S*1434 Session 118 (2009-2010)
S*1434 Concurrent Resolution, By Campsen
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME
THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED REPLACEMENT BRIDGE THAT CROSSES COVE INLET ALONG SOUTH
CAROLINA HIGHWAY 703 IN CHARLESTON COUNTY THE "BEN SAWYER MEMORIAL BRIDGE" AND
ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS BRIDGE THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS " BEN
SAWYER MEMORIAL BRIDGE".
05/11/10 Senate Introduced, adopted, sent to House SJ-5
05/12/10 House Introduced HJ-16
05/12/10 House Referred to Committee on Invitations and Memorial
Resolutions HJ-16
05/12/10 House Committee report: Favorable Invitations and
Memorial Resolutions HJ-73
05/13/10 Scrivener's error corrected
05/25/10 House Amended HJ-121
05/25/10 House Adopted HJ-121
05/25/10 House Returned to Senate with amendments HJ-121
05/27/10 Senate Concurred in amendment SJ-82
S. 1434
AMENDED--NOT PRINTED IN THE HOUSE
Amt. No. 1 (Doc. Path council\nbd\12410cm10
May 25, 2010
S. 1434
Introduced by Senator Campsen
S. Printed 5/12/10--H.
Read the first time May 12, 2010.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
TO REQUEST THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NAME THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED REPLACEMENT BRIDGE THAT CROSSES COVE INLET ALONG SOUTH CAROLINA HIGHWAY 703 IN CHARLESTON COUNTY THE " BEN SAWYER MEMORIAL BRIDGE" AND ERECT APPROPRIATE MARKERS OR SIGNS AT THIS BRIDGE THAT CONTAIN THE WORDS " BEN SAWYER MEMORIAL BRIDGE".
Amend Title To Conform
Whereas, Ben M. Sawyer, Chief Highway Commissioner of South Carolina from September 26, 1926, until his untimely death on December 22, 1940, worked untiringly for the construction of the State Highway System of South Carolina; and
Whereas, the historic Ben Sawyer Bridge was built in 1945 to supplant a trolley bridge between Sullivan's Island and Mount Pleasant, which connected the barrier islands of Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms with the rest of the Charleston area; and
Whereas, during the replacement of the old bridge with the new bridge, the bridge was closed to traffic for just eleven days, and the new bridge opened on February 19, 2010; and
Whereas, Ben Sawyer is most famous for being the Chief Highway Commissioner on October 28, 1935, when, by executive proclamation, Governor Olin Johnston declared the Highway Department to be in a state of, "rebellion, insurrection, resistance and insurgency . . . against the laws of the State of South Carolina"; and
Whereas, Governor Johnston commissioned armed militia to take over the Highway Department, including its roadways, road projects, contracts and financial assets. The governor discharged the department's 2,000 employees and stationed machine guns at the entrance of the John C. Calhoun Building on the State House grounds, denying access to the department's office building to all but the militia forces he commissioned to take control of the department; and
Whereas, on October 30, 1935, the four highway commissioners representing the then four congressional districts in South Carolina were C.F. Rizer, E.T. Heyward, Ralph J. Ramer, and W. Fred Lightsey. These four commissioners filed an action to enjoin Governor Johnston's takeover of the Highway Department. Accepting the case in its original jurisdiction, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled in the case Hearon v. Calus (1935) that Governor Johnston had exceeded his executive authority in wresting control of the Highway Department from the Highway Commission and enjoined the governor and his appointed militia from further efforts to control the Highway Department; and
Whereas, it would be fitting and proper for the replacement bridge to bear the same name as its predecessor. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:
That the members of the General Assembly request that the Department of Transportation name the newly constructed replacement bridge that crosses Cove Inlet along South Carolina Highway 703 in Charleston County the " Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge" and erect appropriate markers or signs at this bridge that contain the words " Ben Sawyer Memorial Bridge".
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation.
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