The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-21
THEY WANT GOOD ROADS.
The County Commissioners Desire the
County Highways Improved.

Probably Be Taken Up at the Next
Meeti ng of the Board-Some Of the
Commissioners Favor the Early
Completion of the Meridian Road.
Believed That an Issue of Bonds Is
the Proper Means for Providing for
Their Improvement.
The presentments of the grand jury Of
/ the superior court, made day before yes
| terday, were extensively read yesterday,
and they have proved interesting in many
| particulars.
| The thoroughness with which the grand
! Jury went at its work has been COM
mented upon on many sides, and the in
/ terest taken by its members is shown in
| the comments upon the various branches
of the county work aud the recommended
tions made.
The reference to the PUBLIC roads of
the county and the recommendations
with regard to them are a subject of I'M
usual interest. Many new suggestions
are made, and suggestions which many
deem would be practical IN their ezecu-
tion
THE BOND QUESTION.
The idea of the grand jurors, and one
which has been discussed and considered
from every point of view by the county
engineer is that long-term bonds should
be issued by the county for the purpose
of improving the county roads and build
ing others where they are most needed
The present bond issue of the county is a
very small one being confined almost en-
| tirely to the bonds on the court house
| The issue, therefore, for the purpose of
improving the roads would not be bur-
den.
The idea does not contemplate the do
ing away with the present road laws of
the state, by which road duty is de-
manded of each citizen, but modification
of that law which would make the work
! more effective.
THE PLAN IN VIEW.
II cOntemplates the fixing of certain
road tax in lieuOf road duty as at present,
but modification of the law whereby
that road duty can be made more effect
i've should any citizen desire to do the
work instead of paying the tax. The
road commissioners have not the means
at their command for properly enforcing
this law as it stands at present, and they
find great trouble in having the roads
worked as they ought to be.
The issue of bonds, too, it is believed,
would put the burden largely on the fu-
ture generation, which could more easily
provide for its payment than could the
present, and which would also derive
larger benefits from the improvements of
the county roads.
THE MERIDIAN ROAD.
The idea of the completion OF the
Meridian road, while not new one, is
presented in new form, as the grand
jury has appropriated s., 900 for that pur-
pose, in order TO give the county one good
road as soon as possible, on which tolls
are not charged.
The use of the convicts on the roads,
too. is urged. This does not apply to the
! cOnvicts employed in the drainage work,
who are sent out to the gang for INSIDE
meanors, but to the long-term con-
victs, within certain prescribed limit,
who are now sent to work out their terms
in the state penitentiary.
Some of the county commissioners view
the matter of good roads In most favor
able light. Chairman Dale has ALWAYS
urged road improvements, and believes in
an economical improvement of them
whenever possible. He has expressed
himself, however, in some of the commits
| sioners' meetings as somewhat averse to
the immediate completion of the Meridian
road, which he thinks Is not an urgent
necessity.
FOR GOOD ROADS.
DR.. Charlton, too, is a strong believer
in road improvement. When seen yester-
day he did not care to express himself so
far as the presentments of the grand Jury
are concerned, but said that some inter
esting discussions would probably devel-
OPP at the next meeting of the commission
| erS. He believes that the county will
| ultimately have to issue bonds for the
improvement of the roads up to the county
lines, and would like to see all the main
roads either macadamized or paved. He
was particularly interested in the recon-
mendation of the grand jury with regard
to the immediate consideration of the
construction of the new convict camp as
| permanent quarters for the county con-
! victs. His ideas on this line are well
known, as his opinions, stated in the meet
ings OF the commissioners, have been fire.
! quently published.
AN ADVOCATE OF ROAD IMPROVEMENT.
| Commissioner Carson was sick yester-
! day and could not be seen, but he is
known to favor some plan for the i'm
! prOvement of the county roads, and he
! has stated at times that he believed the
long term bond idea a good one He
is impressed with the idea that
the Improvement of the county
roads is one of the most
important subject matters before the
commissioners, and 1t is his opinion that
an issue of bonds for improving the roads
would accomplish the object without put
ting any severe burden on the county.
and that it would place a proper portion
of the expense of their construction and
improvement where it should be, on the
future generations, who would be most
benefited by their use
p,vro.,, -,
Commissioner Kehoe said last night
that he had no doubt that a bond issue
was the proper thing The county, he
said, is not burdened with bonds, the
only issue being an almost insignificant
one which was put on the court house.
! The improvement of the roads in this
manner, he says, would develop large
amounts of land in the southern and west
/ ern part of the county which are almost
| inaccessible now on account of sandy or
/ DOGGY roads. 1t would put lands which
! are five or six miles from the city he
! said on par with those much nearer
! town, as the distance makes very little
! difference when the roads are in good
/ condition for hauling. He was very
! favorably impressed with the idea Of
! completing the Meridian road, which,
/ he said, promised to be one of the
! best roadways in this section of the
/ state. 1t would also be an ad-
| vantage to the county, he SAID, as the
L..