The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-03-31
ELECT HIGHWAY COMMISSION.
CAPT. j. X. PENNELL OF BEIlrON
TO ASSUME DUTIES AS EX.
ECCTIVE OFFICER.
State Highway Commission Decides
ON Captain Of Company A OF Ensi-
neers TO Lead in Road Work in
State-Ofices Will be Opened I'm
mediately and Active Work Begun

IL 4
Columbia yesterday, elected j. r. |
Pennell of Bolton State highway en-
gineer at $4,000 the year. Capt. Pen
nell is a graduate in civil engineering
Of the University of South Carolina
and commands Company A, South
Carolina engineers, recently returned
from the border.
The election of assistant engineer.
the secretary Of :!ie commission and
stenOgrapher will be taken up lat
er. these matters being left largely
in the hands OF the State engineer.
The commission spent the day dis
cussing in detail various matters nee
essary to putting the law into opera
ton.
a. A member Of the commission said
u night that possibly the most im-
portant thing for the public to bear
in mind at this time is that the own
ers of motor vehicles in the State Of
South Carolina may secure their Ii
cense tags or plates from the office
Of the State highway engineer after
April Z. Cars operated in South
Carolina after July without State
license tags will subject their owners
to a fine Of s25 for each appearance
on public highway Cars owned out
side Of South Carolina need not be
registered In the State unless they re-
main for more than 80 days. Mem
bers Of the commission said it would
be we'll that owners Of cars apply
as early as possible for their licenses
in order to facilitate the organization
Of the department and to avoid con
gestion. Owners will apply direct e.
the Office OF the State engineer in
Columbia for registration blanks. Mo-
torcycles are included under the term
motor vehicles" get
The afternoon session was devoted
to discussion with Capt. Pennell ot
various phases of the work. Capt
Pennell was in Columbia and joined
the commissioners on being notified
of his election as engineer. Capt. Pen
nell was instructed TO secure offices
In Columbia, to advertise for bids for
license plates and to submit to The
printers copy blanks and forms nec-
essary to supply the Office.
Capt. Pennell hopes to have his Of
flee open and ready for business in
the next few days. The first work
taken up will be that Of securing data
concerning the highways He will
want information as to the road mile
age. the amount of money spent on
road Improvement. the extent Of i'm
proved roads, their location with ref
erence to what may bs termed State
highways. the character OF soils and
the presence IL any OF road buildinr
materials. All such information will
be recorded in the office of the State
engineer as rapidly as it may be col.
lected.
Interest in the matter of securing
federal aid through the State high
way commission was indicated by the
receipt Of several letters from widely
separated districts of the State, askin,
lor information as to how countie,
may proceed to receive the benefits
OF money appropriated by the fedora
government for the construction OF
roads In South Carolina. Georgetown
Mccormack and Spartanburg wcrl
among the counties seeking such in
formation.
The commission adopted a resolu
''on inviting E. J. Watson, commits
sioner Of agriculture. industries anc
commerce. to appear before it ut it:
next meeting, to give the body til,
oeheht of his knowledge and expe'l
ehce in the promotion Of highway
work In South Carolina. Col. Wat
son was pioneer in advocating roaG
Improvement.
All members of the commission
were present: Monroe Johnson, Mar.
ION, chairman; M. Goode Homes, Uni- !
Versity of South Carolina; Robert {; |
Ihomas. the Citadel: Hale Houston |
C'emson college; c. O. Hearon, Spar
tanburg.
Commissioner Homes. at the boards
request, has prepared a digest of th'
state highway laws, as follows:
THE State highway department i'
comprised Of State highway com
mission and q State highway eng.
neer, the highway commission con
sisting Of the senior professor Of civil
engineering OF the Military College Of
inn ri of II