The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-03
THE sPRINaFIB. D DRAINAGE.
The City Points Out That it is Not IL
Default With Reg srd TO the Matter.

The City Points Out That it is Not in
Default With Reg srd TO the Matter.
Editor Morning Nel0s: In your issue Of
Thursday, Sept. 70, 1892, in an article
headed Condition Of the Drainage" ap.
pears the following:
"a letter was received from Mai. G. NJ
Ryals, stating that portion of Springfield
plantation was flooded by reason Of the
backing up OF water in the Springfield
canal. The commissioners were unable 20
suggest any remedy for the situation. The
failure Of the city to meet the proposition OF
the commissioners to drain the water shed
of Musgrove creek through the Ogeechee
canal leaves them helpless. The city has
never given the commissioners any reply as
to its position in the matter, whether favor
able or unfavorable, or stated their objec-
tions to the plan, if any"
Your Information on which was based
the last sentence, is absolutely inco rect
Some time last November the drainage
committee of the county commissioners
asked for an interview with the drainage
committee Of the city council, for the pur-
pose of discussing and obtaining the consent
of the city to certain changes in the drain
age system of the Musgrove creek water
shed.
The joint conference was held some time
afterward, and at that meeting an elegantly
prepared and volumnous report on the sub.
ject by Maj. r. A. Blandford, was read. The
report and plan suggested could not be con-
sidered by the drainage committee of
council without thorough investigation,
and time was asked for consideration OF
the subject.
Mai. Blandtord1s report was intrusted TO
the committee on drainage of council for
a few days for consideration, but before the
city engineer could finish taking an abstract
from it a return Of same was requested aud
the engineer has been unable TO get 1t again
to this day.
While Mai. Blandford's report was in pos
session Of the wri or few extracts were
made, and as they have not been made pub
lie give them here " it'll comment.
l. The Savannah river is the natural out
let for the drainage OF the Musgrove creek
water shed. comprising 5 ,760 acres. all of
which are above the Back water dam ex-
ceDting $40 acres. The $3.50 acres above
said dam are practically undrained and only
1000 acres cultivable and that for rice only.
2 The natural drainage Of the 5. 100 acres
is as follows: Five hundred and forty-five
acres drain into Main swamp, with fall to
Savannah river of 2 feet per mile |, l46
acres drain into Teliair swamp or North
fork, with a fall of feet; /, 176 acres drain
into South fork, with a fall Of feet; ,5Sl
acres drain into Lamar's swamp, with fall
of 9 feet; 742 acres drain into Minis swamp
with a fall of feet.
The committee on drainage and the city
engineer, while admitting the correctness
Of the report as to the natural outlet for the
| vast body of water contained in these
swamos, were of the opinion that 1t would
DO detrimental to the health OF the city to
| bring this stsgnant water this way aud
have it mlngle with the waters of tue Sa-
vanuah river
The committee was aware of the neces.
| sity Of the water department using more or
| less river water until the new water works
we're completed, and bad as the water was
| st that time and Is now was not willing 10
take the responsibility of recommending to
| council a plan which would undoubt eddy
| further poilute the river water.
g. Some idea Of che immense quantity Of
water liable TO be turned this way under