The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-27
JUSTICES TO TALK 1T OVER.
VIII Consider To-day Whether They
VIII Obey MIR. Bourquin's order.

I VIII Consider To-day Whether They
VIII Obey MIR. Bourquin's order.
The city justices Of the peace, at the sug-
| gestion Of Justice Russell, will meet at the
court house this afternoon TO consider what
| action they will take if Mr.. Bourquin should
call upon them tomorrow to issue sum-
monses to the male residents of Savannah,
subject to road duty, TO work the unfinished
| portion Of the Louisville road.
Yesterday was the day set to issue the
/ summonses, but Justice Russell said that he
wanted TO consult with his counsel, Hon. w.
| @. Charlton, and upon that advice the
| justices will act. MIR. Bourquin consented
to this arrangement.
1t is understood that il the parties should
summon the citizens to work the road a
number of prominent citizens will unite TO
enjoin the working Of the road, and thus
| bring the matter into the courts for settle
ment.
The action OF the grand jury in reporting
as it did upon the road is criticised by many
on the ground that there were two members
of the city council on the grand jury,
Messrs. Mills and Carson, who voted to
send Mr.. Bqurquin's letter to the council
back to him.
member of the council, in abiding TO
the charge that the chairman of the street
and lane committee had neglected his duty
with reference to the road, says that it has
not been the custom for the city to repair
the road, aud that the foreman Of the grand
jury, ex-Alderman Thomas, although chair
man Of the street and lane committee for
four years, did not work the road with the
street force.
Alderman Harmon, when sought to be
interviewed. had little to say, but in dis
cusslng the matter he said that the drainage
OF the city and the county are much too
important to suspend the work of draining
Minis swamp or the work upon the sewers
now being constructed in the southern por-
ton OF the city. The county commits
sioners, he added, have agreed to
work the road when the Minis swamp
drainage is completed, and he will willingly
furnish them city carts TO facilitate the
work. The condition of the road, he said,
ID not so bad as to try to force the work to
be done before the county commissioners
are ready to do it by the annoyance of call
ing out the citizens, when there is neither
Law, nor reason for it. Mr.. Harmon
said that if it had been the
custom for the city to work the road, he
would have done so, but as the county COM
missioners are willing to do the work, there
is no good reason why the city should be at
the unnecessary expense of doing it.. when
1t needs all the money set apart for the
street and lane department. to add sewer
eACenSlons ana needed improvements, sanl-
tary and otherwise, to the streets and lanes.
Mr.. Bourquin's position is that the road
needs immediate attention, and believing
that the power lies in him as chairman of
the road commissioners to order the citizens
called out, he insists on compelling action.
Thus far in the wrangle no legal opinion
has been made public that section 652 is
operative in this city under Mr..
Bourquin's construction of the law.
City Attorney Adams has given an
opinion that the citizens cannot
be called out to work the roads of the
county, and that the Louisville road is not
a 'main street." Mr.. Bourquin saws that
he does not claim that the citizens
can be called out to work
a county road, but that portion
Of the Louisville road lying within the
corporate limits is "main street" in the
meaning of the code, aud he says he has
taken legal advice which confirms him in
his opinion. The injunction suits which will
follow any attempt on the part of Mr.. Bour-
quin or the city justices to work the road
will bring the issue to a settlement, SO that
whichever way the justices shall decide this
afternoon there is no immediate prospect
that the road will be worked. The Justices
are divided in opinion as to their jurisdic-
ton in the matter.