The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-29
NOT IN FAVOR OF 1T.
GEN. ALEXANDER ON OGEECHEE
CANAL DRAINAGE PROJECT.

EeDoes Favor Closing the Canal an
Does Not Think It's Use For Drainage
Purposes Economical or Practicable.
The Conference Between the County
Commissioners Committee and
Ge-. Alexander MOI Yet Held.
TIE county commissioners. at q recent
meeting, discussed the project Of making
the Oreechee canal one of the drainage
channels Of the couaty's drainage system,
and appointed Commissioner Read and
Civil Engineer BIandford ID meet Gen. E.
?. Alexander ia conference to see what ar
engagements, if any, can be made looking 70
that ed, the Central Railroad Company
owning the controlling interest in the stock
of the Ozeechee Canal Company.
A MORNING NEWS reporter saw Gen.
Alexander yesterday, and asked him If the
conference lad been yet held. II answer
to the inquiry Gen. Alexander said that he
had received a communication from the
committee asking MIA % name time when
he would accord the cOnIeTea q, aud he
fixed the day upon which the c5mmuuica-
ton was received by him, but the commit
tee was unable to meet MIN then, and on
the following day he was called from the
since his return he has heard nothing further
from the proposed conference
GEN. ALEXAyDER's VIEWS.
Gen. Alexander was asked what his views
are with reference to the abandonment Il
the canal so tina. it may be made part OK
the drainage system Of the county, and he
replied that ne has not yet been made
acquainted with the proposed plaus, and 1t
would be premature TO attempt an opinion
on something about the details OF when he
has not been informed
When told that there is an impression
that the canal has ceased - be valuable for
navigable purposes, and therefore opp2si-
tion to its abandonment Is not autlci-
pated, Gen. Alexander said that the
impression is not correct. On the contrary,
he says, the canal pays small dividend on
its stock after keeping up the necessary re-
pairs. W hlle there Is no extensive tratflc
upon it, its abandonment would seriously
discommode those who use 1t for transport
ing wood to toe brckyards west Of the
city, and TO the city, and t. those who
bring rice aud other products down to Sa-
vannah.
THE LAND OWNERS MIGHT OBJECT.
The land owners along its line have no
other avenue of transportation, and would
seriously object 30 being deprived of it.
The new cotUon compress of the Central is
drainage canal, it would unfavorably affect
the ligh,erage facilities, 50 that, on the
whole, TO jutge from the line Of his argU-
ment, tie Central does not look with favor
upon the al andonment of the canal.
Referring TO the danger of the overflow of
lands abutting on the canal Gen. Alex
ander says that the lands are not 80
affected by the canal. No storm water can
flow into the canal to cause an overflow.
Fed as it is by the lake, or Little Ogeechee,
it can only be affected by O rise there, aud
provision is made at the dam at that point
TO carry off any surplus from rise in the
Little Ogeechee.
When told that it is clnmed chat the
seepings from the canal keep one of the
county roads in bad condition, Gen. Alex
ander expressed the opinion that the facts
do not justify the claim. At most there
may occur occasional leakages from an ALI
gator hole, but these are repaired as soon as
discovered.
NO DANAGE CAN OCCUR.
As to the backing up Of storm water on
the lands by the canal banks, he says that
the culverts, planned by competent engin-
GERS, carry off all such water aud as the cul-
vertS were constructed on correct engineer
ing PRINCIPLES to afford sufficient drainage,
unless these culverts become choked up
they ought to drain the lands as contem-
plated, ard where these culverts become
foul they receive attention as soon as it is
brought 30 the notice Of the canal company,
which has board OF officers charged with
the affairs Of the company and the care Of
the property.
When asked for lis opinion as to the
practicabllity OF deepening the canal for
drainage purposes, Gen. Alexander replied
that he considered it neither economical
nor practicable. He thought it would cost
less to dig a new canal, and that such sys-
tenn Of drainage would be more practical
than to deepen the OGeec zee canal.