The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1920-01-28
STATE HIGHWAY ENGINEER
DECIDES BRIDGE QUESTION
greenwood and LaArens Commissions
Discuss Common Crossing Point OF
Saludu River.

At a meeting OF the Laurens and
Greenwood highway commissions, held
in Greenwood last Thursday, decision
as to common crossing point of the
Saluda river between Waterloo and
Greenwood was left to the state high
way engineer for decision, as will be
seen from report Of the meeting by
the Greenwood Index-Journal carried
below. Mr.. Geo. NJ. Wright, Mr.. II. C.
Sims and Mr.. o. C.. Cox, OF the Lau-
rens commission, were present at the
meeting as was Mr.. N. c. Hughes, the
county highway engineer. They re-
port a very cordial reception on the
part of the Greenwood commission and
very pleasant meeting together.
The report Of The Index j ournal
was as follows:
The matter Of common crossing
for Greenwood and Laurens counties
occupied the time and attention Of
the highway commissions Of the two
counties at Il Joint session yesterday
here as stated in short notice Of the
meeting in yesterdays Index-Jour-
nal The I.aurens commission through
it's engineer, wished to put forward
an entirely new route from Waterloo
to Greenwood and this proposed new
route was described and discussed at
length. The new route would cross
Saluda river at Ivy Bluff about a
quarter OF a mile below where Reedy
river emptics into Saluda river and
would therefore call for only one new
bridge of the type which will be neces-
sary to care for the traffic of a main
highway. Such a bridge, it was stat
ed, would have to be not less than
eighteen feet wide, so as to permit the
passing of vehicles on the bridge The
present bridge known as Boyd's bridge
over the Saluda on the road between
Waterloo and Greenwood as we'll as
the bridge over Reedy river are 12
feet wide and are in such condition
that they could not be used on main
highway. A bridge over a stream on
on main highway should be able to
care for not less than a twenty ton
load and it was stated that the Boyd's
bridge and the Rcedy river bridge
were both wholly Inadequate for such
loads. In view of the fact that II the
present route is selected two new
bridges would have to be built it had
seemed well to consider new loca-
ton which would call for only one
bridge. the Laurens delegation stating
frankly that the matter Of cost was an
item which had suggested change in
the route. AS it is now the Reedy riv-
er bridge is all on Laurens soil. II the
proposed new location is adopted only
one bridge would have to be built and
that would be across the river at a
poing below the mouth Of Reedy river.
This route would mean that the new
highway from Laurens to Greenwood
would leave Waterloo in a southwest
erly direction and after crossing the
river come on through Coronaca to
Greenwood.
Previous to the joint session dele
cation of citizens from CorOnaca and
vicinity appeared before the commits
sion and urged that this route be
adopted instead Of the one by way Of
Boyd's bridge, claiming that 1t would
be half a mile nearer, less expensive
to build, and that It would serve a
greater number Of white families liv-
ing on the road than the old route
would. After the Coronaca delegation
had stated It's case and left petitions
with the commission, the Laurens
delegation came in and the joint ses-
sion began.
The whole matter was thoroughly
discussed and finally after frank
statement from both commissions
that Federal aid on bridge over the
river would have to be applied for
and such application would have to
have the approval OF the State High
way Commission, it was unanimously
agreed to ask the State Highway Com
mission to send an engineer to make
q thorough inspection Of the proposed
common crossings and to make a rec
ommendation to the Laurcns and
Greenwood commissions as to his find
ings and that the commissions would
accept the recommendations of the
State Highway commissions engineer
Mr.. Emmett |. Davis, secretary OF the
| Greenwood highway commission, was