The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-12
HIS ANNUAL REPORT.
NHr. Brown Tells How the County
Works Have Progressed.

The report of Mr.. W. F. Brown, until
yesterday acting superintendent Of public
works. now assistant superintendent of
public works. upon the county works for
the last year was made TO the county
commissioners at their regular meeting
yesterday.
Mr.. Brown stated that the cost of
guarding and feeding the convicts has
averaged $SS.4S per convict for the year, a
decrease from 1S94-95 of $780, per man,
and a decrease from 1886 of $.4S per
man. The average attendance for the
year on the chain-gang has been 1865
prisoners.
The general health of all of the priso-
ners has been good, and there have been
few cases of sickness. When the poor
physical condition of the average convict
on entering the camps is taken into con-
sideration, this showing is remarkable
one. The average monthly sickness has
been only 5 per cent. Six deaths occurred
during the year out of a total attendance
of 2,S5S, or one in every 1913 prisoners.
There were altogether seventeen es-
capes, and of these six were recaptured,
and six were recaptured who had escap-
ed in former years
In this connection" he said, 81 would
respectfully recommend that some action
be taken by your honorable body looking
to the establishment of means for the
apprehension of escaped eonvicts from our
chain-gang.
But few escapes occur that are not di-
rectly chargeable to carelessness or neg
ligence on the part of the guard, who, If
they knew, would be made to suffer in
some way for such negligence, would be
stimulated to extra vigilance. A suitable
standing reward for each recapture would
be an incentive for arrest to those know
ing the haunts and habits of the men
wanted who do not feel justified in MAX
ing such arrests without some pecuniary
reward. Experience has demonstrated
that most escapes hide themselves around
the city until suitable clothes and the
wherewith is provided to take them away,
il is therefore much cheaper for the
county to pay for their arrest in the first
place than to pay all expenses necessary
for their return should they be arrested
abroad. One or two bloo'dhounds, properly
trained and cared for, should be in the
possession of the county"
The following drainage work commenc-
ed at various periods in the past year, has
been finished during the last four months.
The new Casey canal to a point 1850 feet
north of the Thunderbolt shell road; Dun
dee canal, dykes, side bitches; trunks and
iron bridges to Central railroad, as far as
the county has the right of way; the sec
ond lateral west of Dundee canal; the
trunk bridge at the mouth of the Dundee
canal; 1900 feet of New DeRenne canal
and beside this the old Casey canal was fill
ed up for 800 feet on the lands of AIyer-
son, and 2,315 feet of canals and bitches
were slushed and partly regarded. A re-
sumo of the years work would be:
Iineal feet of canals cut ,,........,. u, 800
Ianeal feet of laterals cut .....u. $500
Lineal canals and bitches slushed
and partly regarded ................ 3O6 ESQ
L4ineal feet of new bitches cut ........ 374O
Square yards of surface leveled go. $500
Drain pipe laid feet .........,.......... 450
In addition to this, Mr.. Brown also re-
ported that the county farm has pro-
duced during the year products amount
ing in market prices to S2,092.02, among
which were corn, meal, peas, rice, pota-
toes, syrup and many other farm pro-
ducts all of which were used in feeding
the prisoners. 1t is the intention of the
commissioners to ultimately make the
county farm supply all the food products
needed by the convicts. with small ex-
ception.