Edgefield advertiser. (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, January 06, 1915, Page EIGHT, Image 8
Wednesday, Jan. 6.
LOCAL AND PERSONAL,
Mr. James E. Hart has been en
joying the holidays at home with
his family.
Mrs. Ellie Brooks Jones of Co
lumbia is visiting her sister, Mrs.
F. F. Moseley.
Radiopticon illustrations on prayer
and self-denial at Methodist church
Thurday night at 7:30.
W. D. Ouzts, Jr., came down
from Clemson and spent the holi
days with his home folk.
Mr. J. Gordon Thomas, of Lynch
burg, S. C., wa? a visitor in Edj;e
field during the holidays.
Mrs. F. W. P. Butler of Colum
bia was the guest of Mrs. S. McG.
-Simkins several days last week.
Mrs. Hugh Warren of Atlanta,
spent the holidays here with her
sister, Mrs. R. G. Shannonhouse.
Mrs. Bessie Jones Miller of Co
lumbia and Mrs. Sidney Miller of
, Trenton were visitors in Edgefield
Tuesday.
The Corner Store thanks its
friends for the patronage of 1914
and extends cordial New Year
greetings.
Misses Lillian Currell and Sarah
Cain of Columbia and Miss Sallie
Mae Tillman of Trenton were guests
?f Miss Helen Tillman last week.
Mr. and Mrs. Warren Paul with
their children, spent the holidays at
Johnston with Mr. and Mrs. Geo.
Hubbard.
Married, December 27,1914, by
Bev. J. R. Walker at the Method
ist parsonage, Mr. Ben Bryant and
Miss Effie Turner, both of the Har
mony section.
Mr. M. D. Lyon the popular and
very efficient salesman at the store
.f Mr. R. lu ?Dunovant, spent part
of the holidays with friends? in the
Colliers section.
Married, Thursday, December 17,
1914, by Rev. J. R. McKittrick,
Mr. Joseph M. Herin and Miss
Mattie Lon Lowrey, both of the
Meeting Street seotion.
The School Improvement associa
tion will meet Thursday afternoon
at 4 o'clock. All members are urged
to be present, a? business of special
interest will be considered.
The regular monthly meeting of
the Edgefield chapter, U. D. C.,
will be held Tuesday afternoon,
January 12, at the home of the
president, Mrs. J. H. Nicholson.
Hon. and Mrs. W. H. Nicholson
came down from Greenwood and
spent several days last week with
relatives in town and with Mrs.
Nicholson's mother, Mrs. Elizabeth
Nicholson, out at "Cedar Grove."
Mrs. JameB S. Byrd has been
"moved from the hospital in Colum
bia to the home of her.parents, Mr.
and Mrs. John Fitzmaurice, and is
steadily iraproviug. She wilt be
sufficiently able to return to Edge
field in about two weeks.
Dr. and Mrs. J. E. Green, of
Harlem, and Dr. and Mrs. F. P.
Byrd, of Batesburg, have the New
Year brightened by the birth of a
boy yesterday at the Green home at
^Harlem. A wide circle of friends
will heartily extend felicitations.
Augusta Herald.
Messrs. Julian and Charlie Key
came over from Columbia and spent
a part of the holidays with then
parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Key.
Both of tbese gentlemen hold
responsible positions in Columbia,
having steadily risen in the business
world since they located in the
capital city.
The friends of Capt. T. L. Martin
gave him a cordial welcome when
he came among us on business yes
terday. He made one of the best
conductors that the Southern has
?ver had on the Aiken branch, be
ing very popular with the Edge
field people and with the traveling
public generally.
! Our young friend, Calvin Mor
gan, visited his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. J. W. Morgan, during the
holidays, bringing his pretty bride
with bim. For several years be has
been holding a lucrative positit n in
Georgetown, having recently mar
ried a Georgetown lady who is a
"member of a prominent family.
Mr. Stephen Darlington came
over from Georgetown and spent
the holidays in Edgefield.
Governor Blease has commuted
the sentence of Mr. William Rear
den, who killed young Mr. Cobi
about threo years ago, from a life
terra to 10 years. He has about sev
en more years to remain in the peni
tentiary.
Rev. P. H? Bussey who in addi
tion to his work as pastor is teach
in g near Hartsville spent several
days here last week at the home of
Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Ouzts. He also
spent ?orne time with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. P. H. Bussey, Sr.
Mr. B. E. Tim merman has re
ceived the appointment as rural
mail carrier for the route that leads
from Cleora eastward through the
hByrd and Berea communities. He
will enter upon his duties about the
middle of the month, and" later he
will move his family to Cleora.
Phone us your orders for any
thing you want to eat, quick ser
vice and prompt deliveries.
Collett & Mitchell.
Miss Rainsford Entertained.
Miss Elizabeth Rainsford gave a
progressive rook party Thursday
evening, to which a large number
of young people were invited. While
no prizes were presented as a re
ward for 8upeiior skill, yet the
game proved to be as spirited and
exciting as if some incentive of
great valne were held out to the
players. A salad course was served
by the popular young hostess
McKendree School Christmas
Miss Rosalind Ouzts who teaches
the McKendree school furnished a
Christmas tree for her pupils dur
ing the holidays. The children as
well as the grown-ups were delight
fully entertained. A real live Santa
Claus in the regulation Christmas
costume cuvered with snow deliver
ed the presents and furnished no
little amusement to the attendants.
Pastor of McKendree. *
The editor of The Advertiser was
pleased to learn from Mr. J. M.
Shaffer while he was in town Mon
day that the Rev. M. M. Brabham
is now pastor of McKendree church.
He makes his home at Ninety Six
and drives down twice each month,
the first and third Sundays, to con;
duct services. Mr. Brabham was
greatly beloved while he was pastor
in Edgefield and bis friends here
will be pleased to learn that he is
now serving the McKendree flock.
In Honor of Miss Tompkins.
Tuesday evening Miss Allene
Smith entertained a number of
friends with bridge in her home on
Main street in honor of her couein.
Miss Emily Tompkins, the occasion
being the celebration of her birth
day. A large number of young peo
ple were honored with invitations
and as there were many expert card
players among them tho game prov
ed to be very interesting. At the
close of the contest ambrosia and
fruit cake were served.
-\
Sunbeam Christmas Tree.
It was an appropriate thought
which suggested the giving of a
Christmas tree to the Edgefield
Sunbeams. Sunbeams, and Christ
mas trees, and light and sunshine
and joy and happiness are all play
fellows in this world, and are not
associated with doleful, gloomy and
sombre shadows. When they give
the command the shadows flee and
clouds disappear, and <*o after all
the cheer and hope and courage of
this world is the natural and the
normal thing, and the only reason
there is anything else is because we
do not sbed abroad enough of il to
overcome the darkness.
On Tuesday after Christmas day
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. L.
Mims, Mrs. Mamie Tillman, the
leader ol the Sur.beam Society gave
to the 75 children under her super
vision a pleasant surprise, having
sent to each one an invitation a few
days before. Although the after
noon was cloudy and the rain bad
been continually falling for several
days there was nothing of that on
the inside. With so many Sun
beams and a Christmas tree, there
could be nothing but brightness
and cheer.
The tree was the customary hol
ly, adorned with all sorts of gay
and festive decorations, and covered
with presents for each child, dolls
and horns and appropriate gifts for
the older ones, and to each present
was tied a bag, red and bright, with
a star on one side, and these were
filled with nice things to eat. The
children enjoyed this surprise great
ly, and it will be an occasion long
held in happy remembrance.
GOOD ROADS.
Mr. G. D. Mims Presents Plans
For Improving Highways of
Ed ger i ld County. Sug
gests Mass Meeting.
Editor The Advertiser:
By request, I write without refer
ence to the Statute or Code, a
skeleton of wha? I conceive to be
some of the necessary changes in the
general road law, allowing us to
break away from the old antiquated
system, and make a beginning on the
improvements. of our public high
ways. How far I have missed the
mark in this important matter will be
seen by better trained eyes than
mine.
Be it enacted by the General As
sembly of the State of South Caro
lina, assembled in session, that the
office of Supervisor, sub-Supervisor,
and all offices subordinate thereto, in
and for the County of Edgefield, and
State aforesaid, be and the same is
hereby abolished. And all Acts and
parts of acts creating said offices are
hereby repealed.
Be it enacted by the General As
sembly of the State of South Caro
lina, in session assembled, that the
office of Public Highway Commission,
in and for the County of Edgefield,
State aforesaid, is hereby created,
with the following authority, duties
House, before, during or after the
SECTION I.
Article 1. The office of Public
Highway Commission for and in the
County of Edgefield, State aforesaid,
shall be constituted of three (3)
resident and lawfully qualified citi
zens, who shall be recommended and
appointed by and in mass meeting of
the lawfully qualified citizens of
said county, by a yea and nay vote.
The Grand Jury of said county shall
confirm the appointment of the can
didate or candidates for said office,
and transmit the credentials thereof
to the Governor of the State for his
official signature and seal.
Article 2. The officials constitu
ting the office of Public Highway
Commission in and for said county,
shall each give a valid bond in the
sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500)
in the manner as provided in the Re
vised Statute of the State.
Article 3. The term of office for
each of the three (3) officials of said
office shall be six (6) years, except
as hereinafter provided.
Article 4. In the creation and
first installation of the officials of
the office of Public Highway Com
mission for and in the County of
Edgefield, one (1) shall be appoint
ed and commissioned for a term of
two (2) years, one shall be appoint
ed and commissioned for a Term of
four (4) years and one shall be ap
pointed and commissioned for a
term of six (6) years (the full term).
One successor shall be appointed ev
ery two years thereafter as herein
provided.
Article 5. The compensation of
each of the three officials constitu
ting the office of Public Highway
Commission for and in the county
of Edgefield, shall be Three ($3.00)
Dollars per day for days while in ac
tual service of the county, and Ten
(10c) cents per mile of distance
one way from the home of said of
ficial to the office, measured in the
most direct route.
Article 6. The official service
under the provisions of this Act shall
begin January 1st 1917.
Article 7. It shall be the duty of
the chairman of the Democratic Ex
ecutive Committee of Edgefield
County, to call in mass meeting'all
qualified voters in said county, to
meet and assemble at the Court
and emoluments, to-wit:
regular county Democratic conven
tion, for the purpose of appointing
one or more officials or their suc
cessors to the office of Public High
way Commission for said county,
every two years.
Article 8. All official records in
the office of Public Highway Com
mission shall be subject to, and under
the jurisdiction of the Grand Jury
of thc county as provided in the Re
vised Statute and Code of the State.
Article 9. It shall be the duty of
the officials of the office of Public
Highway Commission for the Coun
ty of Edgefield to employ and com
mission a competent Highway Civil
Engineer for a term not to exceed
Six (6) years, at a salary not to ex
ceed Fifteen ($1500) Hundred Dol
lars per annum.
Article 10. It shall be the duty
of the Public Highway Commission
to meet in session at their office
once each month to perform the du
ties incumbent upon said office in
the manner prescribed by law regu
lating the official duties of county Su
pervisor.
SECTION 2.
Article 1. The applicant or appli
cants for Higkway Civil Engineer
shall make application to the Pub!
Highway Commission. Each appl
cant for said office shall furnis
suitable and satisfactory referenc
to establish the thoroughness of a]
plicant's technical education an
training, the efficiency by service an
experience to qualify applicants fe
appointment to said office.
Article 2. It shall be lawful fe
the Public Highway Commission t
recall and dismiss the County Civ
Engineer upon evidence artd proc
of the inefficiency in practical sei
vice, er the wilful negligence of o:
ficial duties, or cruelties and impos
tions upon subordinates. Whereupo
the Public Highway Commission sha
declare the office of Civil Enginee
vacant.
Article 3. It shall be the duty c
the Civil Engineer to furnish an
maintain, at his expense, all ir
struments and such other meehan
cal devices and equipments as ma
be necessary in the performance o
his official and professional dutiei
And to furnish and maintain th
means of his travel.
Article 4. It shall be the duty o
the Civil Engineer to make sui
veys of public highways, bridges an
such other surveys as may be direct
ed by the Public Highway Commh
sion. Also all necessary plots, prc
files, detail drawings, estimates an
specifications that may be necessar;
in the construction and maintenanc
of the public utilities of the countj
Article 5. It shall be the duty o
the County Civil Engineer to direc
and supervise the construction am
maintenance of all public highways
bridges and culverts in the Count;
of Edgefield.
Article 6. It shall be the duty o
the County Civil Engineer to direc
and supervise the work of the Coun
ty Chaingang, upon the public high
ways, bridges, culverts and drains o:
the public highways of the county.
Article 7. It shall be the duty o:
the County Civil Engineer to appoin
and employ guards, foremen anc
such other persons as may be neces
sary in properly guarding and pro
tecting the county chaingang, while
performing the duties; of labor, anc
otherwise, as provided by existing
laws of he State for the care anc
the punishment of convicts.
Article 8. It shall be the duty oi
the County Civil Engineer to direct
and supervise all the work of build
ing, or repairing, public highways,
bridges, culverts and drains that
maybe built or repaired under
sbe?lftl contract, by resident, or non
resident contractors, for the county
of Edgefield.
Article 9. It shall be the duty of
the County Civil Engineer to keep a
record of all work under construc
tion by contract, together with the
relative cost and progress thereof in
the county. And make reports to
the office of the Public Highway
Commission once each month, or as
may be required by said commission.
SECTION 4.
Article 1. It shall be lawful for
the County Civil Engineer to employ
local assistance in making purveys
upon the public highways, and pro
posed public highways in the county,
and issue claims for such service or.
the office of Public Highway Com
mission.
Article 2. It shall be lawful for
the County Civil Engineer to change
the plans and specifications of any
work under construction by
special contract or otherwise,
without the knowledge or con
sent of the Public Highway
Commission once during the prog
ress of construction. Provided, said
change does not involve an increase
or decrease, exceeding ten (10) per
per cent, of said contract, or the
strength, durability and the efficien
cy of the work so changed. A full
report of said change of construction
shall be filed by the engineer in the
office of Public Highway Commission
within three (3) days after said
change has been made.
Article 3. It shall be lawful for
the County Civil Engineer to make a
report of violations of contract by
any contractor, or contractors, of
the building, or repairing, of public
highways, bridges, culverts, drains,
or other public work for and in the
County of Edgefield, to the office of
Public Highway Commission of said
county.
SECTION 4.
Article 1. It shall be lawful under
this act for any township within the
County of Edgefield, to hold a special
election, under the rules and regula
tions of the Democratic Primaries
of said county, for the purpose of
a special highway tax levy, on all
taxable property in said township,
provided, that said special levy shall
not exceed Five (5) Mills on the
dollar of the assessed valuation of
all the taxable property in said town
ship, except vehicles, which shall be
subject to taxation as follows: Au
tomobiles and all self-propelled ve
hicles shall be subject to a special
highway tax of Fifty (50c) cents per
rated horse power. And all animal
irawn vehicles shall be subject to a
special highway tax of Fifty (50c)
:ents per horse of their size and
:apacity.
Article 2. It shall be lawful, for
che County Auditor of Edgefield
County to make entries and nota
tions of all special highway tax
levies as may be authorized by any
ar all townships within said county
as herein provided, and in a manner
similar to the special school tax.
Article 3. It shall be lawful for
bhe Treasurer of the County of Edge
field to collect the special highway
tax for any or all townships within
the county, and make special entries
thereof, and disburse the same oniy
upon warrants properly signed by
the officiais of the Public Highway
Commission.
Article 4, It shall be lawful for
che officials composing the office of
Public Highway Commission in the
County of Edgefield to employ a
clerk, whose duties and salary shall
be as prescribed by existing lav/s
regulating the duties and salary to
the clerk of supervisor for the
County of Edgefield.
Article 5. It shall be lawful for
the Public Highway Commission for
the County of Edgefield to receive
written proposals for the delivery of
all materials for repairs, the con
struction and completion of all
bridges, public highways, culverts,
drains, buildings and fences belong
ing to said county, consisting of
lumber, metal, brick, stone, gravel,
sand, clay, cement, lime. Also all
wagons, carts, scoops, (drag and
sulky), scrapes, plows, rollers, en
gines (steam or gas), stone crushers,
motor trucks, also all hand tools and
livestock, feed and merchandise nec
essary in maintaining the public utili
ties of the county, and award con
tracts for the same.
Article 6. It shall be lawful for
all, or any part thereof, of the mate
rials numerated in Section 4, Article
5, to be subject to inspection by the
Public Highway Commission, or
County Civil Engineer who are here
by vested with the authority, to ac
cept or reject the whole, or any part
thereof before pay warrants are is
sued.
Article 7. It shall be lawful for
the County Chaingang to be em
ployed in the construction of modern
public highways, Provided, said pub
lic highways are re-surveyed by the
County Civil Engineer. And, Pro
vided further, that the actual cost
and expense of the chaingang shall
be charged against the special high
way fund of said township while so
employed.
SECTION 5.
Article 1. It shall not be lawful
for any official of the County of
Edgefield to transfer any part of the
special highway fund assessed and
collected in any one township,- to any
other township.
Article 2. It shall not be lawful
to build any wooden bridges in the
County of Edgefield exceeding Fifty
(50) feet of the entire structure.
Article 3. It shall not be lawful
to build any wooden trestles, gang
ways or approaches to bridges in
the County of Edgefield.
Article 4. It shall not be lawful
to build any bridges in the County
of Edgefield, exceeding Fifty (50)
feet of entire structure, on founda
tions or piers, other than stone,
concrete or brick.
Article 5. It shall not be lawful
to build any culverts, or drains un
der the improved highways of wood
or metal.
Article (>. It shall not be lawful
to build or construct any drains
across the surface of the improved
public highways in the County of
Edgefield.
Article 7. It shall not be lawful
for any official of the County of
Edgefield to apply any part of the
special highway fund assessed and
collected as provided in Section 4,
Articles 1 to 3, inclusive herein, to
repairing, or improving the original
public highways of the county, ex
cept where the original highway
becomes a part of the improved
public highway, under the direction
and surveys of the County Civil En
gineer.
Article 8. lt shall not be lawful
to build any public highways under
the direction and surveys o*f the
County Civil Engineer, and open the
road to the public traffic, without a
durable and impervious center drive
way not less than twelve (12) feet
wide.
Now, Mr. Editor and gentlemen,
all over the county. After read
ing the foregoing, you will readily
discover that the author is only a
"Cross Roads Lawyer." My idea
was to construct the foundation of
an amendment to the road law, and
of sufficient clearness in design to
warrant the attention and action by
the people in recommending a change
of our public highway system. After
favorable expression and action has
been taken by the people in mass
meeting our friends, Hon. J. Wm.
Thurmond and Hon. J. C. Sheppard
will go over the proposed amend
ment, and add all legal technicali
ties, and hammer it out into legisla
tive shape.
In the foregoing proposed amend
ment, one of the first things that may
catch your attention is, that the of
fice and administration of our high
way system has been rescued from,
the quagmire of routine politics,,
and elevated to that higher atmos
phere, where the office seeks the man.
And further: Our public high
ways and bridges will be in charge
of a trained and experienced build
er. This is strictly a day of special
ists. We can hardly conceive that
one of our good and worthy farmers
could convert himself from an ex^
pert tiller of the soil to that of aa
expert road and bridge builder|
such efforts result in failure every-?
where. You will notice further that
the operations of the proposed law
is local, dealing with the ^matter ot
taxes and road building in/the coun
ty, township by township; to make
it general for the whole^cbunty would
be too ponderous at/the beginning
and the whole structure would col
lapse of its own weight And no
tice again; that the means of raising
the special road funds is founded on
what is regarded as the principales of
universal justice, which means that
the agents of damage or destruc
tion should be held to some extent
responsible for the damage; there
fore we, should tax the vehicles for
the benefit of the roads.
Another is, that well built and
beautiful highways always create
and enhance valuation of the real
estate all along their route, and jus
tice in this case would demand that
the created should- respond to the
well bein of the agent of creation,
therefore, we should tax the real
estate for the benefit of the roads.
You will notice further that each,
township will receive the full bene
fit of the special tax in building im
proved highways, and none of the
special fund will be thrown into the
mud-holes of the dreadful old roads.
We are all aware of, and keenly
feel the financial pressure, caused in
part by the European war, and in.
part by the tremendous drop in th?
price of our cotton. We are in part,
responsible for the latter, because
we made too much of a good thing.
But, we owe profound gratitude to
President Wilson and his official
family for keeping us out of interna
tional_complications, for it is .surely;
more healthy for us to face five and
six cents cotton than powder and
balls. The object now is to get the
proposed amendment and change of
law through the legislature at this
session, that the legal machinery will
be ready by 1917. By that time
normal conditions will be restored,
and we can take hold of the work of
building some good roads, and bring
our old county out into the lime
light of progress and prosperity.
Think of what actuated the mind
of the poet, who wrote the words
"Never, no never, say fail." Let's
get together and make a move,
time is flying, and we have none to
spare in this matter. Life is too
short not to live while we live.
Now listen to this please: Just
as soon as you read this, drop
Hon. B. E. Nicholson a letter or
postal, asking him to call a mass
meeting at the court house not
later than January the 20th (this
month). This will give him some
grounds to act upon, see? Don't fail
to do this. And again ; never let it for
once enter into your heads that we
are not going to do somethin to im
prove these old roads, and our con
dition in the rural districts, for we
are. And when the day comes to.
meet and indorse a change in our
road system by suitable resolutions,
don't hang back and fail to come,
under the assumption, oh, there'll be
a plenty without me. No such
thing. Just lay aside your little du
ties for one day, and bulge out
through the mud. We can wade or
swim back home. This is too impor
tant a matter to be neglected any
longer. If you will lend influence in
bringing your neighbor with you,
and meet me at Edgefield on the oc
casion, yours truly, as well as some
greater lights, will mount a goods
box, and you will "hear something
drap." Bro. Nicholson, blow the
alarm and sound the gavel.
Yours truly,
G. D. MIMS.
Clark's Hill, January 1, 1915.
Due to the fact that I am agent
for the Ford car, and having all
repair parts in stock and a first
class mechanic, can afford to do
first-class livery cheap.
Edgefield Auto Repair Shop.
tc.gcVs nm LIFE PILLS
The Pillls That Do Curo.