The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-18
A REPLY To naR. RouRau1N.

ENNN-AN~ 0%NA~e e~-A-~A AAN0 0unaGE
Swamp.
Savannah, Ca, Aug. 17.-Editor Morn
ing News; The following communication
appeared IN the Savannah Telegram this
morning:
AN INDIGNANT wRITER-sMoKISG A COUNTY
COMMISSIONER OUT FOR AN ALLEGED
STATEMENT
savannah, Aug. 49, 1s93.-Editor Telegram:
MY attention was called this morning by a
Well-knOwn citizen TO an article in the MORN
ING NEWS. ito the turning OF the waters of
the Ogeechee' canal into Dundee swamp, " in
which article malicious aud cowardly at
tack is made on the chairman OF the road
commissioners, which is false in every res
pect. AS soon as seen 1 Immediately ad-
dressed Col. Estill the following note which
was handed him by Maj Hartridge who de-
Savannah, Aug. 10, 1s93-Col. ]. H. Estill,
Morning News: have been shown an article
IN your paper rejecting on the chairman of
the road commission now give you notice
that 1 am the chairman, and demand your
author GUGIE BoURoUIN
Col. Estill replied that it was one Of the
county commissioners, but which one he did
not know, A further meeting at l 80 o'clock
p. M. was determined on, at which time Col
Esttll furnished in writing. the name of Com
missioner Carson as the author. l will now
say that the article furnished the NEWS by
Commissioner Carson in regard to the chair
man Of the road commission is a malicious lie
INTENDED No doubt TO influence the public
against me. GUGIE BoURQUIN.
The article to which Mr.. Bourquin
takes exception appeared in your issue of
the 18th, and is as follows:
1t Is limited among the commissioners that
the Niger in the Ogeechee canal wood pile
has at last been discovered. Some of them
think that the chairman Of the road commits
sioners, who is interested in the canal com
pany, and who also owns lands adjacent to
the swamps just above Dundee, was infuen-
al Hva s..N-
Dundee swamp. II they had been turned
into Shaw swamp or any Of the others above
Dundee they might, it is said have dampened
lands belonging to him Consequently he
being influential in the matter, they think, all
the water was thus discharged into Dundee
swamp.
The information on which the article
was based, I regarded as reliable. If the
chairman of the road commissioners de-
MES the yeracity of the same, then so far
as they refer to the chairman of the road
commissioners, my informant must have
been in error.
AS to whether l was justified or not in
arriving at the conclusion l did, l will
leave the public to judge.
have no personal feeling or animosity
whatever against Mr.. Bourquin, and only
state the facts as they came to me.
Mr.. Gugie Bourquin. is agent (withQnt
remuneration) for the Ogeechee Canal
Co., the Central Railroad and Banking
Co. owning nearly ifnot all of the capt.
tai stock. His duties and powers as
agent have not been clearly defined to
me. Sometime in February or March,
the canal company dug trench in the
bottom of the canal to collect and carry
OFF some of the water accommodating near
the city. Subsequent to this dam was
put across the canal near the Telfair
bridge. This dam was erected without
the knowledge or consent of the engineer
of the Central Railroad, and by parties
unknown to him.
heard at the time Gnformant's name
can be given if necessary that the dam
had been built under the direction and
supervision of Mr.. Bourquin. The canal
banks where the dam is built are higher
than at several places above the dam, and
there are several places above Dundee
swamp where the canal banks are lower
than at said swamp. Consequently an
overflow of water from the canal
would damage lands around where
these low places in the banks of the canal
are Mr.. Bourquin's lands are adjacent
to these low places. In fact no discharge
of water from the canal into any swamp
from Dundee swamp to Eight Mile lock
could be made without directly or indi-
rectly running through Mr.. Bourquin's
lands.
When it became necessary to relieve
the canal from danger of overlooking, Mr..
Bourquin consulted the engineer Of the
Central railroad in reference to ncutting
the banks and was referred to the roads
attorneys by the engineer. Soon after
ward the small box trunk was put in, and
without knowledge or consent of the en-
gineer of the Central railroad.
Mr.. Bourquin is gentleman noted for
his zealousness in protecting his property
and insisting upon his rights.
The location of that box trunk at its
proper place would have directly or indi-
rectly damaged MIR. Bourquin's lands.
Mr.. Bourquin, as agent of the Ogeechee
Land Company, must have known of the
existence of that trunk soon after it was
put in, but no protest from him has been
heard.
These are the facts as reported to me,
and on which my superstition that Mr.
Bourquin's influence had prevented the
trunk or trunks being located where any
one acquainted with the condition of the
canal knows they should be. Still, if Mr.
Bourduin claims them to be untrue he can
get the name of my informant on demand.
j. A. G. CARSON.