The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1920-07-28
joint Meeting IS
HELD At PINEWOOD

The meeting held at Pinewood on
Thursday July 22nd, to discuss the
annexation of that portion of Clar-
endon County to Sumter was attended
ny about twenty people fron, Mann
ing and about half that number from
Sumter county. The meeting had
been called for eleven o'clock but was
postponed until 1915 on account of
preaching services at the Presbyterian
church andtwas again postponed until
l:o0 o'clock on account of the late
arrival OF the delegation from Sum-
ter. The principal arguments for
Clarendon County were made by Can't.
Davis, Mr.. Alderman and Mr.. DuRant
and for Sumter county by Mr.. Noise,
Mr. Belser and Mr.. Jennings. Messrs,
Dooth and Reardon of Sumter and Mr.,
Sprott of Manning spoke for very
few minutes at the opening.
There was good audience present
who listened attentively throughout
the speaking, but it is impossible
to forecast from the meeting
what the action of this section will be.
Mr.. Davis speaking for the Clarendon
County Highway Commission stated
that the commission had decided to
Dulid 1lrSt, two main roads across the
county, one running north and south
Whlch they are now at work on and
one running east and west from Pine
wood to the williamsburg County line.
lie stated that these roads will be of
| the best sand-cay construction and
Will be graded and drained i'm such a
manner that the present work will not
be lost, If IN future years, the County
decides to hard surface these roads.
lie brought out the fact that the en-
gineers had advised that under pre-.
sent conditions this was the best class
of roads to build. He also showed
from the report of the New York State
| Highway Commissioner that the cost
OF maintenance on .evcn thousand
miles of hard surface roads in that
state last year, nearly all of which
had been constructed during the past
ten years, was $5ll. 90 per mile. This
dld not include the cost Of rc-surfac-
ing old roads.
Mr.. Belser spoke principally in re-
| gard to the financial conditions of
Sumter County and showed from his
figures what the increase in taxation
would amount to and what would be
the probable cost of building these
roads. He was answered very cf
iectivcly by Mr.. Alderman w,.o showed
from Mr.. Belser's own figures that
the increase in taxation would be
practically double and that by his own
estimate the present bond issue would
only build about five miles of road ON
each of the ten principal roads lead
ing out of the city of Sumter. He
also brought out very strongly, as did
the other speakers from Clarendon
the fact that Sumter has not sold any
honds as yet and has not been offered
price at which they can afford to
sell them.
Mr.. Jennings spoke in his usual
style, of the wonderful advantages of
the class of roads that Sumter county
was going to build and the merits of
Sumter County people generally. He
admitted that Sumter had not sold any
b'nds and would not sell any until
they could get par for them
MIR. DuRant was the last speaker
and brought out the fact very forcib-
~ that before Sumter could sell her
road bonds the people Of South Caro-
INA VIII have to vote on Constitu-
tlonal amendment allowing her to do
this and the legislature at it's next
session will have to pass an act au-
thoriZing the bonds if the Constitu
tional amendment is passed. The
Sumter delegation reluctantly admit
ted that this was true although thew
studiously avoided any reference to it
in their speeches.
Mr.. DuRant made an unusually
strong speech and brought forward
arguments showing that it was to the
best interest of this section to remain
IN Clarendon County and come out
victor in a rough and tumble arpu
ment with Messrs. Jennings and Bel
ser.
The chairman of the meeting stated
in the beginning that no speaker
should be interrupted while he was
speaking but any one in the audience
would be allowed the privilege of
asking any question after the speak
cr had closed. This rufc was adhered
to throughout all the addresses until
the last when Mr.. Jennings began to
interrupt with questions soon after
Mr.. DuRant commenced speaking and
was joined by one or ewo others in the
audience. The speaker however, show
ed himself well able to handle the
Lion Of the Sumter delegation.
We understand that the official sur
vev Of this territory is now being
made and the election will be ordered
as soon as the necessary legal form
alities can be complied with.
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