The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-14
A NEW COUNTY OFFICE MADE.
TIE COMMISSIONERS WILL ELECT
A SUPERINTENDENT OF ROADS.


Jury-A squad of COnvicts to work
on the Drainage Of Tybee Island.
The County Engineers Annual Re-
port.
The county commissioners have decided
to appoint a superintendent of roads.
The recommendation of the grand jury
was received at the regular meeting yes
terday. and an order was passed direct
ing that the portion Of the grand jury's
presentments adopting the law of oct.
p. 1891, be spread upon the minutes.
The matter was then taken up. and
after a brief discussion the following or
der by Commissioner Carson was passed:
Whereas, the recent action Of the grand
jury of the superior court of this county
has made effective an act, ap-
proved oct. q. 1891. whereby it is
made the duty of this board to main
tain the public roads Of Chatham county,
Be it ordered.
That this board appoint a superintend-
eat of public roads at a salary Of $ per
month, said officer to hold his office at the
pleasure Of this board, he to be subject
to removal from office at any time, with
or without cause. His duties to be those
prescribed by law. and such other du-
ties as may be imposed from time to
time by this board
That a movable camp of hired laborers
be established in direct charge of said
superintendent, for the purpose of repair
ing and maintaining the public roads of
Chatham county
That the committee on roads and bridges
have charge of and supervision over the
work that may be done by said camp.
The superintendent to employ the neces-
sary laborers, under direction OF SAID
committee. who shall establish the rate
of wages etc, to be paid, and the num-
Der of laborers to be employed.
That any and all orders conflicting with
this be. and they are hereby cancelled.
As first presented, the order provided
what work was to be taken up under the
superintendent of roads. The roads to
be worked were named as follows; Wat
ors. Ogeechee, Louisville and Augusta.
After some discussion, however. 1t was
decided not to designate the work to be
done. but to leave that to the committee
on roads and bridges, which will have
charge of the direction of the work. The
matter of the salary OF the superintenq-
ent and other things in connection with
the new arrangement were left to the
above committee for a report at the next
meeting. The salary of the superintend-
ent will be included in the next county
budget.
In view Of the expected action Of the
county commissioners, Mr.. g. w. Alley
sent in an application for the position of
superintendent of roads.
Mr.. NJ. A. O'Byrne, at the head OF a
committee OF property owners from Ty-
bee Island, read a petition asking that
the commissioners take steps at once to
improve and repair the drainage Of the
island, which they say is in a very I'M
satisfactory condition. If il cannot be
done by the convicts the committee
asked that $1,000 be appropriated to put
the drainage on the island in decent
shape The county, he said, had collect
ed considerable taxes from the island but
it had never received the slightest bene-
fit from the county.
Mr.. Carson said it would hardly be pos
sible for any of the convicts to do the
work at the present time, and Mr.. ke-
hoe, with a second by MIR. Carson moved
that $1,000 be appropriated for that pur-
pose. DR.. Charlton moved as substi-
tute that the engineer make an investiga-
ton and report before any action be
taken but this was Withdrawn, and a
substitute offered by Mr.. Dale that the
county detail a gang of twenty-five con-
victs to put the drainage on Tybee in
shane. provided the work did not take
more than a month. The last provision
was made by Dr. Charlton, sad the sub
stitute was passed by the votes of Com
missioners Dale, Chaplin ana Charlton,
Commissioners Kehoe and Carson voting
in the negative.
This gang of convicts will go down to
Tybee about the first of the week and
proceed to put the islands drainage in
order. Free transportation for the gang
and guards will be furnished by the Cen
trail railroad
The Savannah hospital, 1t seems, wants
its financial condition looked into. The
following letter was read by Clerk Nc
Intire and referred to the committee on
poor, with power to act:
j. j. Dale, Esq, chairman c. c. c., city.
Dear Sir: The Savannah hospital would
like an investigation of its affairs and
with this end in view and in order to
afford all possible information, I would
ask that your honorable body would ap-
point a committee to confer with the man
ayers of the hospital in order that eur
condition may be clearly understood.
Please notify me when your committee
would like TO appear. Yours truly, George
j. Mills, president Savannah hospital.
Mr. D. B. Testers bill against the county
for toll charges over the Vernon shell
road amounting to $l73S9, and dating back
about three years, was referred back to
him for an itemized statement of the
vehicles passed over the road.
Chairman Gugie Bourquin of the road
commissioners reported his inability TO
get the Florida Central and Peninsular
railroad to repair its crossings over the
Ogeechee and Bourquin roads. The matter
was referred to the committee on roads
and bridges, with power to act. The coun-
ty will probably do the work and charge
it up to the road.
petition from landowners at South
over Junction, to have the drainage work
begun there carried on to completion, was
referred to the committee on drainage.
with power TO act.
A communication from T. D. Downing.
in which he and his wife practically de-
clined to receive any aid through the
Louisa Porter home, which Is now dis
pensing the county charity fund, was read
and referred to the committee on poor,
with power to act.
March being the beginning of the fiscal
year with the county. Mai Blandford, the
county engineer, submitted his annual
report. His report shows an average Of
142 convicts per day for the year. the
cost of guarding and feeding
whom amounted to 81 7-1O cents