The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-11
LOOKING AFTER THE CANALS.
The Grand Jury to Investigate the
Ogeechee Water Way.

The grand jury of the Superior Court, be-
fore its adjournment Monday night, had
| quite a number of witnesses before it con-
sidering complaints against the unsanitary
condition of the Ogeechee canal within the
| boundaries of the city. 1t has been claimed
that the channel needs deepening to better
! carry Off the debris which accumulates in
| it from time to time and the further COM
plant has been made that dead animals
have been cast into it, that the wood
! boomsn accumulate stagnant water and
that it is very unsanitary institution gem
orally.
Before the recess to next Wednesday the
grand jury appointed a committee OF three
TO investigate further, and TO make per-
sonal examination of the canal from the
Ogeechee TO the Savannah river, and to
note the condition of its banks, and see if
it is likely to overflow to the detriment of
crops and to the public health.
The rumor has been started that the Cen
trail railroad contemplated filing it up. 1t
has also been stated that the charter is
about to expire, and hence the inquisitorial
action of the grand jury in advance, so that
when a new grant is asked for precaution-
airy provisos may be embodied in the new
charter
A MORNING NEWS reporter, in an inter
view with Gen. Alexander yesterday, learned
from him that he has recently made per
sonal inspection of the entire canal. The
Central system ownsa majority of the stock
and is interested in keeping the canal in the
best possible sanitary condition. An occa-
sional dead cat may have been thrown into
IL, but beyond that, Gen. Alexander said,
it is free from anything of a contami-
mating character. 1t drains fresh water
pond, ii is not stagnated, its banks are in
good condition and only htigious persons
complained of overilows, for it is not fed
from running streams, and, in cases of
freshets, its sluice gates can be
opened for the overflow to be carried off in
natural channels. Gen. Alexander also
said that there is no foundation for the
rumor that the Central contemplated filling
the canal up. When the railroad wants to
cross the canal it will bridge it. The
charter, he said, is not about to expire as
the lease is perpetual. The canal, he said
further, has water as pure as the Savannah
river water, and it tcemed with fish. He
thought it would be a good plan to charter
a boat and a mule for excursionists to go
up to the dam and fish, and he said he
would book MORNING NEWS reporter for
a reserved seat when the first trip is made.
Judging from Gen. Alexander's enthusiastic
description of the fishing possibilities of the
Ogeechee canal, the Central has bought it
with view of running Pullman canal boats
to the big pond and return to accommodate
the Izaak Waltons of the city. At any rate,
the General says the Central proposes to see
that the Ogeechee canal is kept in good
sanitary condition, and the grand jury need
not lose any sleep worrying about it.
A gentleman who was discussing the
matter yesterday made the remark that
1.-THE Bilbo canal is the one that needs at
tention," and grand juror who was pre-
sent remarked that it was very likely to be
thoroughly looked into at the present term.
The complaints were very general last sea-
son. and the MORNING NEWS report last
summer, he said, was not at all exaggerated.
He believed that the canal ought to be
arched over with brick, for the east wind
brings its pestilence and malaria into the
residence part of the city every time it
blows, and the south wind is nearly as Tad.