
than they will, it will only be sc miles
to Charleston, and 55 miles to Column
bia from this place. We see no rea-
son why the people of Lee and Flor
ence counties should not be interested
in this proposition as it would only be
just little over one hundred miles
from either county, drive of about
four hours at an ordinary speed with
an automobile, and there are hun
dreds of people in these counties men,
toned that would make the trip to
Charleston and return in a day.
Now come on good people let's have
a crossing and quit talking. There are
hundreds of colored people in Claren-
don county who will give many days
work on this crossing. 1t can be done.
VIII tho people pull together?
Fl. H. Medlin.
Summerton, July II.