The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1879-03-20
GRAND JURY PREsENTMENTS OF
CONTEMPLATION COURT.

We, the Grand Jury chosen and sworn
for the first week March Term. 1879. of
Cobb Superior Court, beg leave to report as
follows
We appreciate the patience and persever-
ance Of Judge Lester in reiterating at each
| term of the court the great importanceto the
county of having good roads and bridges.
! Wewould urge upon the commissioners their
duty of having them worked to the full ex
tent Of the law. Roads should be Of full
width, raised in the centre, thoroughly
ditched on each side in wet places. culverts
for running water, mud holes filled with
rock and dirt, and all steep grades worked
down. In county 50 full of building ma
terial close at hand, the abutments and pill
lars of all bridges should be of solid mason
nv leaving only the superstructure to be
renewed.
We understand that the roads are at pres
ent in what is called good condition, but
that condition is due TO the dry weather and
not to their having been thoroughly work
ed
We have carefully examined the books
and records OF the various officers with the
following result Each Of the officers, Or
binary, Treasurer, Tax Collector and School
Commissioner, have handed us written
statement of all matters pertaining TO the
various officers since the last term OF the
court We have carefully compared these
statements with the books and vouchers and
find them correct. We have also examined
the books of the Clerk and Sheriff and find
them kept in neat business like manner,
rejecting credit upon these officers. We
take great pleasure in speaking Il word of
commentator in behalf of each and all of
the officers for their zeal and fidelity in the
discharge of their various duties. Under
the system now inaugurated. ii faithfully
carried out, we feel hopeful, yes, almost
confident that new era will dawn upon
us, one of peace and harmony between the
officers and the people, and one that will
tend to promote the security, prosperity
and happiness of us all.
We find after thorough examination the
court house and Jail in good condition and
kept in order by the officers
On visiting the Aims House. we find on
the farm sowed in winter oats 81 acres,
wheat, ) acres land well prepared for corn
30 acres for cotton acres and / OF an acre
in Irish potatoes grain, etc, on hand at
present corn 175 bushels, wheat IL bush
els, peas 10 bushels, sheaf oats about so
dozen, fodder 1000 bundles farm stock,
etc. mules in very good condition,
mich cows with young calves and year
lings, 10 head of stock hogs, pork raised on
the farm and killed during the winter 1890
pounds one two house wagon and harness
in running order, also blacksmith shop and
tools all right we find on the place thirty
paupers 26 whites and blacks; the houses
they occupy are all in very good condition
but we would recommend that the two
rooms of the superintendent dwelling be
plastered over head and the inside walls
whitewashed.
We are of the opinion that the Aim s
House is a credit to our county and are on
our part willing to aid in its support as or
} ganiZed at present.
: We recommend as our county tax, an as
sessment of 40 cents ON the 500, that the
pay OF Jurors remain as it is at present ~
per day pay of Tax Collector for 1879 be
$3.50 Jail fees for boarding prisoners be
1874 cents per day.
1t is well known to our citizens that u
; large number of petty offences are yearly
committed in the county, larcencies, misde-
, meanors, &c, the offenders must be lodged
in Jail, sometimes for long period, where
they are well fed and housed, and other
wise made comfortable They crowd the
Jail, consume tho time of the courts, and
add heavily TO our expenses The only
remedy we see for this difficulty, is to bring
such criminals to speedy trial before the
Justice of the Peace, or Notary Public, of
the district in which the oftense was COM
mitted, and their penalties be converted to
the use and benefit of the county
We recommend that our Representatives
in the Legislature have an act passed for
the speedy trial OF this class of cases, and
for the organization of IA county chain gang
whereby these criminals may be made TO
work the public roads or otherwise labor for
the good of the county.
In taking leave of His Honor Judge Geo.
n Lester, we return our most cordial and
sincere thanks for his courtesy to our body /;
and to Col Thos. f. Greer the Solicitor
General, for his courtesy towards u.s. also
to The Sheriff Clerk and other county Off
GERS and recommend that these present
| ments be published in the MARIETTA JoUR-
NAL the official organ of the county.
SEYMOUR b. LOVE- Foreman.
William Aston, John x. Ward,
William W. Jolly, Timothy Stephens,
Jacob G. House. Archibald j .McCurdy,
John w. Allgood. Luke s. Northcutt,
Robert II. Cox, Elijah c. Stansell,
Elias B. Cochran, Peter p Allgood,
Thomas p. Lindley, James l.. Hunter
Chas A. Dunwody, John r. Latimer,
Joseph v Stanback, James II. Howell.
John Roberts, Hiram NJ. Whitworth,
Thomas A. Gober, James W. Bozeman.
1t is ordered that the foregoing general
presentments be published as requested by
the Grand Jury March Term, 1879.
GEO. n LESTER,
Judge Superior Court.