The morning news., 1897-08-30
GRAND JURY ON DRAINAGE.
GENERAL PREsENTMENTS WILL BE
RETURNED TODAY.


Convincing Statements by Truck
Farmers Concerning Bad Drain
aEe-Land Owners and Tenants
Who Know What They Are Talk
ing AbOut-CitizeBs Committee to
Continue Its Investigation To-day.
To-day the grand jury will meet and
hand to the court the general present.
ments for the term, bearing chiefly upon
the question of drainage. The jurors will
begin their session somewhat earlier in
the afternoon than heretofore, for the rea-
son that there are several indictments to
draw up. and for the further reason that
IL is quite probable that there Will be
some discussion of the text of the pre-
sentiments bearing upon the recent investi-
cation Of the work that has been done by
che county, and that which has not been
done.
In the light Of all the proceedings on
the part Of the grand jury since the spe-
cial investigating committee was appoint
"a to make a tour through the swamps,
and over the drains of the county, there
is a great deal Of interest manifested by
the public in the forthcoming present
ments The fun text Of the Harmon com
mittee's report has been already presented
TO the readers of this newspaper. A full
review of the minority report has like
wise been printed by the Morning News,
showing that two members of the com
mttee Of five disapproved Of the vast un-
dertaking of draining Buckhalter swamp
just at this time when drainage is needed
so badly close around the city
That drainage is needed around the city
has been thoroughly established since the
grand jury sent It's special committee over
the ground. The committee reports sew
eral of the nearest swamps as being in
a deplorable condition. In addition to
this report made officially TO the grand
jury by its committee, the daily reports
Of the work Of investigation by the cti-
zcns' committee which has visited the
swamps at the request of the Morning
News from day to day, have been Impress
ed upon the public mind. The citizens
committee has reported some astounding
results of their investigation, showing that
the drainage has been and is being very
much neglected around the city, while the
bulk of the county convicts are at work
at Buckhalter swamp, far over on the 9TH
er side Of the county.
All of these things are fresh in the minds
of the people of Savannah, and the cti-
zens' committee has not yet completed its
work. The members feel that II is ueces-
sary for them to make further inspection
Of the drains and bitches and canals close
around the city and they will leave to-
day at O'Clock from the De Soto hotel
in carriages for the purpose of finishing
their investigation of the condition of the
I 1xrrl M, & laa ef1 g.rt ,ftr-
| They will then go TO the swamps above
the city on the Savannah river, between
the river and the Louisville road, where
complaints have been made of the exceed
ngly unsantiary condition Of the swamp
and drains there.
When the special committee of the
grand jury went out in this last mentioned
region of the city, and also in region sur
rounding the Dundee and other canals.
which discharge ultimately into the Sa-
vannah river. 1t is said that Chairman
Dale of the county commissioners excused
some of the bad places by saying that the
owners of the land had refused to allow
the county commissioners to drain through
them. Mr.. NJ. l.. Exley, one of the mem
| bers of the grand jury. who signed the
minority report disapproving OF the drain-
ing cf Buckhalter swamp while the
swamps near the city of Savannah need
ed drainage, with an honest and dutiful
desire TO get at the names of the parties
who had made such objection to drainage.
wrote TO the truck farmers and planters
near the city 70 ask why they should OBJ
ject to the drainage that was so badly
needed for the safety and heathfulness
of the city. The replies he received
showd conclusively that the chairman of
the county commissioners had been lab
oring under a mistake for the men, who
own the lands around the city are anx-
ious to have the drains put in good condi-
ton.
In this connection it is interesting to
know what the owners of lands around
the city had 10 say TO one Of the grand
jury.
MIR. c. c. Becbe, who is one of the most
extensive truck farmers in the county.
wrote as follows:
Dear Sir: At your request as a men,
/ Der of the committee ON drainage" from
/ superior court asking for information,
/ relative 10 certain drainage on lands sit
/ uated northwest of the city. ! will state
as one of the largest truck growers" In
the section of the county northwest OF
I city. thar az no time, have ! ever objected
1 to the drainage of any canals through
/ lands occupied by me during the year 1897.
I or at any other time. In fact I have al
| ways been ready and anxious to have the
/ canals and bitches cleaned. AT present
the canals and bitches in the section
named are In deplorable condition. They
\ are filled mp with weeds and stagnant wa
\ ter, and there Is no way for them 70 get
any better until thoroughly cleaned
I was forced to move into the city from
my farm on account OF the foul air and
| stagnaut accumulations in the bitches
ana canals adjacent TO the place / have
| been living Trusting that the proper au-
\ thorities VIII make some effort towards
1 having this section OF the county prompt
I ly ditehcd ana cleaned. 1 remain your
| very respectfully G. G.. Bcebe.
! At Hermitage ana City Tract
! Mr. j. J. Butler another well known
grower OF vegetables with many acres un-
| der has control wrote the following letter
/ 90 Mr. ENley "a member of the grand jury:
Dear Sir. Your letter received yesterday
/ / viii say in regard TO drainage and the
/ cleaning out OF bitches ! have never re-
/ fused 20 have the ditchcs I'M my section
/ cleaned ont at any season OF the year /
! would only like for them TO clean out
| some of those on my lands. } have never
/ bad the county 10 clean out any OF our
/ bitches. though soma OF them are very im-
/ portaut to the county. I even had To finish
\ .TI