The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-08-27
THE COUNTYS CANALS.
81, 900 ACRES OF LAND DRAINED
BY "a NILES OF bitches.

Seven Thousand Acres Reclaimed for
Agriculture Within the Last Twelve
Yeers-Ihe Canal system and What
It Has Done for the COunty-The
Work of the Convict Gangs-Half a
Million Cubic Yards of Excavations
Very few people know the extent Of the
drainage which has been done by the county
commissioners in the past twelve years, il
having been about that time since general
attention has been given to a work which
has done so much for the sanitation OF this
section and so much to stimulate the sgri.
cultural industry.
County Engineer E. j. Thomas says that
the county has constructed in the period
mentioned ls9, 943 feet, or about 34l[ miles,
of canals and bitches, excavaiing 402, 93o
cubic yards of earth, besides the necessary
cleaning, etc. It's road work will add 40, 900
more cubic yards of earth work, ana these
improvements would have cost the county
at least 100000 by any other system ex-
cept that in which the chain-gang has been
utilized.
''lf you will make a few notes, >" said Mr.
Thomas 20 a MORNING News reporter, 81
will give you a detailed statement Of our
drainage work: and just here you may say
that by the present canals and dltches which
aggregate ISL 943 feet in length, and re-
quired the excavation of 402, 036 cubic yards
of earth, we drain 10000 acres of land,
fully one-third of which has been reclaimed
for agricultural purposes"
THE CoUNTY's CANAL SYSTEM
The system began with the Springfield
canal, Mr. Thomas explained which re-
claimed the Springfield plantation. This
canal is 5000 feet in length and drains 800
acres.
The Casey canal system comes next and
drains 10000 acres of land, all the branches
of the Casey canal uniting to discharge its
waters into Vernon river at Haner's creek.
The Casey canal system is 5hus composed:
l. The Casey canal, $4,000 feet long, from
Catholic cemetery to Vernon river.
2. Change in line at City and Suburban
railway track, 3,303 feet.
8. The Hampstead canal, II 200 feet, from
near the four-mile post on the Vernon shell
road eastwardly to Che Casey canal.
T. The De Renne canal 1850 feet, from
near the three-mile post on the City and
Suburban railway to the Casey canal at
Dieter's, in a nOrtheasterly direction.
3. Two branches co the White Bluff road
taking the water from the White Bluff
road; two branches to Estill avenue. one
branch TO the Branch property, and one
through the Teynac property, draining
from Estill avenue and one from the south
ern extension of the city, as far west as
West Broad street, these branches aggre-
eating length of %, 400 feet. The Casey
canal has been cleaned out twice since it
was constructed.
6. East Savannah bitches 5000 feat in
length, leading their waters into the Casey
canal.
THE HARMON CANAL.
The Harmon canal system comes next.
draining 200 acres of land, and is COMPOSED
of:
l. The Harmon canal, 10,500 feet long, from
near the four-mile stone on the Vernon
shell road to an arm of Vernon river south
Uf Haner's bridger
2. Chippewa branch, $50 feet in length,
from the Chippewa plantation across the
Montgomery road TO the Harmon canal.
). Wells branch, $50 feet in length, from
Wells farm TO Harmon canal.
4. Buckhalter branch, $500 feet in length
draining the low lands along this road into
Harmon canal.
TIE Timber Landing system, draining
1900 acres, and composed of
/. Timber Landing creek canal, 10. $50
feet in length, from Bonabella to Timber
Laudlng creek, and
g The Morrison ditch branch, 5000 feet
in length, draining the lowlands along its
route into Timber Landing creek
Cattle Park canal system, draining / 800
acres, as follows:
1. Cattle Park canal, A, 400 feet in length.
from near the six-mile stone on the Isle of
Hope shell road through the Cattle Park
lands to Isle of Hope creek.
=. The Dupon ditch, $500 feet in length,
from Herb river connecting with Cattle
Park canal, and Sand Fly ditch, $500 feet
in length. from Sand Fly to Cedar Ham
mock creek.
THE VALE ROYAL DRAINAGE
The Vale Royal system comes next, con-
sisting of the Vale Royal canal and five
branches, which drain 800 acres. The
system is divided as follows:
l. The Vale Royal canal, $3.50 feet in
length, from south of the Augusta road, at
Jasper springs, to the Savannah river.
=. The water works and adjacent
branches, 1920 feet in length; the first
named branch running from the water
works to the Vale ROYAL canal at the
Exley road, and the other branch from
Smart & Bro. S mill grounds to the Exley
road.
3. The Blue Waters branch, $50 feet in
length, from the Central railroad across the
Augusta road, via the Blue Waters to the
Vale Royal canal
4. NJ. Exley branch, $500 feet in length.
from the ponds on the Houston property
via M. Exley's into the Blue Waters canal
and '
5. The Pat Burns branch, / 700 feet in
length, from Burns land into the Blue
Waters canal.
The Isle of Hope, Montgomery and
Bethesda bitches are 1880 feet in length
and drain LOCO acres, including Isle Of
Hope, Montgomery and Bethesda.
The Musgrove creek canal, $3.50 feet in
length, has beer deepened feet.
Minis canal, 1000 feet in length. drain
ng 1850 acres.
THE DRAINAGE SOUTHWEST OF THE CITY.
This canal drains all the lands inmedi-
Rtely south and southwest of the CITY from
Southover junction to the three-mile most
on the Ogeechee road, and extending due
west q miles. This drains into Musorova
creek. 1t is the intention of the com mis-
sioners to work on the Minis canal for fine
next eight months, extending it eastwardIv
and to the southwark
The work of drainage is done under the
supervision of the drainage committee of
the board of county commissioners and
County Engineer Z. j. Thomas, the chain
gang being divided into two
corps. No. 1, or Schuman's gang
working on the east side, and No 2, or Al
lens gang, working on the west. The con-
victs are docile, and very few guards are
required. TRUSTEES carry water for the
workmen, and the sanitation of the CAMPS
is such that there is very little sickness
among the men.