The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-04-24
TIE GOOD ROADS CAMPAIGN
Facts and Arguments Collected by
Secretary Reardon.


Secretary Reardon.
Mr.. Henry j. McLaurin. Jr.. Chair
man OF. the Sumter County Board Of
Commissioners, has suggested that
the Chamber Of Commerce direct at
fention to the following very impoc-
tant matter in connection with the ex-
fpenS iture Of the money and the build
ing Of the proposed 125 miles Of hard
surfaced, permanent main highway
system, il the. voters adopted the ST.
I s0o,o0e.80 bond issue on May 18th at
the special election to be held on that
date: Speakers at the road meetings
are. requested TO emphasize these i'm
pcrtant facts. for information Of the
voters
TT 50, 500, coo are authorized by the
special election to be appropriated by
selling bonds for that amount, every
one OF the ten or more main roads
bf the complete highway system, ra6i-
atinS out to ten Or more different sec
tions OF the county to the county lines
and covering practically the entire
county by traversing every township
there, will be simultaneously constrac-
I ted The contractors who build these
highways Will be required from the
start tc the completion of the nl,,i1
highway system, to build equal pro-
rata portions Of the ten or more
branches OF the system each year, Civ
ing each branch, or main road of the
- H. ~ to
khars OF the work, so that no section
ssof the county viii be shown partially.
No branch of the highway system
Will be given preference over another,
either in the number of miles built
each year, or in the amount of money
Spent from the s2,500,000 bond issue
eaeh year.
therrnore, in expending this
money each branch road Of the main
highway system will have its pro rata
Z Bssare Of the necessary money to be
spent each year set aside for that par
Nectar road AMI for that particular
section of the countv to be traversed
& sby that road. To illustrate as near as
possible, in the absence Of any defin-
s11fke figures as to the actual mileage
.1n the entire main highway system,
pr the amount of mileage in each Of
4 the ten or more branch roads. Sup
pose the statutory provisions permit
I'm each year, say 100000 to be ex-
pended by the sale Of that amount Of
bonds each Of the branch roads Of
the main highway system viii have
spent thereon $4,000. This equitable
and democratic method of construc-
ton and payment for construction will
be maintained rigidly until the entire
main highway system is completed,
and the main highway system practi-
eafIy completed at the same time.
There are seven Of the best known
and successful business men and far
smers; three from the city of Sumter
and the town of Mayesville, and four
from the smaller towns and the ru-
raj sections on the Sumter County
Permanent Road Commission, as
follows:
y. Jennings, G. A. Lennon, J..
b Britton, j. P. Booth, Stanyarne
Burroughs. J. F. Bland, S. A. Havin.
These representative citizens and sue
cessful business men will pay this
money out for work on the main high
way system as provided by the law
They will pay the money out only af
I ter all bills have been approved by
Z the State and Federal Highway Com
missions engineers and all work done
Inspected and approved by competent
highway engineers.
The entire $2,500,o00 will not he
spent in one year, as some timid vot-
ers apear to fear. but will be spent
only as permitted by the laws of
South Carolina So that it will be i'm
possible for the Permanent Road
Commission to make taxes over-bur
densome by spending. too much Of
the money in any one year.
Majority rule shall prevail through
out in the Permanent Road Comn1is-
sion's activities No section of Sum
ter will be Disseminated against, nor
will any section be given undue con-
sideration for any reason. whatsoever
A definite highway system, embracing
as many miles of highways as posi-
bic. will be agreed upon before the
work is started. 1t is now certain
that each section of the county: will
be about equally benefited in the. sec
tons to be traversed by the ten or
more branch roads and in the amaaint
OF money to spent to beneft-e every
section. of the entire county.
The tentative program of highway
Z construction, subject to some minor
changes, perhaps. in order to straight
en- out road lines, reduces distances.
eliminates unnecessary high hill
grades. and to reduce expenses. all
OF which will materially benefit every
taxpayer and give that much more
possible mileage. 1t gives unquesti"n-
able guarantees to every section Of
Sumter county OF equitable and ac-
Ill <ofi fan