The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-14
GRAND JURY FAVORS BONDS
An Issue Noe to Exceed 100000
for Road Improvements.

The Grand Jury Regards the Road
Law and the Means for Maintaining
Decent County Roads Entirely In
adequate and Recommends the Is
suance of Not to Exceed 100000
Per Cent. Thirty-Year Bonds-The
County Commissioners to Decide
whether They Favor the Issue and
if they Do Then the Question Will
Be Voted on by the People.
The grand Jury of the superior court
yesterday recommended tho issue of not
to exceed S5OO, 600 county bonds for road
improvement The recommendation is
based on a thorough examination Of the
county roads, which the grand jury in its
report says are not a credi: TO a county
of the wealth and Importance of Chat
ham.
The grand jury reached the conclusion
that the present road laws in this county,
and the means at hand for repairing and
maintaining decent roads, are entirely
inadequate, and it can see only one rem
edy for the existing evil, which is the is
sue of bonds.
In its recommendation the grand
Jury recommends that the issue does not
exceed S5OOO 600 bearing interest not to
exceed > per cent and to run thirty years
the issue to be voted on at the January
election for county officers. This, the
grand jury says. would place portion of
the burden upon those who in the future
will reap the benefits, not only of good
roads and available lands, but in the in
crease of the value of all the reclaimed
lands.
MORE THAN PAY THE INTEREST.
1t is the opinion of the grand jury,
based upon a careful inves tigation of the
subject, that the increased value of the
lands and placing them upon the taxable
list will more than pay the interest on the
bond issue. II will also afford
employment to large number
of men now out of employment
in the county, and will enable the
system of drainage now in progress to be
completed at an early day, thus increaS-
ing the healthfulness of the city.
There are now in this county 200, 600
acres of land. only 20 900 of which are I'M
der cultivation, leaving balance of ls0,-
600 acres uncultivaJed and unremunera-
tive, but which, by a proper system of
drainage and good and sufficient roads,
could be made available and which would
then invite investment and largely in
crease the taxable property ofthe county.
Under the presents conditions, with only
the force of cOnviCts at the disposal of the
county commissioners, for the purposes
of drainage and road making, the object
most deyoutly to be wished for cannot
be attained within the next twenty years.
The report gives the condition of the
various roads in the county as the grand
jury found them.
LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED.
The grand jury recomm ends that thu
senator from this district and the repre-
sentatives from Chatham county in the
legislature be instructed to procure such
legislation at the coming session as will
enable the county to issue the bonds.
There seems to Oe a difference of opinion
as to how the issue of the bonds is to be
authori4 ed. County Attorney Saussy was
asked what the next step will be. He
said trat it now rests with the county
commissioners 20 decide whether in their
opinion the necessity exists for the issue
of the bonds as recommended the action
of the grand jury being simply a recon-
mendation. If the commissioners decide
that tue necessity exists, then the matter
will be submitted TO the people.
The law provides that an election
shall be held for the purpose of
voting on the question. In this instance,
however, the grand Jury recommends that
it be voted upon at the coming January
election for county officers to save the eX-
pense of special election. To whatever
election the matter is submitted twill
require two-thirds of the qualified voters
OF the county to authorize the
issuance of the bonds The tally
lists of the last general election,
which, in this case, will be the
coming fall election, must be taken
as a correct enumeration of the
qualified voters. The usual thirty
days notice is required for the election.
The amount of bonds is TO be stated for
what purpose they are to be issued what
interest they are to bear; how much
principal and interest are to be paid an
nually, and when to be fully paid off.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL LIMIT.
The constitution prohibits the issue of
any bonds of the character of those which
the grand jury recommends for greater
amount than per cent. of the taxa BILE
property of the county. The valuation
of county property, according to the tax
receivers digest just made up is $3O,0l9,-
4I9. Seven per cent. of that amount
which is the limit of the amount of bonds
which the county can issue is, in round
numbers, 81, 800, 900 more than the limit
OF the bonds which it is proposed to issue
Unless the county commissioners decide it
is not advisable to issue the bonds
there is no need for any legisla ton. In
event Of such action a special act of the
legislature may be secured compelling the
holding of the election In that case the
act would authorize the election, and the
judge Of the superior court would order
IL held.
If the matter is voted on at the next
county election the tally sheets of the
coming October election will be taken as
the enumeration of the qualified voters of
the county, and of that number two
thirds must vote for the issuance of the
bonds in order to accomplish the purposes
OF the election. AS there is likely TO be
no opposition IN the coming election, the
chances are that small vote will be
polled, and in consequence, the mum Der
OF voters at the January election qualified
10 vote on the bond question, would be
small There is a question whether all
Of the voters qualified by registration TO
vote for county officers at the January
election would be qualified to vote on the
issuance of bonds.
Welded IN BAITIMORE