Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-18
THE OGEECHEE CANAL.
Capt. Blair Thinks the Grand jury
Did the Company an Injustice.

Capt. Blair Thinks the Grand jury
Did the Company an Injustice.
Capt. Frank Blair, President of the Sa-
vannah and Ogeechee Canal Company, is
not satisfied with the presentment of the
grand jury in so far as it relates to his
company. In conversation with a repre-
sentative of the MORNING News yester-
day, Capt. Blair stated that there was an
entire mlsconceptlon OF the state OF affairs,
and that the County Commissioners, In
their talk with the grand jury, did the
company an injustice. He stated that
the condition of the country in the vicini-
ty OF the canal backwater was not caused
by the canal, as there were eight large
culverts under the canal between Cope's
swamp and the OXeechee river, all run
ming southwark towards salt water.
The water from the surrounding coun-
try can pass freely under the canal, but
there are no drains or bitches, or not a
sufficient number of them to carry the
water off, andi therefore spreads all over
the surrounding country. In fact, he
SAID the water after it passes under the
canal frequently backs up against the
southern bank. The Little Ogeechee river,
the natural drainage, is INSTRUCTED
from Goulps pond nearly all the way
down.
The back or reserve waters OF the
canal is secured by dams and does not
overflow except during the heaviest
storms, and even then the surplus water
would find an ample outlet if there were
any drainage canals or bitches to lead it
of. The country, however, on that side
is fiat pine barren with little, if any,
natural drainage and the water stands
on 1T for days and weeks after a
rain, even ii there is no overflow from
the back water ponds.
Referring to the statement that the
canal has not been dug out, President
Blair SAID that 1t was not correct. The
canal was cleaned out in 1882 from the
eight-mie lock to the Ogeechee river, and
wherever it was needed, and that the
eight-mile level is cleaned out nearly
every year if necessary. The banks OF
the canal are kept as near their original
height as possible, and force is con
StantIy at work keeping the banks in Or
der. The water from the Little Ogeechee
north of the canal cannot get of The land
unless there is an outlet provided for IT.
and it would require drainage canal %
feet wide and Is feet deep to carry off the
water that passes through the sluice at
Gould's pond.
Capt. Blair expressed his Willingness,
and thought the company would agree
with him, to act with the county auihori-
ties in improving tIe drainage of the
county. He is as deeply interested in
promoting the health of the city and
county 40 any man, and has always been
ready to contribute his share to build
ing up the country. In reply to
a question regarding the condition OF
the canal basin in the city limits, he
stated that the weeds in the canal only
grow i'll the summer, during which period
the city authorities Will not permit the
water to be drawn of so that they can he
cut down. From what Capt. Blair saws
there appears to be no reason why the
country adjacent to the canal should not
be in good order. All that Is needed is
the cooperation of the canal company
and the Drainage Committee of the County
Commissioners.