The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-08-25
Commission Holds Hearings
Over the State
CONTRACTS SIGNED WITH
SEVERAL COUNTIES
Department Secures New
Bridge Engineer Who VIII
Have Charge Of Construc-
ton
Wyatt y. Taylor

l. =
Columbia. Aug. 23.-The people Of
south Carolina have given their ap-
proval TO the proposed state high
way system ana from this week on
the state highway department VIII
bend every effort towards. constructing
and maintaining roads that viii even
tually put South Carolina at the ton
Of the column off good road states.
The highway commission Saturday
completed the series Of IA hearings.
called for the purpose of allowing The
people 20 make suggestion and regis
ter whatever kicks they might have
as TO the proposed state highway
system OF roads. Already the> com
mission has signed contracts with d
numho" OF counties, whereby the
state takes over The highways for
maintenance IN most Of The counties
construction "ili be pushed Hrl.e pro
posed system calls for 600 miles of
state highways.
During last week the comn,issioh
h2d bcai in8s at Florence Georgeown,
Charleston, ST. George, Hampton and
Aiken At Florence eight delegations,
intcrested in highway bettermcnt, APP
pearcd before the commission, rcpret
scnting several counties in the. Pee
Dec section. Al Georgetown an au-
dience OF 200 people heard the discus
sion with the Highway commissioners
of the proposed state system. At some
OF the bearings additions TO the state.
system rs mapped out by the old
highway commission were suggested
and adopted
ON the whole the state system as
mapped out BIZ the former commits
sion YVES found to he admirably suiled
10 the needs of the state, and with the
few charges suggested is to be adopt
ed by the new commi ission as the state
system under the 1920 highway act
This action Of the commission win be
taken at the September meeting OF the
highway board.
The highway department has al
ready siSned contracts with Green
Vile, Sp&rtanburg, Chester, York and
Greenwood counties, under which the
highways in these counties which are
up 60 tho highway depart ments re.
quircments, ;,re to be taken over for
maintenance, as part Of the state sYs-
tenn. Marion. Florence. Cherokee and
other counties are about ready to sign
such contracts and viii be able 60 do
so eborti1 70 several OF the counties
Of the s.ate the highway department
has already sent the county share Of
automobile license money, this to be
used for constructing and maintaining
highways.
The new maintenance plan, the pa
troll Systt m, is 10 be put into operation
on tho highways at an early date.
Plans for this are now being worked
out.
,Tha highway department has just
secured now bridge engineer. 10
have charge of the construction os
three BIZ bridges, the Vatorec bridge,
between Sumter and Richland counties
the Salitee bridge and the Pee Dee
bridge. The name Of this new epgi-
neer is TO be announced soon.
At Charleston last week the high
way commission had n very satisV
tory conference with the Santee.
Bridge commission, representing Soy
cral counties Interested m%he erection
Iof this lig spun.
Newbcry county is voting on Tues
day on n $4O0O00 hopd issue FOR roads
and adVices reaching thet highway Of
fee give assurance of the success Of
the project.