The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1922-08-24
BranchulZe Would Annex to
Ban1berg; Gets No Roads

road and this latter road is now un-
der construction.
The commission began pushing
the Branchville-Dorange road build
ing, Mr.. Smoak stated. He said the
road has been surveyed, that the
project has been presented for ap-
proval and that it will be about
November l or Is before it can go
through the regular channel.
Mr. Smoak then stated that there
is $4,000 of federal aid left for the
Branchville-Dorange road, but the
county highway commission has not
the money with which to match this
$4,000, and unless the legislative
delegation gives the commission the
money with which to match this
$4,000 they can not build the
road. eff there is any Other way to
get the money to- match this S13,-
900 for the observation-disclosures
road we will be glad to do il" stated
the chairman.
He told the citizens that the COM
mission thought they were doing
those interested a favor in pledging
to build the road by chaingang as
the road built by the gang would
be better than by contract. He ex-
planned that the county, in building
roads has to pay for the right of
way for roads, damages, moving
houses and other things for which
federal aid could not be used, there
fore making the cost to the county
more than the governments half.
Mr.. Martin here asked the chair
man if the commission had estimated
the cost of the Branchville-Dorange
road, to which Mr.. Smoak replied,
emo" The state highway commits
sion. the chairman said, estimated
that it would cost $4,000 and later
said that it would cost more than
that. The Bowman road cost s12,-
600 or $4,000 more than the con-
tract, he stated, and the Orangeburg-
Bamberg road cost more, likewise,
the total cost of the latter road be-
ing $4,000.
What is the estimated cost of the
construction of concrete road just
west of the bridge over the Edisto
river at the limits of this city,"
asked Mr.. Martin, to which Mr..
smoak replied, "$25,000 a mile"
Mr.. Martin then stated that he un-
derstood that the bridge over the
river at thes foot of West Russell
street was to be moved to Rowes-
vile and replaced by conrcete
bridge.
Mr.. Martin, in reply to the explain
alton Of Mr.. Smoak, stated that he
appeared at the meeting as the may
or of Branchville and, representa-
tive of the people in the communi-
ties deeply interested in the matter
under discussion. ''Today there are
present representative citizens of
these communities, comprising doc
tors, lawyers, merchants and other
lines of business and profession" he
said.
Mr.. Martin stated that several
years ago Bamberg tried to divert the
the road under discussion for their
benefit, that fish fry was given for
the engineers engaged to look into
such diversion, but the engineers
although partaking of the delicious
fish fry, told the Bamberg people
that from an engineering standpoint
the road "must go by Branchville. !"
eve were led by members of the
Orangeburg county highway COM
mission to believe that the contract
for the road would be let out about
tween this section and the country
Martin said he had no word of crlt1-
cism for the highway commission as
regards their activities as whole
but that he does condemn the present
legislative delegation.
Branchville, he said, is next in
size in the county to the city OF
Orangeburg, and is next to Orange
burg in the amount of taxes paid, but,
he said, eve have never received one
cent of federal aid while other Sec
tions have received such aid, and we
have saddled on us by the legisla-
tive delegation bond issue of $780,
900; then to hear about moving the
only steel bridge bridge in the county