The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-29

lfill up the little holes left between tho
Jumps Of clay and make the road
smoother, keep the wheels from
grinding the clay to dust in dry
weather. and keep the water from
washing the clay off the road in
rainy weather.
| 1 have observed that nearly all
our bridges on the road are either
level with the road or lower. This
is absolutely wrong. Bridges should
always be higher than the road and
should have a gradual elevation so
that wagons will gradually go up in
stead of getting to bridge and fall
in. and thereby shaking up the
bridge, sinking deeper it's supports
and straining the timbers which give
way so fast. Some bridges are so
twisted up that sometimes feel like
would not risk it's structure.
I sometimes feel like a coward in
being scared to cross those bridges,
but feel safer and more comfortable
Of being alive and write this and
furnish reader for that Chamber
of Commerce dope. than lying dead
in one of those muddy streams, all
spattered up with mud, and a big car
on top Of me. and some ugly wild
creature biting me on the shoulder
and the coroner trying to figure out If
I did not do it on purpose just to beat
the insurance company out of some
money, and then the probability of
some of my realtives trying to sue
the county for damages and spending
whole lot of money for legal tai
ent, etc. II the bridges were built
right and kept right would not have
to feel like a coward. They should
have slight elevation, as said be-
fore. with about eight inches Of the
board extending beyond the curb
and sliding gradually down in the
road. thereby forming a gradual as
cent.
In some respect the travellers in
atos and wagons are partly respon-
sible for the bad condition Of the
roads, in cutouts and slides. II every
one would try to for m straight tracks
on these roads and try to distribute
the wear on the entire road instead
OF following UP tracks 1t would i'm
ss A. n
ons would not try to travel in the
auto tracks which look smooth, it
would help more; If every one would
try in meeting anothers one to give
half way instead OF forcing others to
get to the exreme side and form new
tracks it would help; If everybody
would, on approaching sharp twist
IN sand bed, try and straighten
1t. 1t would help; IL everyone after a
rain would try to ride on the ridges
instead Of the ruts. form new straight
tracks and stay there it would help;
II wide gauge cars would keep out of
the regular wagon tracks it would
help. If everybody. in noticing some
derect in a bridge. or piece of
timber on the road or twig from
tree sticking out on the road or some
other little defect or obstruction. to
stop and remove 1t. or report it to the
road master. instead of going around
and form a new loop in the road it
would help.
1t seems to me that have ex-
ceeded the limits. as have onlv
wanted to say few words, especially
In these busy days. when tobacco is
selling at very high prices, and cotton
Is looking fine. with prices the same,
and people have more money than
they usually have at this time of the
year. so that we are busy getting
their money away. as the old saving
goes striking the iron while it is
not" or as some epicurc would say
"skinning the lamb while she is
warm" notwithstanding all these I
reel like saying things appertaining
to all and here I am burning candles
trying to scribble out some of the
hardships all of us are enjoying, and
like that balky mule when I once
start I do not know when to stop, so
am unwillingly closing this argu-
ment' assuring you that I am not
looking for any jobs on the publ.
roads. or any other thankless jobs.
would not have it If it was handed
10 me on a silver fork, but If there
Is anything / said that would not
pear reasoning am cheerfully ready
to admit my erroneous conclusions.