The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-07-27
GOOD ROADS AGAIN


nishes a never ending subject of con-
versation and newspaper writing. The
Columbia State has been one of the
chief advocates of good roads in this
state. What it has to say on the sub
ject may be considered as authority,
at least so far as it's side of the ques-
ton is concerned. When it says that
these roads must be kept up, it but
says what all men Of common sense
must concede, because it would be
folly to spend thousands of dollars
ior these roads and then allow them
to fall into bad condition, rendering
them of no advantage over the roads
we now have.
Discussing the subject under the
title "Give the Top-soil Roads a
Chance" The State has the follow
ing to say.
"The immediate problem before the
Highway Commission is to maintain
the top-soil roads so that they shall
be in good condition twelve months
in the year. About 1000 miles of
highway are now under the care of
the commission and from $500 to
$500 a year will be required to main
tain each Of these miles.
"It is not certain that the motorcar
license revenue, going to the coun-
ties, will be sufficient to maintain
the links of the state highway sys-
tenn for which these counties are re-
spectively responsible. To allow any
of these roads, built from the pro-
ceeds of bond issues, to fall into
ruin by reason of non-maintenance,
would be nothing short of disastrous
to the road-building movement and,
therefore, to the general prosperity.
ne legislature must come to the res
cue. 1t must provide means Of
maintaining in every county it's Sec
tions Of the state highways. .
y 1.-THE State believes that, for the
present, top-soil roads. except in the
neighborhood of large towns, will
serve. Cement or asphalt roads
would be the only substitute for
them, and they would cost $50, 1000
mile, as compared with $4,000 a mile
for top-soil roads. If a top-soil road
can be maintained in first rate con-
dition for $500 a year and the. diff
ference in interest charges on the
bonds to build it, as compared-with
hard-surfaced road, is $1,000, surely
the experiment of maintaining the
top-soil road should be tried thor
oughly. So far, it is to be doubted
if on any stretch of top-soil road
constructed so much as $500 has
been annually expended in upkeep.
..'The people of South Carolina
have, at this time, not the slightest
idea of committing themselves to a
state bond issue of $4,000, 900, or
$25,000,000, for hard-surfaced roads.
They are resolved that the top-soil
road, systematically looked after and
kept up, shall have chance to make
good"
We think that what is said above
as, to the cost of up-keep of these
roads will Be found to be about what
thf Press and Banner toiA the peo-
PHI long time ago would be the cost
ofsthe experiment" ef. building top
Soil roads. But if by the expenditure
of five hundred dollars per mile for
each mile Of road built we may have
a good road for twelve months in the
year, we shall not say that the ex-
pertinent has proved to be of no
value. We believe that road which
may be kept "good" at that price for
every day in the year will be a good
investment. What we have been
afraid of is that the roads would not
prove to be good even with the ex-
penditure. We next feared that after
the roads were built the people
would refuse to pay the taxes neces-
sary to keep mp these roads"
As we have said it would be worse
thsa folly not to keep the roads ur