The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-15
WILL PUSH THE DRAINAGE.
Commissioner Carson on the ImpOT-
lance Of the Work.


Steps That VIII Be Taken This
Spring to Abate the Nuisances Com
planned of-These Two Canals to Be
Pushed to Completion within a
Year.
The question of drainage in and around
the city is one of which many citizens Of
both the city and county are thinking
Just now.
Although the summer season, when
masses Of decaying vegetation in pools of
stagnant water under the July and Au-
gust suns become hotbeds Of disease aud
sickness, is some distance off, still the
question has been raised whether the
county drainage will have progressed far
enough by that time to remedy, to a great
extent. these evils, which are especially
obnoxious when they are near the city or
center Of population.
Complaints in years gone by have been
frequent Sickness in numerous COM
munities in the hot season has been at
tributed TO these sources, and the de-
mand now is for condition of things by
summer time which will relieve these
sections from the nuisances 10 which they
nave OtGu buulCCbbu Aub AAA1btUA u0o
been frequently mentioned of late by
citizens Of the city and county, and in
Quiries have been made as to whether
tie commissioners will see that those
low, marshy places just south and south
east of the corporate limits are drained
during the wet season.
THE CANALS NOW BEING WORKED.
The new Casey canal, when completed,
will be some five or six miles long, and
will drain about thirteen and one
half square miles of territory
between the White Bluff and
Thunderbolt roads, just southeast OF the
city. This is the main work of drainage
now being pushed by the county. Work
is also being done on the Dundee canal,
which is to drain the section of the
county just southwest of the city.
The work on the new Casey canal has
been going on now for about twenty
months. and but little over a mile and a
quarter Of it has been completed There
have been many queries as to why this
work has Jagged. Its well known that
the work on It has not been steady, and
as it is work Of so great Importance to
the health Of the county, many are asking
the question as to why this has been the
case.
CHAIRMAN CARSON TALKS.
Chairman Carson, of the drainage COM
was asked about the matter yesterday.
He is aware, he said, that the work has
not progressed as rapidly as it might have
done.
THE board had not been organized
long" Mr.. Carson said, before the chair
man Of the commissioners, without any
action on the part OF the board, took the
entire force from Camp No. l, which was
at work on the new Casey canal. and had
them put on the Buckhalter and Mont
gomery cross roads. This caused, think,
delay of about two weeks
again, the differences of opinion among
the members of the board last summer
caused some delay in one way and another
While the charges which had been pre-
ferred against Mai Blandford were being
investigated the camp forces became, to a
certain extent, demoralized, and there was
some little disaffection among the guards
and superintendent.
Delays were caused also last spring by
the taking of ofa large number of the con-
yicts to attend to the work of cleaning the
drains around the city, which, however,
was necessary. The storm of August
brought about another long delay, and
threw the work far behind. The swamps
werehlled with water. and the men could
not work in them. Then, too, they had to
clean out the bitches and canals which
had been flooded. The work on Dundee
canal was delayed from the same cause
The water flooded somuch of the county's
territory that it was found necessary to
put in trunk on Schwarz avenue at the
Vale Royal mills, and TO raise that road.
This avenue is now two feet above the
high water mark of that storm, which
securely protects all the land owners
west of 1t.
Another cause of delay which believe
has has been mentioned, is a decrease in
the number of conyicts. The county had
the largest number of convicts at work in
July and August it has had at any time
in year. Since that time the number
has been steadily diminishing There
are now only about ninety-six able-bodied
men and boys able to work in the canals.
ROADS IMPORTANT, But DRAINAGE FIRST.
at is certainly important" said Mr..
Carson, "to have good roads, but the
drainage should come first, as commu-
nifty can't be settled or cultivated until it
has been drained. With drainage culti-
Walton is possible, and then comes the de-
mand for better roads
ANY one who visits the county farm
can see the effects of drainage. A portion
of it, which year ago was a salt marsh,
produced this year one of the best rice
crops in this section
Il believe both the new Casey and the
Dundee canals can be completed within a
year, II the forces are maintained, and il
we do not meet again with the difficulties
which were experienced lastyear, which
have just mentioned. There are more
lineal feet of these canals to construct
than has yet been done. but the heaviest
part of the work has been completed, and
think, with no interruption, both canals
will be completed within that time.
think the work so far done has, under the
circumstances, been done well.
NOT OPPOSED TO ROADS.
81 don't want to be put down as CD
posed TO good roads, but I do think the
forces should, for the present, be concen
trated on these two canals, and the work
Of draining these sections pushed tc
completion as early as possible. The
forces will have to stop for awhile in the
spring TO clean the bitches and drains
around the city, as this is q necessary
work for the protection of health, and
should be done twice. a year, and wher
this is done great many of the objec
tionable places around the city will bC
well drained. But l am opposed 10 any
other interruptions of the regular drain
age work.
when the Casey canal is completed
together with the short cut of the De
Renne canal, all that portion of The
county east of the White Bluff road and
west of the Thunderbolt road clear ON