The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-26
COUNTY OFFICERS SWORN IN.
Treasurer Russell, Collector MCGOWAN
and Constaples Take the Oath.


Treasurer Russell, Collector MCGOWAN
and Constables Take the Oath.
An adjourned meeting of the county
commissioners was held yesterday after
noon. Commissioners Read, Estill and
Smart, and Clerk Dillon were present. The
meeting was devoted chiefly to receiving
the bonds of the newly~elected county Of
ficials and administering the oath of office.
Treasurer Warning Russell and Tax Coli
lector j. j. MCGOWAN presented their bonds
and received their commissions.
Isaac r.. Nathans and Edward 9. Harti-
gan Cwhite) and Samuel Robinson, Robert
Mcintosh and Linus Green (colored) pre-
scented bonds to the amount OF $500 each
and were sworn in as constables, having
been elected at the recent magistrates cleo
tion.
Morris B. Ketchum and Frank B. Quin-
ley, who we're elected on the face of the re-
turns as constables OF the Fourth district,
presented their bonds. There was some
discussion over the question of allowing
them to be sworn in, notice of a contest of
the election having been filed with the COM
nissioners by O'Connor & O'Byrne ten
days previously.
Col Estil moved that Ketohum and
Quinley be sworn in. He held that the
| attorneys for the contestants should have
been present at the meeting or should have
filed their plea In advance.
Mr.. Smart favored a postponement, with
notice TO the contestants to appear at the
next meeting. DR.. Read, who presided, SO
decided. The clerk was ordered to prepare
the title deeds for the transfer of the Kelly
property, through which the Meridian road
passes
A request was received from Janitor
Donovan for extra compensation for serv~
ices In keeping the court house heated at
night during the recent elections and the
night sessions Of the courts. The janitor
was instructed to present bill for the ex-
ira expense to which he had been put by
reason Of the night work.
Capt. Dillon stated that the amount Of
| coal consumed in warming the court house
from Jan. to % was sixteen tons, there be-
ing one day on which two tons were con-
! sumed.
| County Engineer Blandford read his
usual report of the work being done upon
| the eounty's roads and drainage.
The work has been considerably retarded
by the cold weather. The new steam
| dredge, the engineer said, is excavating
| from 450 to 500 cubic yards OF earth day.
The cost is about cents per cubic yard.
With the oonvicts. Maj. Blandtord said, the
lowest that work Of this character
had been done at was IL cents
per cubic yard. The usual CONTRACTS
price is Is cents. These figures he presented
| as showing the advantage of the use Of the
| steam dredge, both in rapidity OF work and
| in reduced cost
MAI. Blandford gave a statement of the
number of convicts on the force each month
since be has had charge OF the chain-gang,
as follows:
June 1877. July 1919, August IA, Septem-
Der $50, October 144, November 12l, De-
cember 119, average for seven months 135.
There are now 1877 convicts on his force
A consideraSl e percentage Of the force,
he said, is always disabled from disease and
| the results of their mode of life, and be-
sides the force always included number Of
women aud boys. Consequently the chain.
| gang force could not be expected under the
| best OF conditions even to accomplish the
| same amount of work in the same time as a
like number OF able-bodied men.
Maj. Bradford mentioned curious fact
| in connection with Chatham county's sys-
tenn Of road mileage. 1t is "long mileage
he said. Ia other words. nearly
every mile Is more than mile long.
Instead Of having $3.50 feet to the mile,
the proper distance, anywhere from 800 TO
| $500 feet is allotted to the mile Maj. Bland
ford said he could not understand how this
state of affairs came about
Col. Estil remarked that the roads we're
probably measured Off with grape vine or
| a trace chain.
DR.. Read said the miles had probably
been stepped OFF, aud the party who under
took the work had a bad memory and for
| got how many steps he had taken.
MIR. Smart thought the miles had doubt
less been made long to bring the country
| people nearer to town.
The engineer was instructed to push the
! work on the Meridian road.