The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-19
THE CHARACTERIZATION
AN RX-EMPLOYB ATTACKS THE
SCAVENGER DEPARTMENT.

Supt. Cheathem Charged With Hav.
ing Dropped Men From the Depart
ment for Refusing to Work on His
Farm Without Pay-The Charge In
vestiRsted and Traced to Philip
jenkins, a Dismissed Driver-The
Affair Believed by the superin-
tendent to Have Been a Plot by
Some Of His Enemies.
Some sensational charges were made
against Supt. Cheatham of the scsvenger
department few days ago by Philip Jen-
kins. a discharged negro driver, which,
upon investigation, have been proved
groundless.
Jenkins reported that he had been dis
charged for refusing to work without extra
compensation upon the dairy farm Of
Supt. Cheatham, west Of the city, and
added that other men had been discharged
for the same cause. Little credence was
placed in the report at the time and few
believed the Negroes statement for an
instant, but In justice TO the superintendent
an investigation was made.
jenkins was employed in the department
several months ago, and for awhile he
proved to be q good workman. He began
drinking, however, and soon developed the
qualities of disturber. He broke the rules
continually and was fined. and finally he
capped the climax by cursing a lady on
Gordon street. Supt Cheatham promptly
discharged him, but after few weeks he
was taken back on the promise of good be-
havior and the request of relatives Of the
lady to whom be apologized.
VIOLATED THE RULES.
=
for driving his garbage wagon through
Jones street in violation of the rules which
make it an ofPense to drive outside Of lanes
except it is impossible to get garbage other
wise than by street entrances. For this he
was fined.
Last week a complaint was lodged with
Supt. Cheatham that one Of his drivers had
compelled lady TO walk in the middle Of
the muddy roadway on Gwin-
sidewalk for his wagon and
when she demonstrated was cursed by the
negro. The superintendent began an in
vestigation, which he had not completed
| Saturday night when Jenkins showed up a.
the lot under the influence of liquor. The
superintendent told him il he touched
another drop of liquor while In the city's
employ he would be peremptorily dis
| charged. Then he sent him to Kieffer's
| drug store for some oils, and jenkins came
back and reported he could not get them.
PEREMPToRILY DISCHARGED.
| Supt. Cheatham went to Kieffer's late in
the night and was surprised at being told
| by young MIR, Kieffer that Jenkins had
been there acting in an outrageous man
| while the order for the oils was being filed.
The superintendent at once dis
charged jenkins, and Sunday he
found that Jenkins was the man who had
insulted the lady on Gwinnett street. These
are the facts connected with Jenkins case,
and ii was after Supt. Cheatham positively
refused to take the negro back into the city's
! employ that jenkins made his groundless
charges.
The investigation proved that Supt.
| Cheatham neither requires nor has allowed
any Of the drivers of the scavenger depart
ment to work on his farm. 1t is in charge
of white man, who employs help as occa-
sion requires All the other drivers in the
department are glad that Jenkins is out, as
he was continually causing trouble
BELIEVE IT IS A PLOT.
Supb Cheatham's friends do not believe
! that the charges made by Jenkins orig
mated in the negroes brain, but are inclined
to the idea that some of the enemies Of the
| superintendent thought Jenkins would be
| good tool to use for the purpose OF inJuring
him. If this was the scheme its failure will
rebound with telling force on the project
| ors of the plot.
The scavenger department is in excellent
working condition, as the cleanliness Of the
| city bears witness. Alderman Harris,
chairman of the health and cemetery com
mittee Of the council, complimented Supt.
Cheatham, yesterday, on the efficiency of
his department and the results it is accom-
plishing. Alderman Harris said be had
made personal inspection of the city and is
gratified at the condition in which he
found 1t.
Supt Cheatham Is DESTROYS of having the
cooperation Of citizens in keeping up the
standard of the scaveuger department, and
will consider 1t a favor for any citizen
whose premises are neglected by the scav-
engers to report the neglect to him, A COM
plant lodged at the office OF the clerk of
council is all that is necessary.
THE CaEMAToRIEs.
In connection with the scavenger de-
partment the crematories are proving their
valuable worth to degree beyond the an
ticipAtion of the health department when
they were introduced. The crematories
now consume every particle Of the cItys
| garbage, which averages sixty-hye wagon
| loads day. There is no other dumping
ground than that Of the crematory plat
form. Last week the carcasses of three
horses and one COW were incinerated in
half an hour The man In charge of the
! crematoTies Is one thoroughly familiar with
the work. He formerly worked With the
| L'Engle company, which built Savannah's
furnaces He gets 50 per cent. more
OF the crematories than when they were
/ Gr~E vNsyka -.