The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-17
STOP ROAD ENcRoAcHMENTS.
THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DE-
TERMENED To PREsEaVE
WIDTHS.

Ener6aeisments on the Waters, Ogee-
etes and other Roads, Making the
width az Places Less Than One
Half what They should Be-stePs
TO ne Taken to Preserve the Pub
lie PrOperty-~PrOgress of the Road
Work.
The county commissioners are dsterm-
ined that the Entertainments on the PUB
lie roads must stop. The Entertainments
have been going on for some time one COM
missioner said yesterday, and" he added.
IF not prevented the roads will be stolen
bodily before we know Of it almost
At the last meeting of the board, as
stated in the Morning News. DR.. Charlton
spoke Of the matter and made a strong
case regarding its Importance to the pub
lie and the need of immediate action.
One Of the commissioners remarked that
the board could not commence on the
work any too soon.
This encroachment on the public DO
MAN," ne said, has been going on for
some time, and there is hardly a road in
the county, but what has been partially
stolen in this way by people living along
its borders First one fence is moved in
a little then another, till it is safe
to say that on an average fully one-fourth
Of the road right-of-way. on some of the
thoroughfares has been taken in this way
and converted to private use. For in
stance, the Waters road, which was laid
out a magnificent avenue. 200 feet wide,
is now IS, 60 or even 80 feet wide at
places. on the Ogeechee road, as stated
by the county engineer. this same thing
is seen 1t Is wrong and must stop. To
stop It the matter should be taken UP now
while these sections are not built up and
while real estate Is comparatively cheap.
1t can be remedied now, but il the officials
wait too long, expensive litigation VIII be
the result. 1 am in favor of having all
these roads carefully surveyed and their
bounds accurately ascertained and thea
compel those who have taken pubnc lands
to remove fences 50 that the roads can
be had with full widths"
LAS to further road improvements /
am in favor Of them, ana 1 think the
board recognizes its Importance 10 the
county as a whole
Many people living IN the suburbs have
recognized this growing evil. Of taking
some of them have made complaints e
garding it, Now that the county com
missioners are going to act N the mat
ter, doubtless there viii De great aid af-
forded them by these persons.
At the last meeting OF the board, the
report of Supt. Wade, regarding road
work, was referred to the committee on
roads and bridges The report shows that
great deal of work has been done from
March "a last up TO Aug 1.
Work was begun March "A, at the Lit
tie Ogeechee causeway.
The road at this point was washed out
so that but one team could pass; 100 feet
of sheet piling had washed. away, and u
was replaced by new pil.ng driven three
feet into the mud, and firmly supported
and anchored. The causeway. which is
] ,4s5 feet long, ana 70 feet wide, was
raised Is inches with blue mud, then
graded and covered with 7 inches OF
sand and red clay nj ed. For two
months after this work was finished the
roadbed was in bad condition, owing to
the fact that the foundation was iirst
made OF salt water mud, which soft
ened after every rain. Inns secdon was
worked with two hands every ten days
for two months, filling in the ruts and
holes The result is that THE road is
now one Of the best dirt roads in the
county and viii stand for years.
The south end of the bragg spanning
the Little Ogeechee river was raised eigh-
teen inches and supported by CRIB OF
logs The superintendent recommended
that this bridge be rebuilt as soon as
convenient.
The .road-bed near the Emile post was
raised le inches for a distance of $50 feet
the road being "a feet wide Considerable
work was done on the Bourquin hill as
far as the 5-mile post From the summit
OF the hill the road-bed for SEQ feet was
widened feet. Over this part of the
road and abutting Mr. Bourquins land
for distance of lis feet the road was
raised SO inches. At this point the road
had been impossible for over year, all
vehicles having to go through Bourquin
avenue coming out at the top OF the hill
to avoid the clay bog. bitches We're cut
drains and culverts put in, and $40 feet
OF road-bed was raised.
Near the smile post 740 feet Of the road
was rebuilt, 30 feet being raised ~ inches.
From the Norris or Garrard hill, work.
ing north the roadbed was rebuilt dis
lance of 1900 feet, % feet wide, and was
raised II inches, except 450 feet of this dis
tance, which was raised "A inches.
Near the Smile post, over 700 feet was
rebuilt The bitches were widened and 250
feet was raised q inches.
Work on the Bay street extension was
then taken up. At the city limits the road
was almost impossible. bitches were
dug, and a good deal of work was done,
which made the road passable.
The Augusta road was then rebuilt from
the Central railroad crossing to the 4-mile
post.
Several miles of the Louisville road were
also rebuilt Work was then resumed Oh
the Augusta road, and il was completed
to the 5-rnile bend. The work on the Pipe
maker bridge was finished this week.
Several bridges were built, one with u
foot span on Augusta road half mile west
of Monteith, and another west of that
place; at the junction Of the Augusta and
Monteith roads the bridge was repaired,
and also the one spanning St. Augustine
creek This latter is reported in dilapi-
dated condition and should be replaced,
saws the superintendent, without delay.
The expenses Of all this work is given
in detail follows.
For superin tendent's salary. $4S3.37 paw
roll hands, Si.6OOS1; feed for stock, SlSO.S5.
harness and sundries, $3.50; lumber, $3.50,
tools and hardware. $l20.50; plows and re-
pairs $3.50; hire of mules. $3.50 printing.
$500; superintendent wagon, $780, a to-
tai Of 2,525.T.