The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-24
TO CLEAN OUT THE CANAL
THE CENTRAL MUST PUT 1T IN
SANITARY CONDITION.

The City Council Orders the Removal
of All Objectionable Matter and It's
Grading to Admit the River Tides.
The Drainage Committee to super
wise the Work-Aotion Also Taken
About the Timber Bssins-The Lowell
Estate Ordered to Clean Them by
April is.
After two hours struggling with the ques-
ton Of the sanitary condition Of the Ogee-
chez canal, in which the council was regaled
with lots Of talk about vegetable and animal
deposits, stagnant water, movements of
tides, condition of levels, etc., the matter
was definitely settled yesterday afternoon
by the city fathers, and by May l that
waterway will no longer be a menace to
the health OF Savannah.
Receiver Conner and Engineer Hunter Of
she Central railroad were present at the
meeting on behalf Of their corporation, and
| Health Officer Drummer aud Engineers Winn
| and Carmichael we're on hand to furnish
information on the part OF the city. DR..
| Drummer suggested that the proper thing
Tor the Central railroad to do to put the
canal in condition would be to repair the
break in the bank at Goulds pond, or bore
an ertesian we'll in the middle level to fur
nish a steady water supply or else fill up the
canal altogether.
RECEIVER COMER's IDEA.
Mr.. Conner said he had understood from
the health officer that all that was neces-
sary In the matter was to get the vegetable
and other deposits out of the canal and so
freshen the water occasionally as TO keep
/ IL from becoming stagnaut. He said he
stood willing now to do that. aud he be-
lleved the fixing Of the gates so as to allow
the river to ebb and flow into the canal
would answer all purposes. The Central
railroad, MIR. Conner said, is as much, and
really more, interested in the health Of Sa-
vannah than anybody else. 1t was willing
to do anything for its projection, but it d id
not want TO be burdened unnecessarily.
In Mr.. Corners opinion the repairing of
the bank at Gould's pond would not help
things, as there was little possibility of
enough water being accumulated there to
flood the middle level
QUESTION ABOUT TIDES.
Mayor McDonough questioned whether
the tides would work in the canal in its
present condition, aud Engineer Carmichael
said they would not The engineer said it
would take spring tides to moderately fill
the canal, and the only reason that it has
been filled recently is the fact that there
has been unusually high tides.
The discussion kept up from the lower
level TO the middle level, including the mat
ter Of opening the Musgrove creek culvert
| in the bottom of the canal, and thence to
the upper level where the bank is broken,
back again to the middle level and the
practica bility, possibility and impossibility
of Musgrove creek accommodating any
extra supply, until finallysanshour and a
half was consumed before the council got
down to business.
~
| the aldermen did not talk much about the
question, as they had heard all they de-
sired from MIR. Conner, DR.. Drummer and
Engineers Hunter, Vim and Carmichael.
WHAT THE CENTRAL MUST DO.
Alderman Harris offered the following
resolutions, which were unanimously
adopted:
RESOLVED, That the Savannah and Ogeeehee
| Canal Company be and it is hereby required: l.
To clean out and remove from within the city
| limits, all vegetable matter debris and other
Objectionable matter in the Ogeechee canal
! and TO so grade the canal as to permit the
river water to flow in and out of said canal COW
| ering efYectually the bed of the canal at each
tide.
2. That the said company be required to at
once remove from the upper level Of the canal.
| within the city's iurisdioi ion that is to say
| within the corporate limits and one mile beyond
| the corporate limits, all vegetable and decom-
posed matter and to so grade the bottom OF the
canal as to relieve and drain it Of all staRnAnt
water.
ResolUed further. That the drainage com
| mittee be and it is hereby instructed to take
| charge Of and have carried out, the purposes of
| this resolution, reporting to the mayor from
time TO time the progress of the work, all Of
the work contemplated under this resolution to
be completed on or before May l, 1898
THE TIMBER BASINS TO BE CLEANED.
After disposinR of the Central railroad
matter DR.. Drummer called the councils at
teDtion to the unsanitary condition of the
timber basins adjoining the canal, belonging
to the Lowell estate. Alderman Harris
offered the following resolutions on this
subject, which were also unanimously
adopted:
ResolUed That the person or persons owning
timber basins on the north side of the canal
near Gays lock, be required to drain the same
and remove therefrom all decomp0sing and
other matter preiudicisl to the public health
the work to be done at once under the direction
OF the health officer and city engineer. and to
be completed not later than the 18th Of April
1893.
RESOLVED further, That upon failure of said
owners to comply with this resolution the city
shall do the work at their expense.