The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-16


convicts; white, 6 males aud 1 female;
colored, 76 males and Is females. OF the
as colored males IL are boys Six sick
with fever. The camp aud quarters were
found TO be clean and in good sanitary
condition.
At Camp Walker no. y 46 convicts. all
cOlored, A males and females five sick
with fever The camp and quarters clean
and apparently in good sanitary cOndi-
ton. We would recommend at this camp
that the barracks where the convicts
sleep be Immediately given as good venti-
latiOn as in the barracks at Camp Law
ton. At Camp Walker the convicts are
not given vegetables to eat; as vegetables
are raised in abundance on the poor farm
we would recommend that sufficient
quantity be sent to the camp to be fed to
the convicts at least twice a week, and If
not raised on the farm in sufficient
quantities to supply both camps, that
they be purchased for that purpose.
THERE'S temporary or movable campat
Sackville, in tents, with about % cOnyicts
The committee did not visit this camp,
but learned at Camp Lawton that the
convicts were all well and in good cOndi-
ton. These convicts are kept in this way
as matter of convenience and economy
of time to do work at a distance from the
other camps. We learn that the convicts
now are only allowed about one hour for
dinner. We also learn that it was the
custom in former years to allow them
from two to three hours for dinner and
rest during the heat of the summer. We
recommend that the former custom be
adopted as we think the percentage of
sick too great, and we are led to believe
that it is due in a great measure to too
much hard work in the hottest part of
the day.
ROADS AND BRIDGES.
The many roads and bridges of the
county have been inspected; we find:
The White Bluff road in very good CON
dition with exception of overhanging
limbs.
The Montgomery cross road in partic-
ularly good condition.
The Beaulieu road in good order.
The Sl1idaway road, that portion
shelled, in good order; the balance of it
very sandy, and the way so tortuous as
to require the inhabitants of Isle of Hope
to drive mile further than necessary.
In this connection we would urge the
county commissioners to hasten the
building of the direct line as recommend
ed by former grand jury, and for which
purpose s., 10000 was added to the yearly
budget.
The Burckhalter road in very bad or
der, particularly the further end; where
the Florida Central and Peninsular rail
way crosses this road is almost impassi-
BILE for buggy, entirely so for a heavily
loaded wagon.
The Ogeechee road, the Fort Argyle, the
Little Ogeechee neck, and the Pine Bar
row roads in fair condition; where the
Florida Central and Peninsular crosses
the Ogeechee road is not properly
bridged.
The Augusta road in very good condi-
ton; the Louisville road in bad condition
The Cheves road is overtiowed at every
heavy and prolonged rainfall. The bed
of this road is very low; it passes through
two large swamps, that are with almost no
outlet. The bitches formerly constructed
to take these swamp waters to the salt
marshes having grown up, causes thewa-
ter to back up, rendering this road in wet
weather almost impossible.
In reporting the condition of these
roads, the comparison is simply as one
against the other. They are all only
apologies for highways to large city,
scarcely more than clearings through the
forest.
We find the majority of the bridges
needing repairs and this will always be
the case where wooden structures are
used. The short-sighted economy of pay
ing $4,000 for a wooden bridge to span
so feet, TO last six and ten years, when
one of iron could be constructed for $1,000
that would last, with attention, one hun
dred years, should be done away with.
| In the smaller openings piping or brick
culverts should be used according to ca
pacity necessary.
The taxpayers hoped that when a re-
cent grand jury furnished the county au-
thorities with good road implements at
an expense of s., 0000 90, that an impetus
had been given to this much required ne
cessity, but with the exception of large
expenditures on two unused roads, the
tools have been allowed to rust for want
of use.
We understand right of way has been
given the county for road leading from
about the "a miles on the White Bluff
road through Messrs. Graham and
DeRenne's places; such cross road
would be of immense convenience to the
public, and we hope it will be constructed.
Chatham county should wake up and
fall in the line of progress as re-
CARDS roads, and not be content with
what Oglethorpe left us. Not re-
main idle, declaring that until the swamps
are drained the roads cannot be properly
constructed. A road twelve miles long,
traversing five or six swamps, eleven
twelfths of it to remain unimproved be-
cause one twelfth is not properly drained.
Chatham county is badly supplied with
the necessary material for road covering,
but we should do the best with what we
have We have no stone, no gravel, but
we have very good clays which, if judi
C GU sly applied with our S and, makes toll
eraOly good covering This should be
used, for while it does not makes perfect
road, it at least makes one suited for the
country folks to bring us their produce,
and thereby enhance the lands of the
county and lessen the burden of living in
the city.
If the roads of a county are a correct
test of the extent of it's civilization, what
must be thought of Chatham county,
We find that the important work of
county drainage, which has been so Wig
orously prosecuted by the county commits
sioners, is most seriously interfered with
and damaged by trampling of cattle. The
most practical remedy for this evil is the
establishment of the stock law, but the
voters of the county have refused TO
adopt this law and we urgently invite
the attention of our representatives in
the general assembly to this matter so
vital to the health of the community, and
recommend that special law be passed
authorizing the impOunding of all cattle
found trespassing on the public drains,
and that the owners of such cattle be
made liable for the damage done by their
stock to the public drains and canals.
We return our thanks to your honor
for the very able charge given to US at the
beginning of the term and for the courte-
sizes extended us during our service. To
tho solicitor general Mr. Fraser we are