Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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19 Years Later, No By-Pass On Jan. 15, 1970, one of Clinton’s most pressing needs is a “ring-road” bypass to alleviate downtown traffic congestion. Here is an editorial from the June 14, 1951, Chronicle: It’s entitled “City By-Pass Badly Needed.” “Heavy traffic through the main business section of the city is becom ing a serious problem about which something must be done. The direct route from Atlanta to Charlotte via Clinton is now used day and night by the big boxcar trucks which pro ceed on their routes at high speeds and many of them do not properly slow down even in the city . . . “Much complaint is heard daily from residents on Broad Street of the noise made by the giant trucks all day and all night. The solution to the problem is the building of a by-pass by the highway department as is be ing done in many towns and cities to relieve heavy congestion in business districts. The need is becoming acute here because of the heavy increase in through traffic. Diverting it to a by-pass route will not hurt the city and will relieve a situation that is not only annoying but is becoming more dangerous. The Chamber of Commerce should push the complaint with the highway department until a by-pass is provided.” That was the way it was, June 14, 1951. Almost 19 years later, that’s still the way it is. The Charlotte-Atlanta traffic gen erally is routed away from Clinton by Interstate 85. But still Clinton suf fers from traffic congestion and there is no by-pass. One reaction after reading that 19- year-old editorial is: "It would have been so much easier to build that by pass back then than it is today. Areas that were farmland 19 years ago are residential areas today.” That may be true. But it is also true that it will be easier to get that project started today than it will be five or 10 years from now. The Chamber of Commerce and The Clinton Planning Commission both have been working on the by- I>ass project for the past couple of years. We encourage them to press on with this badly needed project. We also encourage citizens to lend their support and assistance for a project which is long overdue. Following Fire Trucks Folks who follow fire trucks may get in some legal trouble. Those who are not actively involv ed in fighting fires are breaking the law if they follow within one city block of a fire truck. Also, it’s against the law to park within a block of a fire or to block access to the fire. Clinton police recently charged a motorist with following a fire truck. He forfeited $15 bond on that charge and another $26 on disorderly conduct charge which stemmed from the first charge. Clinton Chief Fire Engineer Mar- ,-vin DeYoung said, “We don’t want to bring such charges but, if we have to. we will. Our primary concern is fire protection and we can’t be hindered in that work.” DeYoung said the danger of curi osity seekers following a fire truck comes when they block access to and from the scene of the fire. He said, “We may have to get out to get to a fire hydrant or we may need to get an ambulance or another fire truck to the scene. We could lose precious min utes in having curiosity seekers move their automobiles. “Unless people show more respect for this law, we’re going to have to bear down.” Not-So-Super One of the best things to happen . to the National Football League was : its merger with the American Foot- As a result of the last two Super : Bowl games, the NFL was well on its r'way to becoming “the other league.” We think it’s safe to say now that • the AFL teams are “established.” The only thing remaining to be “es tablished” is a good Super Bowl game. There now have been four Super Bowls and we’ve yet to see a truly good, close battle for the world championship. We learned once again Sunday that there are no “Supermen.” There are just some men who give a super ef fort Military Discipline :* According to an Associated Press dews item, an “anti-war” group on the ^ Strategic A i r Command (Barksdale r-Air Force) Base in Louisiana is upset •j because certain ot their numbers have i lost stripes, been transferred and/or : ; investigated. We fail to find any rea- ►. son for their objections. It is the duty : of the military to defend “the national ^security”. That means us: we the i* people. And anyone who has any j knowledge of the extremist leadership ijOf some of the “anti-war" groups can •: readily understand the reason for con- 'rem when that element invades our s vital protective networks, such as the Americans do not challenge the ht to dissent. But few people can lenge the fact that the military is a valid place for that dissent, e are many examples throughout tory of takeovers of the military by • radical elements. The records show ' That these takeovers invariably lead to • the overthrow of the civilian govern ment. One need look to our Latin American neighbors for proof of this. In the United States, the military is subject to control by the civil gov ernment with the President of the United States as the Commander-in- Chief. This chain of command re quires obedience to authority. There fore there must be strict discipline in eflect at all times. Demonstrations outside military bases is one thing; demonstrations inside the military is another matter. And GI participation in protest movements, on or off base, is something to be viewed with all due concern. It is truly remarkable how the left leaning demonstrators claim all of their “rights”, except the right to be held accountable for their acts. It is time for the rest of us to “launch a protest”, on behalf of the thousands who serve and have served in our armed services without ques tion. If there are those (and appar ently there are a few) within the mili tary who dislike what the military must do, as its duty, then let us give the disgruntled their freedom and re turn them to the status as private, self-supporting citizens—with dishon orable discharges. reunion, that was my class and what a fine looking bunch we were, all 48 of us. Nina Brown Grant 306 Park St Whitmire, S. C. iRemembering Clinton i Editor: Sooth Carolina lathe toon anywhere es- _ the holiday uitfeMfootf if Halt High school days and child hood days and - - -but our love for Clinton High School will ne ver fail.* Names I remember and wooder about, Mr. Ander son, oar Bfrfcrtt foe a gift for Tobbie, oar janitor; oar "" ' teacher, the petit Mad- i Gaiaes; handsome Mr. Boca Mcfaafbv in Dn> . ^erfield’a, *A Tale of Two Cltm *r. Taylor from’ After removing the old fin ish from a floor, work quickly and thoroughly to complete the project Other wise, moisture vapor may cause grain lifting and dirt or stains which are difficult to remove from the bare weed. It is also advisable to nus reduces rnmcai of scuff marks or db floor. dirt damaging the Year Around Hang-over 2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinion, S. C., Jan. 15, 1970 The 70 s: Decade Of U.S. Survival BY THURMAN SENSING Executive Vice President Southern States Industrial Council This January marks a signi ficant turning point -- the close of one decade and the opening of a new one. It is fitting to look back at the trials and tribula tions of the 1960s and to look ahead and consider prayerfully the challenges of the 1970s. The last ten years have con tained both light and darkness. The fifties, which preceded them, had been generally happy years. Under the leadership of the late President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the American people enjoyed much security, happiness and prosperity. There were dark days, of course. The loss of Cuba was a terrible disaster. A cru sade had been launched against the Southern states to treat them as something less than the other states ofthe Union. Nevertheless, the fifties on the whole, were good years. The sixties were filled with disasters. The nation embarked on a costly ground war in Asia. Two Chief Executives, while committing the republic to war and increasing its tempo, refused to use American might to achieve victory. They declined to accept the view of Gen. Douglas Mac- Arthur, who said “There is no substitute for victory." As a re sult, the nation has paid dearly. In the 1960s, America’s mili tary strength — its strength for peace and freedom -- was ser iously eroded. The Kennedy and Johnson administrations aUowed the Soviet Union to gain nuclear parity with the United States. An effort to oust the communists from Cuba was bungled. In Africa, the U. S. supported neo-savage states and applied pressure a- gainst Western-oriented, free enterprise nations such as South Africa and Rhodesia. In the Medi terranean the Soviets became a naval power for the first time in history. The U. S. fleet was al- lowdJ to become obsolete in many respects. At home, confusion increased throughout the sixties. The New Left was allowed to grow from a small faction into a powerful force. Eight years of the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, which relaxed pressure against sub versives, allowed anti-American elements to mushroom. Today, as we enter the 1970s, we find near-insurrectionary conditions in many cities. Thousands of re volutionaries are allowed to swarm into the nation’s Capital, and troops have to be posted in the Capital and around the White Housing Code Needs Revision (Editor’s Note: This is the last in a series of articles written by prize-winners in the recent ‘Clinton, Today and Tomorrow’ Contest. The letter below was one of three which tied for thirdplace. Mr. Ferguson, a native of Clinton, is a student at Duke University.) BY JACK FERGUSON One of the most outstanding qualities of Clinton is its peace fulness. Set in the rolling hills of piedmont South Carolina, it appears to be an ideal place for a tranquil childhood or a restful retirement. This is largely Clin ton’s problem: What does our city offer its citizens who are be tween childhood and retirement? Clinton’s program tobringnew industry has been so successful that now the big problem is a labor shortage. In addition to in forming the State unemployment office about the need for work ers in Clinton, the town should start a trade school so that in dustry will have a new source of labor and the unemployed will have a new chance. The facility could be housed in that part of the old Hampton Avenue Ele mentary School not used by school administrators. Funds and in structors could probably be sup plied for the most part by in terested companies which are fighting a real shortage of skilled labor. Federal grants could also be a possible means of funding. Consideration should be given to making the program a night school to minimize inconvenience to the public school administra tors and to make it possible for trainees to hold a job while they learn a new trade. To further its program of at tracting industry, there are sev eral things the Chamber of Com merce should do. Colorful, up- to-date brochures should be pre pared for distribution not only to those who take the initiative by asking for them, but also for distribution to every trade mis sion maintained by the State of South Carolina. In addition, these brochures should be sent to any company contemplating locating a plant in this State, along with a letter urging them to come meet our Chamber of Commerce and see the city for themselves. While working on the outside to keep its economy growing, Clinton must not ignore the wel fare of its citizens. A step in this direction would be a strong, fair, and enforced housing code. The existing code, besides being unenforced and ignored, is not tq) to date and needs revision. The extent of substandard hous ing is such in Clinton today that the code would have to have a ‘grace period’ of about two years after enactment before real en forcement could begin. Penalties would have to be sufficiently strong to force compliance. There are several other things which would be helpful In alleviat ing the sad state of housing in Clinton. A very necessary step in implementing the proposed boosing code would be the in- trodnctloo of a tax incentive sys tem whereby landlords of sub standard bousing would receive x tax credit for Improvements made In the property that fiscal year. To kssp low income ten* ants from being caught in a sqeseae, there should be a pro viso tied to the tax incentive nlan nreventinr anv bat a mini- Clinton, Today And Tomorrow mal raise in rent for a one or two year period. It is imperative that the city help the situation by constructing low cost housing. Not only do the poor residents of the city need this, but also married college students and other young mar- rieds. Land on Calhoun Street should be considered for this po tentially profitable venture be cause of its proximity to both the college and the downtown area. The residents of city owned low cost housing should be made responsible for its up-keep with damages being penalized by e- viction and/or fines to be paid in cash or by free labor for the city. All housing in Clinton, whe ther substandard, run down, or m need of minor improvements, would benefit from a "Clean Up, Fix Up, Paint Up” Week. The Clinton Merchants’ Association should be in charge of this. Dur ing the week they would launch an advertising campaign for home betterment and run sales on ma terials necessary to repair and beautify the home (and there fore the town). Besides helping Clinton, a Clean Up, Fix Up, Paint Up Week would be pro fitable to stores and to youth groups (scouts, church, school) who could hire out their labor to get funds for their causes. REVENUE The revenue situation in Clin ton also deserves scrutiny. In addition to the negative tax plan mentioned earlier in connection with substandard housing, there are other ways this valuable tool can be employed. One of the best uses of this program would be to allow downtown businesses to deduct from their taxes expenses involved in redecorating or re building their plant structure. A city on the move should have something more modern to point to them a downtown built in the twenties. To prevent a sudden drop in minicipal revenue, the city should limit by permit which and what number of businesses could participate in this program in any given year. Only expenses incurred in a given fiscal year could be deducted from that year’s taxes of course. On the positive side of the tax picture, there are two sources that require attention. The first of these is raising the fine for iUegal overtimqparking from 50C to 75?. To get the strict en forcement needed to make this most profitible, a Youth Auxiliary should be established by and for the police. This group (preferably made up of high school students) would be selected from volun teers and trained by the police. As volunteers they would work for little or no pay during af ternoons, weekends, and the sum mer on a rotating basis to hand out tickets for parking violations. This would free the police from this time-consuming, but neces sary duty. If the volunteers are not paid, about the only over head involved would be baying each auxiliary member a book of perking ticket forms and a- special badge. (Besides being necessary ter the badges would provide an added peycbologlcal advantage to being a police assistant) The result of establishing a youth auxiliary cannot be measured by a mere increase in revenue; undoubtedly anyone who has worked with the police will be more understanding of city problems and therefore be a better, more law-abiding citizen. Another revenue raising plan would be to convert the parking lot on the site of the old Hotel Clinton into a paying lot. Those wishing to park there (at the pre sent time mostly merchants, not shoppers) would buy a monthly or yearly parking sticker; for their car. A suggested charge for the stickers is five dollarq for one month sticker (about 25? for every shopping day). Those using the lot without stickers would receive parking tickets. BEAUTIFICATION As a city looking to the future, Clinton has many needs for its roadways. One item which should have high priority is the beau tification of the highway exits to Clinton with plantings in the man ner of Spartanburg's Iron Ore Road in the vicinity of the Deer- ing-Milliken Co- This would help our town’s image and help trade. A plan is in effect to use billboards for this purpose, but is doubtfull how much good will can be generated by marring the beautiful countryside with ugly billboards whose message motorists will do their best to ignore. (When was the last time a biUboard made you buy a pro duct or service?) Surely beautiful entrances would be much more eye-catching and compelling than a billboard full of Chamber of Commerce platitudes. Even a combination of biUboards and beauty would be preferable to just biUboards. Permission from the Highway Department to beau tify its land should not be hard to get. While drawing interested peo ple into Clinton, steps should be taken to curtail traffic which is just passing through. The propos ed ring road would be the ideal solution to this problem. TRAFFIC Within the city there are many- dangerous traffic situations. Clinton should continue its fight to get traffic lights installed where the Laurens Highway and East Carolina run into Broad Street. A traffic light with an arrow timed to allow a left turn when other traffic has stopped or a "Left Lane Must Turn Left" sign ot some sort is needed to prevent the countless near misses caused by people enter ing the city on South Broad, get ting in the left turn lane, and then going straight. The city should make and enforce a law to eliminate the numerous blind corners caused by shrubbery on corner lots. The railroad crossings should be pat and kept in good repair. The place where Jacob’s and Greenwood Highways meet should be better marked to warn motorists about the deep- set drain there. There should be a law to alleviate the sanitary and safety hazards of riding horses on city streets. And fi nally, there should be a law about how far leaves, branches, and other debris can be piled into the street to eliminate the dangerous situation that arises every fall. Clinton has long needed a bridge to prevent snarled traf fic every time a train ambles through town. Once the City Hall is paid for, C Unton should^oo- sider a long term bond issue or the starting of a bridge fund similar to the fund being used to help finance the new City Hall so that a bridge can be constructed. SANITATION Garbage collections is becom ing a major problem everywhere. Clinton should enter into a county-wide cooperative for trash disposal. Each town in the cooperative would contribute to the purchase of equipment and dumping lands but would remain administratively autonomous. A board made up of the bead of each town’s sanitation depart- (Cont. on page 6-B) Parson Jones Whips A Youngun Dear Mr. Publisher: The times have finally caught up with me. I whipped somebod ies youngun at the church last week, and now they’re gonna take me to court for assault This lit tle boy broke a window and then turned around and cussed me for calling him down. It upset me when be broke the window cause he did it on purpose - but the second cuss word be hollered completely ruptured my safety valve, and I tore his hide off. According to his school teacher the little fella is a holy terror in school. And every time they try to correct him the parents descend on the school like buz zards. Thirty minutes after I whipped the yoongon Ms (teddy was standing in my office, per forming a verbal operation on on. Be seen I had vioUted the constitution by (MUftRt his ^ JPPIjif causing.) Anyhow, coart is next week, and it looks like I may get the short end of the stick. I’ve decided to plead guilty and tell ’em if they’ll give me a second chance I’ll give the youngun a harder whip ping than I did the first time. If the judge gives me a fine or jail, I’ll take the JaU. If I’ve got to let a spoiled youngun run the church I’d just as soon be in jail. Mr. Publisher, it’s about time somebody old enough to drive took bold of the steering wheel I read in the paper the other day where school teachers are being beat up by the ptg)ils. It’s about time to break oat the ole- tlmey paddle aud apply it to that God-given spot The Good Book agyii “Sput & nod and spoil the ehild*. Ameol I’ve gotta dam note. Be to visit ms in jsU, House. In the 1960s, the lawful authori ty of cities and states has suf fered many blows. Crime is ram pant, Civil disobedience is trum peted by revolutionaries who have gained a power base in famous universities. Armed "students" intimidate administrators and trustees. The Supreme Court continued throughout the sixties to undermine lawfully-consti tuted authority and to extend vir tual immunity to destructive ele ments of every type. Large por tions of the news media, espec ially electronic Journalism, have Jen into the tonds of commit- te^*N<nfflwgues who abandon all fairnessm reporting the news. In the sixties, voter rolls in many states were packed with the names of persons who are lack ing in education and who are in competent to understand the issues of the day. The influence # of taxpaying, propertie<£xf spon sible eiHaiK'* hdMfteYlned in • many cities and states. Nothing has been done in the sixties to curb the labor unions that constitute a virtual state within a state, who openly brag of their power to disrupt com munities, cripple public ser vices, and paralyze industries. Ironically, their ruthless use of power against the public is fi nanced in large measure by money coerced from their members or deemed tax-e xempt by the laws of the nation. As the sixties end, Americans have cause for fearing for the fate of the Republic. There’s no mistake about it; the Republic is in grave danger. Anarchy must be arrested early in the 1970s or revolution will sweep the land -- sweep away the benefits of America’s traditional freedoms. The universities must be clean sed of the nihilists, the nothing ness-worshipers who would ra ther burn than study. The pul pits of the land must be flUed once again by men of a spiri tual nature — men who have put aside politics. The appeasers of the New Left must be removed from Congress by the electorate. The rulers of the union tyran nies must be brought to Justice and their power over the public stripped from them. The seventies will tell whether the American Republic will sur vive, whether this historic ex periment in representative gov ernment can endure in an age of totalitarianism. The "silent ma jority* wants the Republac to survive and liberty to endure. ^ But this majority must end its silence. It must speak ig>. It must be activist in defense of liberty and individual enterprise. It must insist on abandonment of alien creeds. In the decade ahead, the American people will need all their moral resources in the struggle to save the Republic bom the enemies within. P«rtoaJa»s ed sad f*y into that stream of traffic7” ?