The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-05-05
Preseatment Of the Grand Jury. Spe-
eial Term, 1858.


Ibis Court, for the year 1858, hdring had
under consideration the sererdl matters,
ohich come ,1ahin our special jurisdiction
rould most respee gnly SUBMIT the Jolio'o-
ing presentment /:
In obedience to tile instructions Of the
Court, we have given due attention TO the
several subjects suggested to our minds. cx-
auiiiing each, as we thought they sevetally
required our attention. As n jury Of in-
quest we have been careful to overlook
nothing, which specially belonged to us as
. Jury.
We have carefully examined the Public
Buildings, the Court House and Jail
These Buildings we find for the mos part
in good condition, though not in every re
spect such rs they shonld be-, and the pub.
lie convenience requires. The Ordinary's
and COMMISSIONER Room, is far from
being, in It's present condition, either com
Portable or healthiml. The Room at pres
cnt occupied BY the Commissioner and Or
dnary, is not only uncomfortable, but nb-
solu'els injurious TO its occupant. 1t BE-.
longs to that part of the Court House,
which, has been recently built, the chimnies
Of which, both on the upper and lover
floors are unfit for use, the chinini.s, both
below and above stairs, smoke TO a degree,
that they are useless, for though those Of
the lower floors do not smoke as do those
Of the upper, which are designed for jury
Rooms, they are anything else than whole
some or comfortable. The SCOT instead Of
ascending the hcws Of the ch,mnies, falls
back and together with the smoke which
dIscends with it, makes il almost impossi.
Bile for one not accustomed TO the room. to
remain any length Of timc in il. The won
der with those v no have business with the
Ordinary aud Commissioner. is, how he cot.
tinues TO occupy il without serious injury
to his health. We arc info rmed however,
that the Commissioners have ordered stoves
tor the several rooms both below and above
which will make the rooms above and be-
low stairs comfortable. and remov. n: Ut
little cost 10 the District the oiherwisc Sc
nous injury We would have sustained from
bad mechanics.
We ulso lind the 6onr in the Commission
ers room IN very bad condition il il laid
IN hrlck and covered with sement. and can
not be swept, in consequence OF the great
dhsi wuich arises thercfronl. during tn.
Hwcrpiug, occasi"ning srent injury to III,
papers ot the office we recommend that II
g"od plank floor be laid, in said room a.
SOON ns practicable.
We rave also examined the several
apartments Of the Jail, and find them
to be in cl.anly sid hsaIthful con
dition. The Roof aud plastering of the out
er side of this building however, needs re-.
pa'rs, and we would direct the Immediate
a;te"tion Of the Commissioners to thcss
paris OF the building. The privey MI IA,
also be imp owed, the top or roof of whici,
IN now off, which must render tie stencil
which arises from IL, noSinus not only iu
those who live upon the lot, bu, also Ia
pers"ns in the neighbOrhood. We wonid
direct the attention of the Commis 10 ner-
To il.
As Jury Of the Country we canno,
withhold our entire disapprObation to tn.
course persued BY most Of our puLlic oil
GERS We alludc 10 the Commissioners OF
ROnSs and Bridges. and Public Bnildin 8
IN the present method adopted and persued
by them, of letting ont contracts TO the
lowest bidder without reference to his re.
sp"nsibilitv. Voorhees, jobbers are by tii
means permitted TO practice the create o.
frauds and imposiiions upon the public
Redress should be attainable some here
But how is il to be had IN surh cases, un
less we make the Commissioners RESPONSE
bio and hold them in every instances q
strict account! This much, at least, We
think, should be done.
We have also carefully examined In,
streets Of the Village, and find them gene.
rally, IN fine condition. One or two bridge,
however, need rcpairs-yiz the Bridye
on Main street, at the extreme Southern
entrance of tie Village. also the bride,
on Catawba and Arch street
We have also examined the Free Schoo,
Report and find The same TO be corre,.t.
Tie system ~ il has been pcrsued in thi.
district has doubtless done some good
but IN order To render the Ere. Scnu,;s
adequate TO the educational want, of lbe
District, we are fully Of the belief that, IN.
course OF instruction Of those who nv, to
become teachers, In the several districts
should be such rs has been intimatrd by ths
Court. Here evidently j. the weak poin,
IN The present sy-tam, .nnd until va have
competent teachers, We can never have good
schools.
We Ind the Roads generally to be In
good condition, one Road however. III,
Ned Field Road, has been changed from
It's original ground, in conseq Of th,
great fall Of timber oceasioned by the Iat,
sleet. The Overseer and Commissione,,
% s'ia road, have expressed ii,sir intention
to clear cut the old road as soon as possi
BILE.
We have no complaint &c make ag..lns
the Bridges throughout the District.
ASS Grand Jury we deem II due to IN,
people Of the District, TO present IA COIN
plant laid before us, viz Our Tax Col
leetor was ordered by the Comptroller Gen
erai TO raise the SUN OF eight bundled and
sixty eigh, dollars to defray the expense,
OF Lunatic sent from our District. wber
we are Informed that tho former Trea,ure
OF the Commissioners Of the Poor had /,
his hands at the same time large amoun
81 the Public Funds, perhaps the rise o
six hundred dollars
ln reference TO the Pcniientiary system
as urged by the Conrt, We cannot a.
Grand Jury withhold the EXPIRE ,sion of on,
entire conviction, that it would more fuIJy
meet The ends Of Law in such cases ; IN,
protection OF the community and the rrfor
nlaiiOp OF the criminal Bnt f,.v ..... -,