The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-08


out. 1t is the receptacle of the drainage
waters south of Minis swamp from the
Middle Ground road westward about half
mile beyond the Savannah, Florida and
Western railway. In 1894 a system of
drainage was constructed in it discharg-
ing through Lamar canal into Minis ca
nal, just north of Southover Junction.
This system is the most thorough of any
within the Musgrove watershed, the canal
and its lateral bitches having an excellent
fall and rapid discharge throughout their
length. The canal and bitches, as con-
templated by the projected plan have not
been dug to completion. This should be
done to render the drainage in that sec
ton effective in all of its parts.
We found the Lamar canal somewhat
cleaner than Minis canal, but still requir-
ing attention. The lateral bitches are
overgrown and neglected, showing the
want of cleaning work badly. Especially
is this true with reference TO the bitches on
both sides of the railway. We found them
so overgrown that they were indistinguish-
able, except by the rlnker vegetation that
is growing in them. We visited the "di-
VIDE between Musgrove and Buckhalter,
at the point where il is proposed TO in
wade the watershed of the former by
ditch from the latter into and through La
mar swamp. As so much has been written
and said on this subject and as expert
enced engineers, after making care
full surveys ana investigation of
the matter have pronounced it
impracticable and Unnecessary and that
it would involve the expenditure of a
large amount of labor and money without
a corresponding bene flour comments on
it will be brief. We sum them up as fol-
lows;
l. AS the inciines of the watersheds
descend in opposite directions from the
summit or divide betw cen them to the diff
ferent rivers into which they discharge
the attempted diversion of the waters of
the one into the other would be unnat-
ural.
q A ditch dug, as proposed, to carry off
to the Little Ogeechee any water from
the Lamar swamp area, would have to
be, comparatively, of great depth and
consequently, of corresponding cost. while
its grade would be so fiat that it's flow
would be slow and sluggish AT ITS best
it could be made to carry off only the wa
ter from comparatively a small part of
that area and could not therefore, give
the relief to the Springfield canal, which
its advocates claim.
g. Such a ditch would partially destroy
the much superior system of drainage al
ready nearly completed in tn Lamar
swamp area while that part of this su-
perior SYSTEM which would rem ain would
continue to carry the far greater part of
the drainage waters from that section, as
now, to the Savannah river, as the fall
of its conduits is three times that of the
proposed ditch and the bottom of its main
canal is lower than the bottom of the pro-
posed ditch would be in any part of Mus
grove watershed
The labor and money which would be
required to construct the proposed ditch. If
applied in Musgrove watershed
would revise aud enlarge Springfield
and Minis canals as sugge sted in the
foregoing, and thus relieve the swamps to
the south and southwest of the backwater
dam of the water that is now Constantly
liable to collect in them" as also complete
the necessary additional drainage in the
Minis and Lamar swamp areas, and in adj
dition construct a considerable length of
the main canal in Musgrove swamp south
of the backwater dam with "A mile of it's
lateral canal through Tefair swamp
8. The drainage of Buckhalter water
shed would be much more expeditiously
completed. and at very much less cost
without the construction of the proposed
ditch.
The main swamp of Musgrove. from
the backwater dam on up to the Ogee-
chez road beyond the three-mile stone, we
found, at the time Of our visit. more or
less covered with ponds and pools of
stagnant water. We were informed by
Maj. Ryals and others who are Familiar
with that vicinity that this swarm, even
in the dryest time, is very soggy and
through it. in this part a channel for
drainage-hardly more than a ditch-but
which is not adequate-even were it kept
in the most perfect conditorl-to carry
more than very small part OH the water
that flows into the swamp. But this
channel we found in anything but a per-
feet condition! Like others we have men,
toned. it, very much needs attention.
Above the point designated on the Ogee-
chez road on up to the divide between
Musgrove and Shaw swamps the
main swamp has no drain
age at all. If the lower part
which has the semblance of a canal for
drainage was found in a bad condition it
may be imagined the state in which we
found the upper part where there have
been no bitches dug.
The South Fork swamp which comes
from the south into the main Musgrove
swamp near the three-mile stone on the
Ogeeclee road, we likewise found had no
bitches, and consequently it was in the
same condition as the other. In fact,
throughout that whole section we came
across soggy gals, wet flats. stagnant
ponds and pools and all of it in a very
unsanftary condition.
Our inspection of Tefar swamp (Which
comes into Musgrove swamp from the
north about three-quarters of mile
aboWe-or south of-the backwater damp