The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-21
Statewide Application for Fed
eral Road Aid the
Cause
TYPICAL ROAD PRO-
JECT is CITED
Checking System Requires That
Three Groups Of Engineers
Approve All Plans.

for1y-two out Of the forty-six counties
of the State have applied for all or
parts of their allotments of federal
aid for road or bridge building has
forced the State Highway Commission
toexpand its engineering forces both
in its Office and in the field. Each
new road or bridge project approved
for federal aid by the State Highway
Commission calls for large amount
OF expert engineering work, both in
the field and in the Office of the COM
mission, before the United States sec
retary of agriculture can legally ap-
prove it and cover the funds dollar
for dollar which the counties have
available.
The field work and Office work done
by the engineers and craftsmen en-
ployed by the commission is an in
teresting phase Of its activities. The
public is much more familiar with
the commission as the branch Of the
State government to which automo-
bile license fees are paid. Unlike
highway commissions in some States
the South Carolina commission pays
for all engineering work done on the
State highway system in connection
with securing federal aid for building
roads anG bridges.
On January /, 1919 the employees Of
the State Highway Commission in its
engineering section consisted Of the
following: Acting State Highway en-
gineer, l; office engineer, 1; chief field
engineer, !: chief craftsman, /; as
sisrant field engineers, 9; resident en-
ginecrs. .; craftsmen, 3; total, II.
On June l, 1919 in its engineering
section the State Highway Commission
had the following employees; State
highway enginee', /: chief Of construc-
ton, l; chief of surveys, !; chief in
spector. l; bridge engineer. /; office
engineer. ], chief craftsman. l; chiefs
Of parties. 5 field engineers, y. res
ident engineers, Il; craftsmen, 5; To-
tai 40
AS an instance of the demands
made on the engineering forces of the
State Highway Commission by each
road or bridge project it approves for
construction with federal aid, the story
of the work on project No. 9, in New
berry County, being the road between
Little Mountain and Prosperity is ty-
pic'
The APPLICATION for federal aid on
project No. came to the State High
way COMMISSION in the prescribed
form Of resolution signed by J. c.
Sample chairman; S. J. Cromer and
T, c. Livingston. members of the board
Of count commission for Newberry
county. This, resolution designated
the stretch Of road to be constructed
with federal aid and stated that the
hoard Of commissioners had available
sufficient funds to cover the federal
money spent on the project dollar for
dollar.
AS soon as possible after this reso-
luton was received by the State High
way Commission sent party of en-
gineers to Newbery County to make
the necessary surveys. The party
was composedof a transitman, level
man and one rodman; necessary assist
ants are provided by the board of
county Commissioners. On project No.
8 this engineering party ran 5.63 miles
Of transit lines. 5.G3 miles of level
lines and 5.63 miles of cross section
The data compiled by this field party
enabled the highway commission to
locate the road properly, see that it's
grades were as low rs possible and to
determine the number and nature Of
the drainage structures along it and
across it. 1t also enabled the COM
tc eliminate three Of the four
crossings ON this short stretch
of road.
In this instance the engineer in
charge Of the field party came back
to the office, after finishing his field
work in about two weeks. and pre-
pared a statement Of project No. 9 on
a form prescribed by the United States !!
of Agriculture. which the
State Highway Commission approved |
and forwarded to the United States en- |
gireer in charge Of this district. who |
sent it. after he approved it. to the |
Federal Bureau Of Public Roads. from
whence it went for final approval to
the United States Secretary CT Agri-
culture In the meantime, the Office !
staff of the State Highway Commis- !
sion drew the necessary plans for
project No. 9. using the data secured I
by surveys made by the field party.
These plans. made up Of twenty-three
sheets were sent through the same
channels rs the project statement and
we're finally approved by the United
State Secretary of Agriculture.
After the plans for project No. Q
were approved the Federal Bureau OF
Public Roads drew up project agree
nent giving the unit priceS for mater
ais and specifying the total amount of
lid which federal government would
sxpend in the project. After this
agreement was approved by the State
Commission contractors were
tsked by advertisement to bid on the
Job. Bids on the work were opened
md the contract awarded to c. c. Jor-