The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-24
PUSHING THE DRAINAGE.
Progress Of the City and County Work
on the LOWlandS.

The Springfield and Vale Royal Plan
tations in Excellent Condition-The
Damming Of the Ogeechee Canal
Causing a Kick Among Land Owners.
The County Unable to Condemn
Land for Drainage Right of Way.
Work Of the Convicts.
Inspector Desvergers of the Citizens
Sanitary Association, in his report to the
committee on public health of the associa-
ton, says that Chairman Folliard is Civ
ing assiduous attention to the work of the
city's drainage department. The officers
which he has in charge of the dry culture
forces of the city maintain excellent con
ditions on the low lands on both TANKS of
the city. His superintendent keeps a
small detachment of laborers regularly
operating under each supervisor of the
two divisions of the work, and yet accomp-
fishes a great deal The intelligent di-
rections of the labor of his detachment,
bysupervisor Baker of the western division
has kept the low lands of the Springfield
and Vale Royal plantations in a condition
which has enabled the lessees to grow
excellent crops on them without suffering,
as formerly, damage from overflow or
saturatiOn.
THE COUNTY's DRAINAGE.
The inspector also reports that the
drainage work of the county commits
siOners is now being intelligently and pro-
excessively directed. The Casey, De Renne
and Hemstead canals have all been
cleaned out as far as the White Bluff
road, and the commissioners have COM
nallad the Nappnr, Ghal1 Road apd (itHy
and Suburban Railroad companies to
clean out and reopen the side bitches
along their roadwaYs.
The work on the Dundee canal proper
has been suspended, and the convict gang
which was engaged on it has been open
ing lateral drains above it, comprising
quite a system of drainage of which it is
the outlet The work on the latter is now
| nearly completed.
LAND OWNERS KICKING.
The work of the city authorities in
dammiug the Ogeechee canal below the
Dundee swamp and diverting the water
into that swamp, is causing much dissat-
lsfactiOn on the part of the land owners
in and along that part of the swamp be-
tween the Ogeechee canal and the Louis
| vile road, who contend that they are being
damaged by having so great quantity of
water thrown into the swamp at that
| point, there being no canal to carry it off
with sufficient rapidity to prevent dam-
| age to the contiguous lands.
The Dundee canal has not been extended
into that part of the swamp, the commits
siOners not having acquired the right of
/ way for it, and having ascertained that
! the law as it now stands ,,does not empow-
| er themto condemn land for drainage right
| of way. T0ey are only empowered to COM
! pei drainage along turnpikes and railroads.
| They havea right to establish a system
of drainage, but can only construct the
| drains on a right of way acquired by gift
or purchase. With a law 80 inadequate,
| 1t is within the power of obstinate land
owners to obstruct the drainage work of
the county, though the commissioners
| have not, so far experienced much trouble
| from that source.
WORK OF THE CONvICTs.
! The inspector reports that the greater
! part of the convict force is now concen-
trated on the Casey canal, and it is ex-
pected that the canal in its entirety, in
Guiding the new cuts and an excellent
l6-foot roadway along the banks will be
completed by March LIST next.
The convict force, operating on the Ca
| seY canal, is divided into two gangs, the
larger of which is kept at work on the
lower end, the Hainer's creek section,
| and the other, a moving detachment, be-
| tween the Hainer's creek section and the
city, at such work as conditions from
time to time require during the progress
of the work as the stages of the weather
in the swamp will permit 1t is now at
work in the vicinity of Sackville.
President Purse of the Merchants and
! Mechanics Building and Loan A ssocia-
| ton is aVailing of the outlet afforded
| for drainage by the Casey canal by open
! ing lateral drains into it, through the
| lands of the company between the Waters
road and Cuyler swamp.