The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-05
TO BRIDGE THE SANTEE.
HIGHWAY COMMISSION To JOIN
PEOPLE OF STATE.
Hearing Attended by Large Number
OF Representatives Who Say IL
Means Much To People.

TO bridge crossings for the Santee riv-
er. This was done by resolution af-
ter hearing the arguments from rep
resentatives from "a number OF coun-
ties yesterday afternoon.
! The highway commi ssion is deter
mined to build for all time. and as far
as is within its power to provide free
and easy communication between the
people OF the upper part of the State
and those living below the Santee.
As ore speaker expressed 1t yester-
day. for two hundred years the San
tee river has divided the people OF
the State and 1t was time that the bar
rier be broken down.
The State highway commission has
determined TO break 1t down. The
commission has not yet decided upon
the location OF the bridges. Only one
route has been surveyed. that across
tho santee by way of Pinckneys near
Parlers Other routes will now bo
surveyed. and the two best routes will
be selected.
II will then be for the people to
provide half the funds necessary. The
federal government will supply the
other half. The cost will be approxi-
mateiy s175.ooo for each bridge.
When they are built the people of
Darlington. Lee. Dillon. Chesterfield,
Florence. Williamsburg. Clarendon
and Sumter will have one OF two di-
rect routes to Charleston. Georgetown.
oranseburs. Bamberg. Aiken and the
southeastern section OF the State.
IL means the linking together of
the people Of the State as never be-
fore.
There was a full and free discus
sion OF what was needed to give the
greatest number OF people Of this
state free access to both sides OF the
santee River at the hearing which
was held In the Chamber OF Com
merce yesterday.
The main question was whether
there should be one or more bridges
built across the Santee. and whero
these bridges should be.
Four propositions were presented: :
One for a bridge at st. Paups or
Pfnckney's Landing. which would
cross the river near Parlers; another
to cross the river at Murray's Landing
near Gourdin; another at Ianneau's
landing. which is about 12 or IS
niles from Georgetown. and about
the same distance from Andrews; the
fourth was TO cross the river at
Mazyck's Landing which Is practical
" on the coast, between Georgetown
and Charleston.
This would open the Old Kings
Highway and was advocated most
zeaiously by Mr.. Morrison. of McClel-
lanvilie.
Major II. G.. Thomas. chairman Of
the commission. presided; the other
commissioners were: Prof. A. G.. Car
son OF the University. Prof. Hale
Houston OF Clemson College, C. 0.
Hearon of spartanburg and Thos
W. Cothran OF Greenwood.
Mr.. Andrews OF Georgetown was
an advocate OF building the bridge MT
Lanreau's. He thought that this point
would serve the people OF Horny.
Marion. Florence. Darlington. as well
as the people OF Georgetown. better
than at any other point. He stated
that tho bridge could be built there
for about si50.o00. provided heart
timber was used. Engineer Murray,
however. stated that the government
required creosoted timber which was
more expensive and would make the
cost about $4,000.
Dr. olin Sawyer OF Georgetown
supported Mr.. Andrews. He stated
that so far as the people of George
town were concerned they preferred
the bridge at Mazycks on the KINGS
Highway; and that he thought a
bridge at Lanneau's would be OF ser
vice to more people. He felt that tho
commission should adopt compro.
mise measure. and should look for a
permanent roadway for all times. He
took the position that IL bridge was
built west OF the Coast Line Road
that II would practically cut off n
great many OF the people who lived
east OF that road.
w. III. Dennis. county supervisor OF
Berkeley. advocated the building OF
the bridge at Murray's Landing, which