S.C. Code § 58-9-2020
Any telegraph or telephone company incorporated under the laws of this State and any such company incorporated under the laws of any other state, upon complying with the laws of this State regulating the doing of business in this State by foreign corporations and by becoming a domestic corporation, may construct, maintain and operate its line through, upon, over and under any of the public lands of this State, under, over, along and upon any of the highways or public roads of the State, over, through or under any of the waters of this State, on, over and under the lands of any person in this State and along, upon and over the right of way of any railroad or railway company in this State; provided, that such line is constructed so as not to endanger the safety of persons or to interfere with the use of such highways or public roads, the navigation of such waters or the operation and running of the engines and cars of such railroads or railways and that just compensation is first paid such landowners and railroad or railway companies for such right and privilege, to be ascertained in the manner herein provided. Any person erecting or maintaining any such wire in violation of the provisions hereof shall forfeit and pay as a penalty therefor the sum of five dollars per day for each day such default continues after he shall have been given thirty days' written notice specifying the default or defect in the manner of erection, construction or maintenance thereof, to be recovered at the suit of any citizen of any county in which such violation occurs. The sum so recovered, after paying therefrom all the expenses incurred in the prosecution of such suit, shall be paid into the county treasury for ordinary county purposes.
S.C. Code § 58-9-2020