The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-28


ucular individual or Individuals
me present rules Tor the government
OF the convict forces. which have not
been changed materially since the inaugu-
ration INTO office Of this board. need re-
VISION and the committee on chaiu-a-are-
IS hereby instructed TO present TO this
board Tor adoption a complete set OF rules
Ior me management and government Of
the convict forces of Chatham county.
Mr. Dale moved as a substitute that his
report, as mentioned above, pass His re-
port put all the blame on Mai Blandford
There was considerable discussion as to
Whether all the evidence should be read,
the decision finally being in the negative.
MI Dale called the ayes and hayes on his
subs utute. It is needless to say how the
vote stood. The substitute was defeated,
and the foregoing resolution. by Commits
sloner Carson, was passed by the usual
vote.
This, as I understand it, is an admis-
sion,' Mr.. Dale said. that We are incom-
petent to reach q verdict"
IF you desire it that way, why, all
right" Commissioner Carson said.
Commissioner Carson then reported that
the dredge had completed all the work cal
culated TO be done by it on the new Casey
canal, and the board adjourned.
The commissioners first took up the mat
ter of the distribution among the poor of
the $500 placed in their hands by the Sa-
vannah Benevolent Association for that
purpose. A suggestion was made that the
amount be divided among the charitable
institutions and distributed in this way,
but Chairman Dale suggested that as the
clty had been given s., 800 for distribution
in the city, il was intended that this
amount should be distributed in the coun-
ty outside this city.
Commissioner Carson moved that the
distribution of the amount be left to the
tx IL 10
chairman. This committee has numerous
applications for aid from poor people, and
it was suggested that there would be no
difficulty in properly distributing this
fund. The motion Of Mr.. Carson was
adopted and the $500 will be distributed
by the committee on county poor, in such
a manner as the committee may see fit.
This matter brought up the complaint
of Thomas d. Downing and wife to the
effect that they were applicants for c"uc-
ty aid, but had been unable to receive
proper attention from the ladies OF the
Louisa Porter Home, which has in charge
the distribution of the county fund. This
letter, which went back over two years
was referred to the ladies of the home
and a report asked for.
The statement from the vice president,
Mrs. George j. Baldwin, showed that Mrs.
Downing has been visited on several oc-
casiOns by the ladies of the home. IL was
found at one time lndL buWhlAS tAiAA MS
wife were getting $14 a month from one
source and 81. from the Catholic church.
When Downing became ILL., however, he
and his wife were given $3.50 a month our
ing the summer, and wood ticket ana
clothing in the winter
The report stated the wood tickets
from some cause had never been presented,
and that subsequently when some of the
ladies' called on Mrs. Downing, they were
treated in an extremely rude manner. Inc
ladies' she stated were ready to put Mrs.
Downing's name on the books again II 1t
was shown that she and her husband were
in need. The matter was referred to the
committee on poor with power to act
well gentlemen" Mr.. Dale said, are
we ready to build or not to build the Skid
away bridge? That's the question"
Mr.. Carson wanted TO know, If they
decided to build the bridge, whether the
former plans and bids were still in force.
Mr.. Chaplin did not think the bidders
could be held to them II the materials
to be used had advanced in price.
Mr.. j. r. Saussy. the county attorney,
read the acts of 1870 and 1871, with regard
to the bridge and the Skidaway road, the
one declaring them part of the public
highways Of Chatham county and the
other giving the local authorities the
power to alter abolish or change these
highways the same as if the law of 1870
had not been passed.
"To facilitate discussion on the subject"
Or Charlton said Il viii simply say
am opposed to the bridge" He based
his opposition to the bridge on the small
value of the property on the island, which
pays yearly taxes of only about 500 In
view of the more important work In the
county, he was opposed to building and
maintaining the bridge On this account
he moved that the bridge be abolished.
Mr.. Kehoe thought, in view of the two
laws. it was sufficient to simply refuse to
build the bridge and he thought this
could be done under the law Of 1871, which
he believed practically repealed the law
declaring the bridge a public highway.
Mr.. Carson said he thought there was
some equity in the position taken by Mr.
w. G. Charlton, but it was so fine, a
court of equity ought to pass on it. The
easiest way to bring this about, he said,
was to refuse to build the bridge and let
the property owners apply 10 the superior
court for an order requiring them to show
cause why they refused to build the
bridge If it was then decided to be the
county's duty to build the bridge, the com
missioners ought to do it.
The commissioners were practically of
one mind on the subject, and a substitute
for Dr. Charlton's motion to the effect
that the commissioners decline to build
the bridge was unanimously passed.
They'll have to cross the ferry for
some time to come" Chairman Dale said
Robert L. Davis appointed constable in
the first district by Justice Louis B. En-
dres, was sworn in as such.
THE LIBEL OF THE DALEGARTH.