The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-07-11
TO IMPROVE THE ROADS.
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ADOPT GILLESPIES PLAN.

a Uniform Line of Construction to Be
Adhered To-The New Road Along
the River West OF the City - The
Commissioners Preparing 70 Lay the
Corner Stone Of the New Court
House-Ths Work of the Convicts.
The July meeting Of the county commits
sioners was held at o'clock yesterday after
noon, with every member Of the board
present. The road question seemed to be
the one which absorbed the greatest atten-
ton.
Commissioner Resd submitted a profile
by Engineer r. A. Blandtord, with an az
erage cross section Of the Augusta road be-
tween the third and fourth mile posts. The
slope Of the road Is Irregular and the area
Of the bitches on al her side square feet A
second drawing shows how it may be made
by additional excavation Of 997.39 cubic
yards 10 the mile with an area Of IA square
feet 70 each ditch, ard making the roadway
24'feet wide instead Of 80 feet as at present the
roadway to slope from tho center on each
side l foot in 20 feet This would leave the
bitches feet deep, but it is proposed TO
conform the roads to be built TO Gillespies
manual OF road making, aud a cross section
OF such a road is shown on the profile Of q
80 foot road bed in = so foot right Of way.
with slope Of foot in % for each side Of
the road way from the crown of the road,
and the bitches onlJ 3 feet Q inches deep,
with the slope of the ditch nearest the road
/ 3 inches to the foot, and on the farthest
side from the road a slope OF = inch to the
foot, the area of each side ditch to be IS IS
square feet, and the excavation 6i60 cubic
yards 10 the mile. The engineer estimates
that twsnuy- five men. can build a mile OF such
road in one month az 10 cents per cubic
yard, at a cost of construction Of $6l6 The
plan provides for fencing in the road on
either side.
ROAD PLAN ADOPTED.
Commissioner Read advocated adopting
this plan for new roads and also in the con-
struction of new roads, and On Commits
sioner Estill's motion the county engineer
was instructed to restore the old lines of the
roads after the Gillespie plan, aud the clerk
was instructed to order a copy Of Giilespie's
road manual for the board of Commits
sioners
On Commissioner Estills motion the
committees on roads and bridges and
chain-gang were authorized to purchase
such tools, implements, mules and wagons
or carts for properly working the county
roads.
On Commissioner Estilrs motion, the
matter Of locating the new road along the
river, west Of the city, was referred to the
committee on roads and bridges, with power
to act
The bids were opened for constructing a
cuivert on the Ogeechee road beyond Bat
terry park, and Mart1a Cooley was awarded
tie contract at S86S 2l
The resolution Of the city council asking
the commissioners to water the streets
AUDITING Telfair square in the neighbor-
hood of the county vault building was re-
ferTsd to Chairman Walker with power to
act
The petition of z. J. Benton asking to be
reimbursed for damage done his strawberry
patch by recent rains was referred to tho
county engineer.
The petition Of Warning Russell, Jr., ask
ing to be reimbursed for expenses incurred
in bringing refugees from justice back from
Brunswick to this city was granted This
refers to Hazel, charged with waylaying
and shooting at Justice Van Winkler.
PREPARING TO LAY THE CORNERSTONE.
Chairman Walker was empowered to
make all arrangements for laying the cor
ner-stone of the new court house.
Bills to the amount of $11 AT were passed
for payment.
Engineer Il. A. BlanGford sent in a re-
port in which he states that the survey Of
the low lands of what was formerly called
the Dundee swamp, comprising the valley
OF Wllliamson's creek, has been completed
from the Savannah ri yer back to tho Au-
gusta road. and that he is now extending it
east toward Savannah and west toward
Plpemaker creek, to determine the water
sheds between Musgrove and Pipemaker
| creeks. He reports that the work is being
pushed at rapidly as the weather and the
health of the corps viii permit.
Engineer E. j. Thomas read a report Of
the WORK done by the engineers department
for the month of June. Scbuman's gang
did Goa days work on the DeRenne canal,
which was finished to station l03. distance
of LOCO feet. One half OF the force, the
engineer reports, was constantly throwing
back earth from the berms and clearing
right Of way. Aliens gang did 1902 days
WORE on Musgrove creek.
The engineer closes his report by refer
ence to the action of the late rains on the
Ogeechee road. He says: THE Ogeechee
road was badly washed by the recent rains,
caused in a great measure on account OF
the bad condition of said road, and viii
continue to be subject to these washes so
long as such deep bitches parallel the road.
To substantially and permanently do the
work, sewer Pipe and catch basins should
be substituted for these bitches, but the
cost being about So 500 a mile, prevents
even the recommendation of sucn a change.
BY giving the road the proper slope, and
using rollers to pack the earth, much of this
washing by heavy rains can be prevented. y
THF PORDS' PLAYS