Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-08-13
Confer With Governor ON Plan for
Measure to Ensure Proper Upkeep
OF Highways.

OF Highways.
Steps looking to the enactment Of
measures which will provide South
Carolina with a we'll maintained sys-
tenn OF State highways were taken
when the State highway commission
held a brief session with Governor
Cooper last week, at which time a
bill which will be introduced at the
next meeting of the general assembly
was discussed in detail.
The bill provides maintenance for
the State highways, and also offers
encouragement to the several counties
to bring their county roads up to such
condition that they will be taken
over by the State highway comassion
and perpetually maintained. by the
Scomsnission.
G.. O. Hearon, a member of the COM
mission, in speaking of the bill yes
terday, sad: I'm my opinion,i main
tenance is about the largest factor in
q State system Of highways. The
main feature Of the bill which we dis
cussed with the governor today is
maintenance. It is folly to provide a
county with an expensive piece Of
roadway and then have it disintegrate
through lack Of proper care. The
heart of this bill is maintenance.
Continuing, Mr.. Hearon said, "The
tax on automobiles in South Carolina
brings in approximately s35o,ooo every
year. Eighty per cent. Of this money
goes back to the counties from whence
it, came. Twenty per cent. is expended
In meeting the expenses of the high
way commission, the making of sur
yeys, salaries, Office rent and so on.
sNow this bill provides that the tax
on automobiles be increased from rs
Cents to so cents per horse power,
while trucks will be taxed according
to their weight. All the money deriv-
ed from this tax is to go to the State
highway commission. The bill pro-
yides that rs per cent. of this fund is
to be expended in the work of the COM
mission; the balance, IS per cent, is
to be turned back to the counties-but
not QUITE in the same way it is turned
back nov.
Here's what I'VE want done. Say
the commission visits the county of
Greenville, and finds therein roads
which may be included in a State sys-
tenn. If those roads are up to a GER
tain standard, constructed in certain
way, they will be taken over by the
State highway commission. And they
will be maintained by the commission
s-snd the folk in the county can cease
ito VERY about them. We would not
take over all improved roads, but
only the few miles which would be 4,
part of the State system of roads. The
expense would be borne by the auto
mobile tax
NOV, we know" continued Mr..
Hearon. that many counties have no
roads that could be called State high
ways. We provide, in this bill, that in
such cases roads be built by the coun-
ty with the assistance Of federal aid;
after these roads are built, the en-
sineers will visit them, and they may
be included in the State system and
taken over by the State highway COM
mission and kept in good order with
out any assistance from the county
other than that derived from its auto
mobile tax.
"All the construction Of roads would
rest on the counties. Their adoption
by the commission as parts Of a State
SYSTEM of highways would rest with
the commission.
The commission has also under
consideration property tax for high
way construction. We want to know