The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-19
STATE ROAD
INSTITUTE
Strong Addresses Made in Three
Sittings


days session of the South Carolina
road institute was a thorough success,
with upwards of 100 engineers from
all parts of the state present and
strong addresses by leaders in the
state highway commission and prom
inent citizens Of this and other states,
creating; great enthusiasm and inter-
est.
The meetings were held in the lee
ture room of LeCOnte college on the
university campus. with Frank E.
BrodnaT, president of the road in
stitute presiding. Mr.. Brodnax con-
Quoted the business in a thoroughly
efficient manner and from time to
time gave valuable remarks, collab-
Grating and upholding those of the
speakers.
Last nights session was featured
by an address by Gov. II. A. Cooper
who urged the engineers if they had
any influence in their counties to use
1t to advocate the issuing of bonds.
He declared that the federal govern
nent was going to continue to furnish
aid for good roads and he expressed
the hope that the state would this
year take advantage of the opportu-
nifty to benefit by it.
Now, he said, is the opportune time
to put forth every effort to do all
the road building possible. Governor
Cooper said he would not venture to
dictate as to whether top soil or hard
| surface roads or what kind should
be built but said he did know that
some different type from those now
in vogue in the state should be in
stituted. He assured the audience
that he did not mean to criticise but
said that it could easily be seen that
improvements were necessary and he
hoped they would be forthcoming.
Moving pictures showing the oper-
alton of various road working ma
chinery were thrown on the screen
and some very interesting and in
structive scenes were given by this
method.
Road planers with folding wings
permitting traffic to pass, stone load
ers said to minimize the cost of load
ing gravel and crushed stone, and
other implements were demonstrated.
After the session an enjoyable
| smoker was given at Flynn hall on
the university campus and the stu
dents all became acquainted over
cigars and refreshments.
The visitors were entertained at a
delightful lunch at university mess
hall at / o'clock yesterday afternoon
and again today they will be enter
tanned in like manner.
At the morning session r. Good
wyn Rhett, chairman Of the state
highway commission, made the
principal address. He told precisely
conditions Of the highway depart.
ment and voiced an urgent plea for
cooperation. His address was forceful
and highly appreciated by all presen,
| w. II. GibbeS made a talk on the
highway bridges Of the state and their
importance as a statewide institution
He supplemented his remarks with
a light poem of his own composition
on the roads and bridges between
this city and Charleston, the effor,
finding ready response in the sense OF
| humor of the gathering.
Morning Session.
| The morning session was opened
| by an address of welcome by Dr.W
dience with bright and witty re-
marks
Others who spoke were DR.. Joseph
II. Pratt, state geologist of North
| Carolina, on The Economics OF
| Highway Construction" and w. S.
| McGrady OF Columbia on THE Con-
tractors Relation to Road Building. "
| The chief address of the afternoon
was by II. G. Shirley, secretary
of the federal highway council on
Foundations and Subgrades." He
| stressed the importance Of uni
form road surfacing and described
tests made by the government to
determine the loads different soils
would stard for subgrading.
Addresses were made and discus
sions were led by w. S. Kellar, state
highway engineer of Alabama, who
spoke on road maintenance; c. O.
Hearon, Good Roads and Commun-
ity Uplift," Top Soil Roads was the
subject of an address by n. c.
Hughes, county engineer of Laurens
| and a discussion of this topic was
led by Leslie N. Weisiger. division
engineer of the state highway de-
partment. j. Roy Pennell, county
engineer of Richland county, spoke on
Traffic Requirements and Their Re-
| lation to Road Design" and dis
cusson was led on this topic by c. Fl.
Moorefield, state highway engineer.
The institute will be resumed this
morning at $50 o'clock.