The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-30
AN INTERESTING INQUIRY.
What Have the Roads and Bridges
of the County Cost in the Last Is
MOuthSe

of the County Cost in the Last Is
MOnthss
Savannah, Aug. 29.-Editor Morning
News: What have the roads and bridges
cost the county in the last eighteen
months?" This inquiry is suggested by
the following statement of Commissioner
Chaplin, chairman of the roads commit
tee of the county, which appears in the
News of the 25th of June. "Mr. Chaplin
has gone over the roads and bridges ac-
count for the last twelve years From
1884 mp 10 1895, he says $500 was spent
on roads and bridges and not a mile of
macadamized road was built In 1895 5000
was spent, and the latter part of that year
and in 1886 $4,000, this amount having
been used in paving the Ogeechee road -
In this statment Mr.. Chaplin apparently.
is rather disposed to reflect on those who
have had charge of the roads and bridges
for the twelve years preceding March,
1898, and, seemingly, by his pointed refer
ence to the amount expended in those
years and his allusiOn to the fact that
mot single mile of macadamized road
was built" draws the comparison to bring
out in a stronger light the good work
which he and his associates have done
since taking entire control of the roads
business of the county.
1t is not my wish to disparage the mer-
its of Mr.. Chaplin and his fellow commits
sioners, but in justice to their predeces-
sors / think a comparison of the work
done and the amounts expended both be-
fore and since March, 1885, would develop
the fact that the honorS are not alto
gether with the present board. The credit
too, for inaugurating the gvod work of
improved roads must be divided with
those who have labOred for years by
speech and pen to bring it about and the
n
and emphatic recommendations for the
last nine or ten years, could not pass en-
tirely unheeded.
1 will briefly refer to what was done
prior to March, 1895, giving what l have
learned from those who aBe familiar with
the county's work for the last fourteen or
fifteen years, in order to make comparl-
son with what has been done since, from
the information 1 have gathered from the
newspapers, the presentments of the
grand juries and from conversations with
those who are familiar with the subject
Up to March, 1895, it was the duty of
the road commissioners separate and
independent body from the county COM
missioners-to work the roads, with the
hands who were liable to road duty, while
the county commissioners had charge Of
the construction of new roads, the build
ing of new bridges and culverts and the
repairs of old ones. They also had the
right to repair the old roads with the con.
Wet labor, which they did occasionally,
particularly after storms and other emer-
gencies requiring immediate action.
Thirteen years ago, I am told, there was
no public highway for all the country be-
tween the White Bluff and
Skidaway roads from the city
south to the Montgomery Cross
road. In response to the demands
of the public, the commissioners built the
Bee and Waters roads, Estill avenue the
Stevenson and the intermediate cross
roads, and part of the Meridian road To
open it up. road to East Savannah was
built, and on the west of the city, Bay
street extension and Schwarz avenue, De-
sides other work, amounting in all to
about is or 20 miles in length. On some
of this rights-of-way had to be purchas-
ed The iron bridge over Pipemaker
creek on the Augusta road, and twelve or
fourteen wooden bridges were built, ana
many bridges repaired. I am also told
that up to 1894, all the mules, horses, carts
and some other things purchased by the
county were charged to the road &C
count, whether used on that work or NOT.
The cost of all this for the twelve years
was from Mr.. Chaplin's statement, 49,
800, or an average of $3,775 year, or about
$315 per month
In March, 1895, the county commission
ers took entire charge of the road work
I. y
emit Mr. Wade was clothed with all the
power of the former road COM issioners
to call out all those liable to work the
roads, besides being given foreman ana
a gang of hired laborers to keep the work
going all the time. The cost of this work,
have been unable to obtain definitely.
The Savannah Press of Aug. 16, 1895, gives
the substance of report of Mr. Wade to
the county commissioners from March "a
to Aug. l, showing as haV-
ing been expended for work
S2.5237, or about $3.50 per month. Mr..
Chaplin says as shown above that in 1879,
Sc 900 was spent" and taking the monthly
average of expenditure as shown by MT
Wade's report the amount would closely
tally with that given by Mr.. Chaplin for
the year. In 1896, up to July !, l have not
been able TO procure reliable information
of the expenditure of Mr. Wade for road
work. Assuming the monthly average as
shown by the report it would amount Tor
the six months to say $3.50. In the News
of Aug 13, is given the substance of Mr.
Wade's report to the commissioners when
shows expenditures from July l, TO Aug.
Z. on the fremont road to be $943.4 Al, Sl54.l4
on the Augusta road and some other minor
expenses on other roads. Let US assume
in all, say 81 100 and for this month say
the expenditure is $500 Then for the elgh-
teen months We can. make up.
For 1873 ..,...--.....' ''''" V'V'V
From Jan. ! to July l, 1896 (assum-
ed1 observation-disclosures. $3.50
For July. as shown above. say. LOO
For AUGUST (assumed) ............ 600
or a total Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ST. 4@
The "big road-roller'' purchased by the
county cost, suppose, about $3.50. and
possibly since IT'S purchase the wages OF
the engineer, the cost of fuel, repairs, etc,
will amount to $500 more, or say, total OF
SO 800. Now from all this. we may APP
proximately get at the cost of the road
work for the last eighteen months-thus
say:
For Supt. wade's expenditures ......sli, $50
For road roller, etc.................... $500
Total .................... .............S SIS, 280
For improving and paving Ogeechee
road, say.....-...... ...,...-............S67 'VW