Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-07-01
GENERAL PREsENTMENTs
fthe Grand Jury Of the Superior Court,
n-rfet june Term.

or the Grand j ury of the Superior Court,
asrtHf June Term.
We, the grand jurors selected and sworn
for the June term of the year 1885, for Chat
ham county, respectfully submit that we have
given careful consideration and attention to
the matters given as IN charge by the court.
We have divided our labors among commit
fees OF the body. selected for their 1tuess for
the duties to be discharged by them.
The Committee on Public Officers report that
they examined the books Of the Ordinary,
Clerk of superior Court, rHN Collector Ink
Receiver, County Treasurer, County Cummis-
soneTs and Sheriff, ana find good syatem,
ueatness and correctness throughout: and
that ia all cases where property and fuuds are
handled, the former was found TO he IN place
and well preserved, and the latter faithfully
accounted for by vouchers conveniently filed
for reference. In all of these offices system,
security for valuable records, the convenience
Of citizens having business WITH them,
and the comfort and health of their
faithful incumbent5 would be s eduy
promoted by the provision OF more
comm0dious and comfortable quarters,
which we earnestly recommend shall be done
as early as practicable. All the Justices OF
the Peace, except s.. BOnaud and w. IS.
Woodhouse. presented their books and records
for examination as required by law. We
found them neatly and correctly kept. We
call especial attention of The Solicitor Gen
eral 10 violation of the law on The part OF the
two Justices OF the Peace above named, and
request him to take such proceedings in the
premises as Will compel them 10 obey the law.
We nave found the rpads and bridges of the
county in unusually good order and repair,
except portion of the Louisville
road between the three and four
mile posts which Is considerably
needs immediate attention. We have in
spected the cOnvicts and convict camp, and
find very lutte sickness among the prisoners
and their quarters clean, comfortable, m good
order, and kept IN manner highly creditable
TO those in charge We recommend liberal
use OF WhiteWash on the interior OF the prs-
oners quarters. We found portion Of the
convicts quartered in the jail, as they are
working on the drainage OF MusgrOvc creek,
too far from the camp which is three miles
from the city, on the opposite side. Their
condition was as good as could be expected.
crowded together as they are with 8 men lu
II cells. We think that those of the con-
yIcts confined in the jail arr entirely too
much crowded. and recommend that SO
many should not be kept together in such
close quarters. We congratulate tine people
OF the county and the officers in charge upln
the successful and satisfactory progress tnat
is beng made IN the drainage OF the swamps
and loWlands. The work which Is completed
is well done, and the continuation OF the good
work which is contemplated, must greatly
promote thShealth and comfort OF the people,
and enhance the value Of the lands of the
county for agricultural purposes and rest
dences. The jail and courthouse have been
inspected carefully. As the jail is soon
20 be removed, we fOrbear re-
peating the complaints in regard
To that structure which have been repeated
10y our prcde essOrs for many years past. The
interior OF the Jail Is kept extremely clean.
We cannot say too much on that score i'm
praise of sheriff Roman. The quarters of the
prisoners are thoroughly secured and white-
washed. The books OF record we found We'll
kept. We observe that under the present
management, the cost OF the maintenance OF
each prisoner Is 81 q cent per day; a few years
ago 10 was 90 cents per day. We find there is
no separate apartments for lunatics, and rec
ommend that one be provided as an impera-
tive ana immedtate necessity, demanded by
sheer humanity. These poor creatures are
frequently compelled TO remain
some Time incarcerated before the
state AeSlum can accommodate
them. At present tins country has no suita-
bic place provided for their care, and soma
times they must De thrust into the cells III
only for the most hardened criminal The
present uaNt ness OF the court house FOR the
purposes Nbr which 10 was originally erected
Is tntverpr4l,, conceded II Is utterly UNI
worthy the county and city In which IL Is
located. and has been condemned 10y popular
sentiment, aud grand jury after grand
jury Tor years past. Two plans have been
TO remedy the necessity for i'm
prOgumeut. One isatO remodel and enlarge
the present burdug, retaining the present
site. The otlier IS ID sell tine present site and
building ana erect "a court house and other
public bun dlug= on the ''Od cemetery lot"
III this lot were available with certainty, and
IL VITA tlo pre3tnt Oncrous county and city
taxes, iGwere advisable 10 incur debt OF
$4,000 70 erect magnificent structure which
would amply meet al requirements OF the
present and future for q century TO come, we
might favor the latter plan. Bnt taxes now
ARE very high. There is nothing in She pres
cnt results of business. NORM inc OUTLOOK for
the future 60 encourage heavy per-uual or
public expenditures, or the mourning lu large
indebtedness. which must hc met by Increased
fHffs 40
we feel 10 our duty TO recommend the remod-
cling and enlargement OF the present court
huuHc, $50 as go improve it8 appearance. add TO
lie comfort aud make 10 amply sufficient 20
the next generation. A plan has been -uh-
mittei 10 us, which viii do an this-glye ms
remodUled, enlarged, commodious and hand
rOmC building 40 maximum cost of fa0,o1O.
We recommend our County Commissioners To-
take Immediate steps 10 obtain she legal
authority 10 raise the necessary funds 10
promptly carry out these Instructions. one
of the committe Of this body on public bulld-
iugs, William Pearson llardee. Eco. differs
with the majority ~ his committee and ui this
grand jury, and dcsires 20 Dee put ON record
as layurng The sale ot the present site, pur-
chasing the "Old cemetery lot aud huildluga
new court house there.
We feel that we ought 10 call public atten-
tiou to the very heavy burden OF Jury duty
borne hy "a portion OF the citizens Of tuiscOun-
ty. There are three regular terms OF the SUI
perlor and four terms OF the tlty Court each
yeHr. We have thoroughly examined lhc ii-t
OF jurors and the manner in which they are
selected
The jury Commissioners are required hy
law TO select from she books Of the Tax Re.
ceivor upright aud Intelligent men. The
jurOfs Ot the county now number .ugi, divided
into l9l grand juror, and l.iu8 petit Jurors
ia this county OF more than 10000 people Boa
lss3, there were only l,200 names. aud In 1854
only Z.HO names eligible as jurors 0n
the ian digest. Too many have
successfully eyaded both the giving ma
and paying Of their taxes ana the discharge
lf their duty 40 Jurors. Tins email number
enrolled is largely due TO Che almost total
egect Of the Justices of the Peace Ia per-
.urming their duties as prescribed in Section
,5i, part " Of the Code, which requires them I
TO make o list Of names Of 400 pers0us liable /
% tax on property or pol 100 their respective I
ilelricte and % return them 90 che Receiver \
lf Tax Returns annually We call especial /
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