The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-08
THE DRAINAGE QUESTION
MUsGRovE CREEK WATERSHED
AND THE SPRINGFIELD CANAL.

Report Upon the Subject Of the Mus
grove Creek Watershed and It's
Drsinags Via the Springfield Canal
as Contrssted With Othsr Plans.
The Commissioners Adhere to Their
Previous Position-The County PARK
offered to the City.
There was full board in attendance at
che meeting Of the county commissioners
yesterday afternoon, namely, Chairman
Walker and Commissioners Read, Estill,
Smart and Meinhard, Engineer Blandford,
County Attorney Saussy and Clerk Dillon.
DIR. Read read the reply OF the county
commissioners to the report OF the commit
tee of city council to the commissioners
proposition to submit the matter of the
drainage of the southwestern suburbs
through Musgrove creek to an expert. The
report is as follows:
Il is not true that the commissioners have op-
posed the drainage Of any part of the watershed
OF Musgrove creek away from the city, but they
have demanded proof of the practicability of
such proposed drainage and that it could be
done at reasonable cost
IL Is not true that they sssented to the prac-
ticability OF the drainage OF the $50 acres of
the sub-watershed OF Lamar's swamp through
Buckhalter watershed on the plan proposed by
Col. Winn. They did agree that part OF it
might be drained into that watershed on this
plan, but held that the excavation and conse-
Quently the cost to do it would be largely in ex-
cess Of what would be required to drain the
t1hoLe Of it through natural channels into
Springfield canal. They recognized the fact
that by this plan the excess of excavation for
the ditch within the watershed would not only
be larger because of the ascending surface of
the swamp TO the divide" but that after pass
ing this line provision would have to be made
to carry the waters of the increased drainage
area OF Buckhalter watershed; some eight square
miles or over 5,100 acres. To not make such
provision would be an injustice TO the property
holders of that section and would involve the
county in lawsuits with them The plan pro-
posed does not make this provision. 1t does
not take into account that in its lower
sections the canal will have to be made large
enough to carry the waters OF an area equal TO
the whole OF the watershed OF Musgrove creek
above the Backwater dam. The plan estimates
an excavation OF something over 5000 cubic
yards, at q cost approximating $1,000
The drainage committee Of the city council
has agreed with the commissioners that the i'm
mense quantity Of water falling upon an area of
such dimensions would require O canal of large
capacity to carry 1t, the excavation of which
would be greatly in excess OF the amount given
in the estimate: AS an objection to the drain
age or an equal aren of the watershed of Mus
grove creek on It's natural lines the committee
have urged the costliness Of the enlargement OF
Springfield canal to a capacity sufficient to dis
charge the waters falling upon 1t. Yet TO divert
the drainage of a small part of this same
watershed out of its natural course through
one foreign to It, the committee loses sight of
or ignores the fact that In Justice and In law a
canal would have to be made large enough to
carry tho waters Of this foreign watershed
through which IL would pass as well as that
brought into Il. while the excavation for such
canal would be very much greater
shan the snlsrgmsnt OF Springfield
canal and correspondingly more cost
ly. When this work would have been done
and this cost incurred, the watershed Of Mus
grove creek, relieved only by the drainage Of a
Few hundred acres Of its area, would still re-
main to menace the health Of the city and the
demand for its drainage more urgent then than
now. Springfield canal In its present condition
ls not adequate 20 discharge one-half of the
area that would remain TO be drained. The in
largement will be necessity. This Work can
not be evdded. The commissioners are fully
alive to this fact, they have sought the CO opera
ton OF the city council to accom-
speedily as possible they have proposed to
tho council to submit the differences
between it, and them to Capt. Carter one
eminently qualified by bis position and know
ledge OF such work. for arbitrament The coun-
Gil has placsd itself on record by rejecting the
proposition
The argument that has been used that the
drainage OF this watershed to the Savannah
river would be detrimental to the health OF the
city OF Savannah 10 not tenable nor sustained
by majority OF the medical profession Run
ming water Ia NOT unhealthfui even though It
comes from swamps. For one-hst a century
the Ogeechee canal has brought it's waters to
Savannah from it's reservoir, which is the Little
ogeeehse swamp. 1t has not been OBJ
jected that this water endangers the
heath of the city. IL is the staTna Mt
waters purifying in shallow ponds and swamps
that terminate disease. Thorough drainage is
an efficient remedy for this
Nor is the argument that should the drainage
proposed by tbs commissioners be made il
would affect the Savannah river, tenable. The
greatest rainfall ever recorded for this section
precpitated upon the watershed of Musgrove
creek and discharged into the river would be
insignificant ia comparison TO the volume which
dali II
watershed is properly opened up by drainage IL
will discharge the heaviest rainfas long before
the river will have risen to prevent it.
But the question Of the drainage of this water
shed Is not new. Nearly fifteen years ago Gen
Gllmer made a lengthy report to the drainage
commission upon 1t and decided upon a plan
almost identical to that proposed by the pres
ent commissioners. He says: las che volume
or waters from the back swamp plantation had
been found as times to be too great for the
capacity of the channelwsys thus provided for
Its escape, trial survey was made to ascertain
the practicabiiity OF draining part or the whole
OF the upper swamp by canal in a northsrly
direction, crossing under the Ogeechee canal
about three miles from the city, through the
trestle work of the Central railroad at the
emile post and thence through the Iowlands
and Willamson's rice fields to the Savannah
river"
IAN examination of line OF drainage for
these swamps toward the Little Ogeechee river
was made few years ago by the surveyor OF
the city OF Savannah, but this, too, was found
TO call for work involving large outlays. These
surveys demonstrated the fact that no outlet
could be found in the directions erdmined ear
ceDt at heavy cost-for greater than tcotIld be
required to enlarge and strengthen the chan
nsts of drainage already established by the city
of Sovonnah."
The report was unanimously agreed to.
The deed for the right Of way for the
Dundee canal through Brampton plants-
ton was read and, after amendments, was
approved by the board. The deed gives the
right of way free on condition that the
canal shall be completed within three years,
falling in which the right Of way over the
road built on the side OF the canal shall
revert to the owners of the prop
erty. It also provides that two bridges
shall be built and maintained across
she canal where it passes through the
plantation, and IL the road is used it shall
De fenced In by the county.
The county engineer made his report In
regard TO his department. He stated that
nnce Oct. 8 not single person convicted in
sne mayors court had been sent to the con-
vict campo
Commissioner Estili offered the following
W regard to the proposed public park which
was unanimously adopted:
=, Ordered that the tract of 275 acres Of land on