The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-25
PREsENTMENTs

IN The Honorable, the Superior Court Of
Chatham County:
The grand jurors Of the December term,
,s91 for this honorable court, having investi-
..,ad BY appropriate committees into the
ssarlous departments OF the county govern
.,srt. beg leave 10 submit the following re-
oort and recommendations:
The books and accounts in the offices OF
,bs clark of superior court, the ordinary
oourt sheriff, tax collector. county cons
-,;ssiouers, county treasurer and reoei YER
,,tax returns, have been carefully exam
;rad and found to be correct and neatly and
.ronerly kept. We recommend that a fire.
80 safe OF proper size be Furnished the
66a.1s Il the county treasurer for the pur-
No. " protecting the valuable papers and
youcners belonging 20 that Office. The ac.
counts of the various magistrates and
instioes Of the peace have been examined
And found to be correct and neatly kept
,-ith the following exceptions, viz: Mag
strate A. J. J. Blois Of the Fifth district: the
Gems of charges were excessive, but being
small. ne think the errors were from iRnor-
once Magistrate ". II. MendAl of the
SiItb district; not correct in costs charged In
civil dockets, same being excessive.
Magistrate Mcleod King of the Seventh
district; no books presented, be making
tbe statement that his books were stolen
from bis office. Magistrate Richard Adams
of the Seventh district; books not correctly
keDt from ignorance or 1ncompetenoy
Magistrate Van r. Winkler, Eighth dis
trict: no books presented, he making the
statement that his books were sent 90 the
sberitf's Office last June for examination, and
when sent for by him they could not be
found.
In the matter OF fees allowed magistrates
for COST we find that the law allows city
magistrates nearly double the amount that
Is allowed to magistrates in the country dis
tricts, and it appears that owing to the
small compensation, and oftentimes no COM
peusstion at all, especially In criminal
cases, it is very difficult to I'LL these offices
with comnetent officials, and we would
recommend that there be no distinction in
rates of charges allo we'd. and. furthermore,
that some provision be made for expenses OF
criminal arrests and delivery of pris-
oners made by country magistrates. The
magistrates in the country districts state
that they are not allowed to serve as man
ayers Of elections, and we ask that those
whose duty it is to look into such matters to
give yAis their attention and find out why
they are debarred from acting as managers
Of elections.
The Jail, and all pertaining thereto, was
found in good condition, as also was the
county court house.
From unavoidable circumstances it was
impossible to visit each school house, but
those visited we're found to be in fair con-
dition. The Henry Street school being first
class in every respect. The sanitary condi-
ton In all the schools seems to be in very
good condition, except at the negro school
on East Broad street, which should have
larger closets and more cleanliness.
There is want OF exit at the Massie
school, scholars having to pass through
other rooms than their own in going in and
out Of the building. II possible, the steps
leading to the upper story in this building
should be changed so as to make
them less winding and not 80
steep. We recommend as follows for
schools: /, To do away with stoves
and to heat all buildings with steam or hot
water. 2, To have the desks so placed as to
receive the light to best advantage. 3, To
have all doors opened outwArdly. 4, To
have the principal Of each school drill the
children IN the fire drill. 5, To build more
school houses for both whites and negroes.
as nearly all of the Glasses are crowded.
The committee on roads and bridges found
the public roads and bridges in fair condi-
ton, with the following exceptions: The
Augusta road at Augustine causeway needs
raising to prevent washing from overflow
in times Of freshets and heavy rains. The
OReechse road needs grading and raising at
a point about midway between the sixth
and seventh mile posts. The Buckhalter
road and bridges on the road are IN q very
bad condition, being, from want Of grading,
80 badly cut into deep ruts and bog-holes as
to be almost impossible to lightly loaded
vehicles and useless to heavily loaded ones
whilst the bridges are dangerous to cross.
The Waters road between Lovers lane and
Estill avenue, we find to be in a very bed
the track of the Electric Rail-
way Company interfering very seriously
with the drainage, and we recommend i'm
mediate attention to this portion of the
road. We deem it proper to call attention
to the utter inadequenCy of the present
system Of repairing the public roads which
we presume had Its origin in the early set
Element of tie country, and during the
continuance of slave labor met the require
ments, but with the rapid improvements
being made in this county, better highways
are an absolute necessity, not only for the
purpose OF cheapening the moving of farm
products, but as an inducement to would-be
settlers ana producers, besides being a sure
means Of advancing values of landed prop
erty, and to meet this end we would recon-
mend raising a fund suitable for the pur-
pose by taxation both per capita and on
vehicles.
we also recommend that sign or finger
boards be placed at the initial points and at
cross roads, showing names of road
and distances from court house, for as it
now is, it is difficult matter
for those not acquainted with the county to
make their way clear.
At the convict camps, we find at camp
No. ninety-two prisoners with only five
cases of slight sickness, and forty-seven
prisoners at camp No. 2, with only two
cases of sickness. The camps Rre in good
condition, and the prisoners we'll managed
aud their services put to the very best use
for the county, by draining the lowlands.
We would recommend that better facilities
be provided for cooking as at camp No. l
the brick oven is in very bad condition.
Those county officials whose DUTY it is to
report to the grand jury any public moneys
that may pass through their hands, have
done so, and we find their accounts cor
rect.
In regard to the methods employed in
conducting elections in Chatham county we
must say that they are demoralizing in the
extreme, and are u scandal on the fair name
Of our county. Every effort should be
made by this community for speedy rem
edy. The practices are 10 violation or the
law and Of good morals.
Ii Ia an admitted fact that votes are
publicly offered to the highest bidder, and
yet it is impossible for the grand jury to
obtain evidence Of such character as to well
Justify 'true bill" That the full power
Of the law should be invoked especially by
the officers whose duty it is to detect
crime, aud present those offenders TO the
grand it,rxy 10 nd, Cd NV lI