The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-28
MINIS SWAMP'S DRAINAGE,
Sanitary Inspector DGSVeT6erS' Report
Concerning II.

Another Inspection of the Canal-The
Proof the Inspector Submits of It's
Condition-Some Suggestions Con-
cerniEg 1.-THE Canal Damned in
Several Places.
i see that complaints continue to be
made about the Minis swamp canal and
the condition of the lands for which it is
the drainage outlet, :" Inspector Desvergers
of the Citizens Sanitary Association was
asked.
Yes, the racket on that line is evi-
IDENTIFY being kept up by land owners and
lessees who expect thereby to divert the
county commissioners or city authorities
from legitimate drainage work in behalf
of the public to that which will improve
lands used for the benefit of private in
terests or held for future speculation. -
answered the inspector
The inspector said in reference to the
Minis swamp canal that he has during
the past week made another inspection of
il, taking an early morning start in order
to avoid the hot sun, as he had to perform
the task on foot, it being impossible to
ride in the swamp, and that he had there
fore been able to make a very careful ex-
animation OF the canal. He found that that
portion OF the canal which runs through
the city domain, from a few Yards below
the OgeechGe road culvert to the SDl,inC-
field plantation, contains considerable
vegetab growth, but that the growth
has not yet become so rank as to affect
materially the water flow, as the canal
has continued to discharge until the
water has got down in it to but a few
inches of depth, thereby making a fall of
about three feet from the level of the
swamp to that of the water in the
canal, and effecting such a thorough
drainage of the land that garden vege-
tables are now growing upon it within a
few feet of the brink of the canal on both
the Minis tract and the land opposite to it.
as any person may see in passing over the
culyert at the Ogeechee road.
A VISIBLE PROOF
The inspector says the fact that garden
vegetables can be grown at the brink of
the canal on the lowest ground of the
Minis tract, demonstrates the unfairness
OF those who are clamoring at the county
commissioners about the drainage con
ditionS of the other very much higher
portions, in fact high lands. of the Minis
tract and the Baker tract adjoining it. 3
lie suggests that if good drainage CON
ditiOns are all that is requisite to make
".
they can soon attain beatitude by taking
the cattle off of their lands and reopening
the drains which formerly kept them as
dry as an ash barrel especially now
that they have the advantage of
a fall several feet lower than
the old natural channel of the swamp
upon which drainage formerly depended
for an outlet
On the day that he inspected the canal
no af,,ts. :, L,
mead OF cattle grazing on these lands. the
fields formerly cultivated having been
turned into pasture for dairy cows and
other cattle
SHOULD BE REMOVED AT ONCE.
The inspector says. however, that the
Vegeta Die growth should be removed from
the Minis canal as soon as the work upon
other drains more needful of attention
shall be completed.
IL is a question whether the county
commissioners regard it the duty of the
county authorities to clean out that por-
uon or the canal which runs through the
cltys domain, nearly all of the canal west
OF the Ogeechee road being on land be-
longing to the city.
The inspector reports, in reference to
the Ogeechee canal, that it is now prac-
tlcable to keep the lower level of the
canal flowed the lower lock having been
repaired, but that the ash logs with
which the canal is filled have not been
doomed TO either side of the camel so as to
permit free passage in the center of it,
and that, consequently, the logs have col
Iected across the canal catching drift
matter and otherwise obstructing the
canal.
THE CANAL DAMNED.
He also reports that the Ogeechee canal
mas been damned entirely across at a
point about fourth of a mile from the Tel
1alr brtdgeand thewatcr thereby backed
and collected between the dam and the
next level above it until this portion of
the canal has been converted into still
water lake, which, if permitted to remain,
VIII seriously affect public health in the
nelghborhood. At another point n foot
dam has been built across the waterway
IN the canal recently cut in its center to
AFFORD vent for the downward flow of the
water from the level below the Telfair
bridge. The inspector made a report of
the matter yesterday to the county COM
nllssloners and had since seen Mr.. Gugie
Bourquln, who now has the canal in
charge, and the latter says that he will
see that the drains are removed without
delay.