The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-15
County and City Drainage.

County and City Drainage.
The conviction Is sinking deeply into the
public mind that too much money is being
| expended for drainage IN this city and
county for the results obtained. The people
are willing 10 be taxed for drainage pur-
poses, bat they want the worth Of their
money. Drainage work has now been go
ing on for several years under the direction
of both the city and the county. The
amount of money expended Is larger
much larger than the public knows. The
county and the city act Independently in
this matter. Neither knows Whist the other
is doing, and doesn't think it necessary to
find out In other words, there Is a lack OF
system without which it is difficult to OBJ
tain permanent and satisfactory results.
The county has engineers aud force OF
laborsrs So has the city. Much Of the work
that is done is destroyed within year after
It is completed. The cattle that are per-
mitted to run at large trample the loose
earth into the drains which become choked,
and consequently useless Year after year
practically the same work at a great ex-
pense has to be done over again.
Why should the county and the city be
separated In this drainage matterl Their
| interests are virtually the same. Nearly
all ths drainage that has been done
has been for the benefit of the city
Recently wider view of the drainage
work has been taken by the county COM
missioners. and their plans at present in
olude the improvement of portions Of the
county. 1t Is their intention that ultimately
Il 49, zk.,fr 1k.n
expect, however, that it viii take years to
complete that work. But the chief end
aimed at in the plans for the present and
those for the future Is the protection of the
health Of the city.
Much of the drainage work In the county
has been and ia still being done in q hap
hazard sort Of way. The engineers do not
direct It. In fact they don't seem to have
much TO do with it except to obey the orders
Of those of the county commissioners who
have charge Of the drainage work. Admit
ting that these commissioners do the best
they can, and are controlled by the best Of
motives, have they the time to give to this
drainage work which ought 20 be given 70
itl Are they qualified 10 decide upon the
amount and kind of drainage work that
| ought TO be done TO secure the best resultsi
| Last summer when the rains were heavy
and portion of the county near the city
became partly flooded there were COM
plants that the Casey canal, which drains
that portion Of the county, had been neg
lected.
In a very few months typographical
map Of the county will be completed, and
it Will be comparatively easy matter 10
determine how the drainage Of the county
can be carried on to the best advantage.
In view Of this fact, and the further fact
that the scope of the drainage work has
gone much beyond what was originally in
tended, would It not be advisable for the
county commissioners and the city authori-
ties to think seriously Of organizing adrain-
age bureau with the view of getting the
best possible results for the money spent on
drainage9 At the head Of snch bureau
there ought to be competent engineer.
lie should have an assistant, and the con-
vict force should be under hts direction.
The drainage work Of the county and city
should he under his supervision. sag
The city and county have been greatly
benefited by the drainage work that has
been done, but It has cost too much. If the
money spent upon 10 had been spent In car
rying out comprehensive and intelligent
system Of drainage the results would have
been far greater than they are. Instead of
this or that commissioner doing what he
thihks ought to be done. which has been the
case since the drainage work began, the
work from the beginning would have been
SO carried forward as TO be productive not
only Of lasting but the very best results.
But it is not too late to insugurats a re-
form. And that there is need of reform
there does not seem to be any doubt There
is no good reason why the city and county
| drainage work should not be carried on
under the same engineer, nor why drain
age system should not be adopted and car
ried out. In that way taxpayers will get
the benefit Of their money Aspresent they
are paying for more than they get.