The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-06
CHAIRMAN DALE's VIEW or 1T.
lie Denies That the Public Works
Have eBen Interfered With or Re-
faFded

lie Denies That the Public Works
Have eBen Interfered With or Re-
farded.
Chairman J. J. Dale Of the county COM
missioners takes exception TO some state
ments made with regard to the county
works on the lines Of the presentments Of
the recent grand jury Of the superior
court. Referring to the editorial in yes
terday's Morning News. Chairman Dale
said in an interview:
That the public work has been delay
ed or interfered with deny. This work
has gone on as rapidly as possible under
the imperfect system and wretched man
agement Of an incapable manager as
recent facts have proven. The ma
Jority Of this board has always had the
hearty cooperation OF Mr.. Chaplin and
myself whenever. in our judgment. the
schemes and plans could be perfected in
manner that would compensate for the
expenditure OF the public money.
That the majority has ruled is evident
from the results, and that this majority
has misplaced its confidence has also
been recently demonstrated. Their vigor
and determination in playing their policy
has come to a hit ending. If the grand
jury is satisfied with the main results
Of the operations of the board, / can find
no fault and cheerfully accord to the ma
Jority the need of praise that is due them.
As the minority is pOwerless to accom-
piish anything, to the other members of
the board belongs the credit of all that
has beer accomplished and on them should
also fall the blame for what should
have been done and has not been done.
My complaint has always been that
our engineer was not a competent per-
son to either conceive or execute the i'm
pOrtant operations of this department
and in the near future my judgment will
be sustained by facts and public opinion
Referring to the present status of the
Meridian road, l cannot conceive why
its unfinished condition should be charged
to the actions of the so-called minority.
The grand juries of many previous years
have invariably complained of the wretch
ed condition of our county roads, which
are absolutely necessary for commercial
and public purposes. and which have not
been, and apparently cannot be, kept in
proper condition, and why the same body
should with reasonable consideration Of
the subject persistently insist on inhict-
ing on the county the expense Of building
and maintaining another road, which will
be used by but a few persons, and which
cannot in the near future be of any pub
lie utility, l cannot conceive. This thor
oughfare, when finished, must be classed
with the other dirt roads of the county
and must per necessity fall into their
impossible condition for want of proper
care, unless the taxpayers of the county
are anxious to disburse $4,000 or more TO
make it a pleasure drive for the use and
benefit of the few.
Had the grand jury taken the pains to
inform themselves they would have known
that the Augusta road from West Broad
street to the Central railroad crossing, is
a street of the city, and that also by stat
ute the location of the railroad track on
the Waters road Is entirely subject to the
control of the city authorities.
THE minority has made mistakes, but
our protests against the useless and ex-
travagant expenditures of the public funds
on the work at the Dundee canal and
Hammer creek have been proven correct
in our judgment and could we have the
opportunity to make a detailed statement
of our many protests the public would be
greatly enlightened AS public servants
we accepted office as a public trust and,
regardless of criticism from any quarter,
propose to guard the trust imposed and
execute the duties of our stewardship for
the best interests of he public veal.
Should any tax payer desire to inspect
these defective works and test the just
ness of our criticism. 1 will gladly furn-
ish the necessary transportation and ac-
company him for personal inspection to
verify our protests"