The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-25

The Jorning News few days ago made
some Hmarks upon the extension of the
county1 railroad westward on the Mont
gomerylcross road, and the work that is
being dine in hardening that roadway
from TIL Waters road west instead of to-
wards de populated part of the county.
It is not reported that it is the purpose
of the c(nty commissioners to put Au-
gusta grAel on the Buckhalter road west
ward to IL junction with the 'Dutchtown"
road, an ID highway which meanders be
tween theWhite Bluff and Ogeechee roads
and northBard to the city. This work will
apparently accomplish two purposes,
namely, tn, decentralization of the White
Bluff shell ioad with two hard roads, and
the giving " two improved highways to
Buckhalter twamp and that bailiwick.
There are, 30 doubt, a great many read
ers of the Abrning News-local readers
who have no very definite idea with re-
gard to the whereabouts of Buckhalter
road, Buckhllter swamp and Dutch
town road. It may, therefore be well
to present a hort lesson in local geogra-
ply, so that I ie taxpayers may be advised
as to where ier money is to disappear.
Chatham co5nty is divided into eight mi
litia districts three of which are outside
the city of Savannah. Buckhalter road,
Buckhalter sv amp and "Dutchtown" road
are in the Sixth militia district. There
are possibly dher places of interest in
this immense district, but they are not
pertinent to this lesson in geography. The
Sixth district, which is somewhat funnel
shaped, is bounded on the north by the
city limits, On the east by the tracks of the
City and Suburban railway, on the west
by the Ogeechee road and on the south by
the Ogeechte river. Its greatest length is
about thirteen miles and its greatest width
about seven miles. Buckhalter swamp is
about six niles from the city, or about half
way between the city and the southern
limits Of TIE district. The voting strength
of the district, as shown by the returns of
the last election, when nearly everybody
who had vote voted, is ninety-eight
votes. Thfee-fourths Of the voters are col
ored 1t will be seen that while the Sixth
district is country of possibly great
possibilities there is no danger of the
population wanting elbow room.
It Is not proposed to improve the better
section of the Sixth district-that in which
Montgomery is situated-but the western
part of it. The Buckhalter section is not
only to have hard roads, but canal also,
which, it is said win cost $4,000 for the
first three miles Probably in the next two
years, if these so-called county improve
ments are carried out, $4,000 to $4,000 will
be spent in and around Buckhalter swamp
There is a plenty of need for road build
ing and drainage work in sections of the
county near the city, or where the work
will be of more advantage to the city than
it can possibly be in that far away area
known as Buckhalter swamp, the drainage
or non-drainage of which will have no eff
feet upon either the health or the wealth
of the citizens of Savannah or the suburbs
thereof. Tie expenditure of the public
funds in that section may benefit a few
individuals, but county taxes, the great
er part of which are paid by the city Of
Savannah. should not be used for such
purposes.