The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1921-04-07
MAY BUILD HIGHWAY SOON.
Preparing to Let Contract for Portion
of c. and A. Road.

Agreement has been reached, it is
understood, between the county au-
thorities and the state highway COM
mission for the awarding Of the con-
tract to construct portion of the
Bamberg county link of the Charles
ton and Augusta highway. 1t was at
first contemplated to complete the
county's portion of this road during
the present year, but conditions have
arisen which make this impracticable
at this time, and in order that the
| highway construction may proceed as
rapidly as possible, it has been decld-
ed that the portion of the highway
| from Denmark to the county line near
Blackville will be built at once in
cooperation with the United States
government. It is likely that the re-
mainder of the road will be construct
ed next year.
Supervisor w. B. Smoak has had
several recent conferences with the
state highway commission in regard
to this road construction, in an en-
deavor to reach an agreement with
that body for federal aid. 1T was as
certained that the county could not
secure more than about $4,000 fed
eral aid this year. The county puts
up dollar for dollar of federal aid,
and the road cannot be built, it is
said, on the total amount that can be
raised by the county, supplemented
by the federal money.
In the meantime, Supervisor
Smoak has decided to build the road
from Denmark to Bamberg with the
chain gang. This road is already in
excellent condition, being one of the
first sand-clay roads constructed in
this county some years ago. The
road is we'll graded, and not a great
deal of work is necessary to put this
six miles of road in fine shape. At the
same time, it is said, to let the road
out to contractor would cost almost
as much as if a new road entirely
were built. It is figured that the
county will be saved a considerable
sum of money by having the gang
build this stretch.
It is understood that an agreement
is now pending whereby the road may
be built through Denmark. Den
mark, like a great many other towns,
takes in a lot of territory, and it is
stated that something like two miles
of the highway must proceed through
the town limits of Denmark. The con-
struction of the road through Den
mark would cost such a sum of
money that it is feared that the town
will have considerable difficulty in
raising the funds. Under recent rul-
ings of the state highway commission
federal aid may be secured for, the
construction of links of approved
highways through incorporated towns
of less than $500 inhabitants. Even
though the so per cent. federal aid
is granted, it would still take a large
|sum to match the government money,
and Denmark fears that she will not
be able to raise it. However, ne
gotiations are under way for inanc-
ing the proposition, and it is believed
that some equitable arrangement will
be made for Denmark's two miles of
highway.
Next year the authorities contem-
plate carrying the road on to the
Orangeburg line near Branchville. It
is stated that all of the counties from
here to Charleston are either now
constructing links of this highway,
or arrangements have been made for
the same, with the exception of Dor
chester county. 1t is hoped that Dor
chester will soon get in line. This
would leave only the Barnwell link
in the entire line from Charleston to
Augusta. Barnwell contemplated
building this road this year, it is un-
derstood, but recent developments
have changed the plans, and just now
this link of the highway is uncertain.
Aiken county has completed it's link
several years ago from Barnwell
county to Aiken, and only recently
the road has been completed from
Aiken to Augusta.