The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-18
TO PUSH THE DRAINAGE.
THE BIG CANAL TO BE FINISHED N
EIGHT MONTHS.

All Of the COunty's Convict Forces 10
he Concentrated on the New Casey
CanaI-COmm Chaplin says
There Has Been Too Much DIZZY
DaIIyiEg With the Anair-He says
the County Has Been Nearly
Thirty Years In Draining That
Swnmp-The Commissioner Take
Look over the Courthouse.
The committee Of the whole Of the coun-
~ commissioners held an important meet
Ing yesterday afternoon for the purpose
OF discussing and taking some action with
reference TO the matter Of drainage. The
subject particularly in point was the new
Casey canal upon which work has been
going on now for several years.
After a full discussion Of the drainage
question an order with reference to the
work for the fan and winter was drawn
up and VIII be passed and signed al the
next regular meeting of the board. AS tie
order has been passed by a majority Of
the board. however. there is nothing what
ever to interfere with work going right
along.
The order was principally directed to-
ward finishing up the work on the new
Casey canal but provides first for finish
ing the banks OF the Dundee canal between
the Augusta and Louisville roads. and the
continuation Of the third west lateral Of
the Dundee canal In order to drain pond
beyond the Augusta road. This will COM
plete all the work that is to be done for
tho present on the Dundee canal, and the
whole convict force of the county will then
be concentrated on the new Casey canal
The order provides for the establish
ment at once Of new gang at the north
end of the new Casey canal where a
movable convict camp will be formed.
All the men possible from camp No. 2
VIII be transferred to the north end of
this canal, and all OF the force from
camp No. Will be put there. This will
give a force OF some fifty or sixty men
on the north end Of the canal where
the principal part Of the work is to be
done
The concentration of these forces. how
ever. on the north end of the canal will
OF the gang OF fifty men from camp No.
!, which is now working on this same
canal. In other words, the commission
ers mean TO concentrate nearly the en-
tire working force on the new Casey canal
and keep It there until the work is finish
ed.
I'VE have already been too long about
this work now" Commissioner Chaplain
said speaking of the matter. why the
county has been thirty years draining that
swamp, and there is no sense or reason
in it. The present board has been work
ing on the canal for three years, and not
half the work that should have been done
has been accomplished. We intend now
10 30 at the matter and keep at Il until
this canal Is finished. I believe we can
finish It without any trouble in six or eight
months, and the whole available force will
be kept at 1t except in cases of emergen-
cy until'it Is done. We want to finish that
canal and give the convicts a chance to
get at something else"
There are many people, no doubt, who
agree with Commissioner Chaplin. The
work has been going on rather slowly, and
there are many who will undoubtedly be
glad to know that 1t is to be pushed ahead
a little.
After finishing this business the com
missioners took a look over the court
house to see what was the matter with
the building. The grand jury of the supe-
rior court, In its general presentments
made considerab BILE complaint about the had
condition Of the plastering throughout the
building, and the commissioners found II
pretty much as the grand jury pictured
II. ARRANGEMENTS will no doubt be made
TO have some repairing done at an early
date, and the building put in good condi-
ton.