The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-08-14
GENERAL PREsENrmFNrs

savannah, Ga, aug. 10, lS4.-HOn.
Robert Falhgant, Judge of the Superior
Court, Eastern Judicial Circuit. Savan-
nah Ga: As the grand jury of the su-
perior court for the June term of 1894
we offer these general presentments.
JUSTICES DOCKETs.
The dOckets and books of the various
magistrates have been carefully exam
med, and all, excepting Magistrate Mel
son of the Sixth district whom we CON
slider incompetent, were found to be cor
rect and neatly kept, rejecting credit
upon the officers. We think that all
cases continued upon the dOckets should
be returned TO the superior court. as the
law directs, and we recommend that this
be insisted upon by the solicitor
We ind that there is no provision made
for the expenses incurred and services
rendered by the magistrates in the arrest
and commitment of criminals. This, we
think, should be remedied aud We would
respectfully recommend that this matter
be referred to the county commissioners,
and would request that they consult with
the several magistrates regarding same
aud would further recommend that on
the conviction Of criminals arrested by
them that they be paid $500 in INSIDE
meauor cases, and $500 in felony cases.
We recommend that the number of
magistrates in the city districts be re-
duced one-haf
COUNTY OFFICERS.
The books and records of the several
county onicerS have been examined, and
same found to be correctly and neatly
kept. The books were written up to date
as near as practicable.
The Ureasurer's office is in need Of
better facilities for the filing of papers.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS
We find the court house we'll kept and
IN good order. save the plasteriug over
head, which is cracked and should be re-
paired.
The county treasurer's Office is greatly
in need of proper safe wherein to keep
the records OF that office. AT present all
the papers and books have to be kept in a
wooden bookcase.
in the offices and vaults of the superior
court, city court and ordinary, we find
the need of gratings to each window in
order to protect the valuable papers in
said places.
The Jail we find we'll kept and in good
condition, except the iron steps, two OF
which are broken and need immediate re-
pair Weather strips are also needed in
two of the office windows.
EDUCATION.
We find the several public schools in
good condition, neat and well cared for
As to the crowded condition Of the
there was a communication in the MORN
ING News of we find that
owing to the great number Complications
for admission to that school, it became
necessary to convert the large exhibition
hall into classroom, in order to main
tain proper ventilation. The hall is cur
tanned off for this purpose, and whilst it
is somewhat inconvenient, we consider it
great benefit, in that it avoids over
eTowding the ether classrooms. $780,
CONVICT CAMPS.
We find after a careful inspection of
the several convict camps their condition
to be as follows: 80
There are at present in the three camps
100 prisoners-l37 men, u women aud
81 boys; three men and one boy being
whites.
At Camp No. l, 81 men, 10 boys and II
women.
AT Camp No 2, 80 men.
At Camp No. 3, ~ men and 10 boys
We find sick, men a Camp No /, and
2 men at Camp No. 3
We find the condition of Camp No. l
much improved and in as good a condition
as the nature of the buildings, ETC., will
permit
At Camp No. we find the prisoners
tents in very bad condition, not sufficient
to keep out the rain. This, however, we
are glad to learn, has, since our visitation
been remedied to great extent.
Camp No. is in fair condition.
The food supplied at the several camps
is of good quality and sufficient quantity
The cOnvicts appear to be in good condi-
tiOn and usually contented with rauons
and treatment
In the matter of the whipping of the
convict, Charles Thompson, we concur
with the findings of the county commits
sioners.
In regard to the punishment OF convicts
we would make the following recommend
ations, namely: That the law governing
the state penitentiary conviCts in this re-
gard be made the law of the Chatham
county chain-gang, and that the captain
of each camp be appointed whipping
boss.
We further recommend the erection of
new permanent camp at the poor farm,
whore a reformatory for young offenders
can be carried into effect, and the youth
full cOnvicts kept separate and away from
the influences of the older criminals.
The present mode of claiming and hous.
ing youths of from 10 TO IA years old with
hardened criminals is an outrage on our
civilization.
1t is our opinion that a sufficient num-
Der of hogs can be kept and raised on the
poor farm, which would consume the
waste of the farm and also be a source of
revenue.
After a careful and thorough examina-
ton of the drainage work which is being
done by the county, we find same to be
progressing as favorably and rapidly as
the forces employed will permit
The plan to utilize the Ogeechee canal
for drainage purposes, which was adopted
by the former board of county commits
sioners, and which was prevented from
being put into execution by the change in
the management of the Central railroad,
we recommend that the same be now
taken up by the present board and pushed
to completion
We recommend that the county e1gi-
neer be furnished with two centrifugal
pumps with the necessary engines as the
present means of pumping is entirely in
adequate. This expenditure, in our opin-
Ion, will prove a great economy, both as
TO saving of time and keeping the men
from working so much in the water
ROADS AND BRIDGES
Under this head we will state that we
have given the above matter careful CON
sideration and a thorough inspection, and
we are 10th to admit that the roads Of
Chatham county are not credit to a
county Of her wealth and Importance
We find the Bay street extension, from
the Central railroad crossing TO its termi-
nus at the Augusta road in a very bad