Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-07-11
THE STATE HIGHWAY

THE STATE HIGHWAY
Some day there is going to be first
class automobile highway due north
from Columbia, through Winnsboro,
| Chester and Yorkville, to the North
Carolina line by way Of Glover and
Bethany; but there is a good deal Of
work to be done yet.
The editor Of The Enquirer had oc-
! casion to go over the maj-r part Of the
tance, that between Yorkville and
, columbia, last Tuesday, and was able
to get pretty fair idea Of the present
situation. The trip was made for pure
lly personal or rather domestic reasons,
the editor being accompanied by his
wife, to see that soldier son, who was
still being held up in hospital six weeks
after his return from France, notwith-
standing that his health was as good as
it has ever been. AS to this, OF course,
the public has no immediate concern;
but there are many readers Of The En-
auirer, no doubt, who will take some
interest in a recital Of some Of the
scenes and incidents Of the journey
land bear with some observations there
on.
Walter Clontz, the club-footed, good
natured public service man, drove the
car, and for the left Of those who
do not know, it ought to be said that
| Clontz Is one Of the best in the busi-
ness He has a new model Chevrolet,
and he not only knows how to get out
Of this car all there Is in the way OF
speed and endurance; but II anything
goes wrong he knows how to fix 1t.
Then again he knows how to be as &C
eommodating as anybody could be ex-
pected to be and he does not seem to
mind being accommodating in the
least :,
| It was about a quarter Of Z o'clock
when we left Yorkville. Daylight had
cracked more than an hour before and
the sun was coming up. The heavy
fogs overhead indicated a possibility
of rain; but still they promised fair
chance Of a clear day. That was the
| fore reaching Columbia there was
plenty of demonstration Of the fact
that weather indications at one point
are no guarantee of what Is happen
ling q few miles further on. The days
Journey extended over several alter
nate wide streaks Of dust and mud; but
the only actual rainfall that was en-
countered were two or three light
sprinkles.
II often hear them telling about this
county and that county having good
roads," observed Clontz; but from
what I see myself none Of them have
any general system Of roads worth
Dragging on. The best good-all-the-
way stretch Of road I know anything
about is that from Gastonia to Kings
Mountain by way Of Linwood college.
That's some road. But when 1t comes
to roads in general, York county has
about as much good. road as any OF
them, and that's not saying that York
counry hasn't got some roads that are
pretty tough" Before the day was
over, the editor was disposed to agree
that Clontz had it down about right.
The road from Yorkville to Chester
is now very good. There are lots OF
rough places in it-lots Of places that
can be very much improved by scrap
ing and dragging; but the road from
Yorkville to the Chester line Is much
better than the road from the chester
/ line to Chester. About the most dis
| graceful two miles Of road over the
whole route between Yorkville and CO.
llumbia is the two miles between the
Chester county poor house and the
town Of Chester. If the Chester people
are not thoroughly ashamed Of these
two miles they ought to be. They are
evidently not much ashamed, however,
else they would not stand for anything
Of the kind.
| Between Yorkville and Lowryville
the average speed was something IKE
lis or 20 miles an hour, at times going
up to 80 miles. From Lowryville to
Chester, however, 1t was frequently
necessary to cut down to five or six
miles, and 1t was seldom that the car
was going over ten miles an hour. TO
the south Of Chester toward the Fair
field line, they are doing some excel
| lent road work. With the help Of road
plows and scrapes they are rounding
up the red roadbed beautifully and
providing for splendid drainage on
both sides. There had been terrific
rain the night before and the SOFT, RED
clay with which the road was surfaced
was soaked through and through. over
a distance Of about eight miles the best
that Clontz could get out Of his Chew
rolet was six or seven miles an hour,
and even at that he had to fill his ra-
diator with muddy water from the
roadside to get along at all. After get
ting beyond the fresh road working the
travel was some better for several
miles; but the roads were showing the
need for the road gangs that were
headed in that direction.
A short distance after passing Black
stock a long freight train came along
from the north. The highway was rea-
sonably smooth for mile or two and
Clontz had no trouble keeping along
nose and nose with the big engine. The
train though heavy one, was gong
down grade and at q pretty good clip.
The engineer fireman, brakeman and
other members Of the crew became
very much interested and 80 did Clontz
but Clontz did not get excited. He Kept
his eyes on the road and both hands
glued to his wheel. The speed indlca-
| tor was bobbing between 20 and ~
miles an hour, and the freight train
was losing. But deep ruts showed up
| in the highway ahead, and Clontz was
| forced to slow down. The train moved
ahead. The engineer waved his hand
| in a way to indicate triumph, one OF
the brakemen from the top OF the train
put his thumb to his nose and wiggled
his little finger, and the conductor in
the caboose mockingly motioned for
the automobile to come on. II had
as good a track as he's got" muttered
| Clontz, I'D let him read the tax tag
on my car"
From woodward down to Winnsboro
the road is much better than from
Yorkville to Chester; but there are
parts of 1t that demand very cai III
driving. There had been no rain at
Winnsboro. 1t seemed that there haq
been no rain there for several weeks.
Through the town of Winnsboro the
Yorkville- Columbia road attains the
dignity Of a main street; but at the
very considerable expense OF its char-
acter and reputation as road. It's
disgraceful. The dust lies in ruts sew
eral inches deep and every gust OF
wind raises a little cloud. When It
rains the mud must be something fear
full. THAT old sign out yonder reading
| CITY Limits-12 miles," chuckled
Clontz, must be joke, cause swear
7 can't make no twelve miles over no
such street as this" And Clontz was
about right. The street in the town Is
not as good as the road to either the
north or south.
Down below Winnsboro, near ROCK
ton. the road branches into three
prongs. A sign board indicates Ridge
way to the left. A passing K. r. "
carrier said that the right-hand ROAD
was the best 20 Columbia, but or the
three one wss about as good as the
other The .,iGdle road looked best