The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-04
GRAND JURY PREsENTMENTs.


Honor Robert Falligant. Judge OF The
Superior Court Eastern judicial cir .ust.
Sir: The grand jury for the June tenn
Of the superior court ask TO submit the
following as their presentment. In COM
pIiance with your charge We have had
committees Sxamine public roads AMI
bridges, convict camps, public buildings.
and the books and records Of the differ
en- officials Of the county. We indorse
as part Of this presentment the recon-
uendations of the different committees
As TO PUBLIC ROADS, BRIDGES AND
DRAINAGE.
The report of the committees appointed
10 examine into the physical condition
o. the same is herewith appended. II
was the intention OF this body TO make
extended recommends lions on the above
subjects; but. after a very careful consid-
Grafton Of the manner in which they have
been treated by previous grand juries,
especially that of the May term, Of 1895,
W. ind that we cannot improve on the
lamentations therein contained and
earnestly indorse, them. and request a
careful perusal by every citizen of the
county.
With proper drainage every section of
the county can be made perfectly healthy
and thousands of acres OF forest lands TT
ted and conditioned for agricultural pur-
poses. These benefits. however, would be
Of little commercial value without
system of properly constructed and
wen maintained highways. No greater
blessing can be bestowed on the farmer
than TO afford him the means If
marketing his product in the most econom-
zeal manner. No better Investment can be
made by a market center than to provide
mi Qf
ton for the produce raised around it. To
accomplish these desirab bic results will re-
Qure an amount much larger than can be
practically raised By taxation.
We ask the earnest consideration of the
people of the recommendations of previous
grand juries, especially that of the last
May term, herewith annexed, on the sub
ject of the issue of long time bonds. This
very important work should be commenced
a. soon. as possible so as to secure at least
a portion of the benefits to the present ger
Grafton. Our children and grandchildren
will bear the burden of the redemption of
these bonds, but when the great increase
in health, wealth and developments of our
resources is considered we will be credited
with having. acted wisely and with far
sighted judgment.
Extracts. from presentments of grand
jury, spring term, 1885:
1t being clearly conceded that results
o. lueStlUldpAe NGAuS Will accrue 90 me
sanitary and industrial conditions of the
county by q vigorous and uninterrupted
prosecution Of the work of drainage, as
projected by the county engineer and
approved by the board of county com
missioners, we earnestly urge all dill
gence in forwarding the work aud tie
Use of ali such mechanical appliances as
viii facilitate the work, especially rotary
pumps and requisite portable engines,
as previously recommended The grand
jury in body visited the Blandford, or
new Casey, canal and are happy to express
their high appreciation of it's value and
efficiency We have to deplOre any diver
sion of the convict force from the work.
We urge an immediate renewal of nego-
tlations with the authorities of the Central
railroad looking to the utilization cf the
Ogeechee canal as a part of the drainage
system of the county. In this connection,
with view to increase the force for the
work and in recognition of the fact that
the terms OF the lease of the states col-
Victs will soon determine, we respectfully
ask our representative, the Hon. I. ID.
Rockwell, to prepare and introduce TO
the legislature at its next session sI.h
bill for enactment as will secure to this
county the allotment of all its convicts fo-
labor upon works of public improvement.
To the support of such measure we in
woke the offices and influences of the
Hons. Thomas Screven and Joseph J.
Doolan of the House of Representatives
and of the Hon. w. W. Osborne, the SEN
ator of the First district.
AS TO PUBLIC ROADS.
This jury is in full accord with the
recommendations of the grand jury of
the December term, 1894. that the county
commissioners should assume. under the
provisions Of the act of 1891, the care and
maintenance of all public roads, so far as
it provides an expedient Tor the repair OF
very bad and impossible places or the
several roads. We cannot. however, ap-
prove of the work of road construction
as is now being attempted and conducted
and apprehend that the resulting condi-
tons of the roads so being wo-ked Will
prove to be worse than that at present
existing. We realize the fact that drain
age Is prerequisite to road construc ton
and that until the Musgrove creek and
such of its tributaries as have their springs
near TO the Ogeechee road are condi-
toned to ,effectually drain the adjacent
land there can be no sufficient improve
ment of the roadway. The expenditure
Of labor and money now being applied 20
the roads, in our opinion, nOlds out no
sure promise of betterment and under
the circumstances regret that Ne cannot
approve the suggestion of the industrial
committee of citizens, which asked of US
recommendation for an increase in the
amount designated in he budget for
roads and bridges in purpose &c provide
Tor the Smelling of the Ogeecaee road.
we are Of the further opinion that ali of
such work should be in accordance with
plans prepared by the county engineer.
The fact that drainage and road con-
structioH are correlladye, must be Kept
clearly in mind in projecting work upon
these lines. The amount of work cor
templated for this county is one of mag
Altude, and its cost win far exceed any
possible provision by annual appropria-
tons from tax receipts. For realization
OF benefits Of this work should be promptly
lnaugurated and urged to speedy consum-
nation. An issue of bonds we recognize
as the only method by which to provide
Inc requisite means and, under this con-
Nction, we heartily indorse the recon-
mendation of previous juries that the
question of such issue be submitted for
determination to the people by the COM
missioners of the county, in manner as
provided for in section sos of the code of
Georgia.
AS TO A BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS.
"Inasmuch as the scope and extent of
the work of public Improvement as
recommended by the several grand
9uries above referred to and upon the
81 Of