The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-10
The Meridian Road.

/. Inc meridian HOnd.
II the Meridian road were completed to
a junction with the Waters road, and the
public afforded an opportunity of seeing
what drainage and good roads have done
in the way of Transforming a rice planta-
ton and it's swamp backwaters into one
of the most productive and picturesque
farms in the south, possibly the labors OF
former and present county commission
ers would be more appreciated. 1t is claim
ed the reason the Meridian road Is not to
be completed is that the county cannot
secure the needed rights of way without
paying for them. This may, indeed, be the
case; but q few years ago the county had
all Of the rights of way, except for a short
distance. II the time limit of these conces-
slons has expired, doubtless an earnest ef-
fort on the part of the county commits
sioners would be rewarded with their re-
newal The small area of land which
would have TO be bought would be a mere
bagatelle.
The Meridian road is already built for a
distance of two miles or more. It is a well
constructed highway. not a slp-shod
affair which seasons rains would wash
away. 1t was built almost without cost,
or at nominal cost, as the convicts were
employed upon it when the weather would
not permit of their working in the canals.
The idea in building the road was to give
good road facilities to as large an area of
the county as possible, avoiding at the
same time the necessity of constructing a
number OF roadways. When the commits
sioners who went out of office in 1888 turn
ed over their trust to Commissioner Dale
and his associates the road was completed
through the countys land from the Mont
gomery cross road to the lands of Smith
& Kelly. Not a foot has been built since.
The Meridian road and other enterprises
Of the former board of commissioners, in
Guiding the steam dredge now at work in
Buckhalter swamp, were condemned by
the new board. The statement that the
plan of the Meridian road was inaugurated
for the benefit of Bethesda orphan house
Is not correct. If the road were completed
it would intersect the old Ship Yard and
Beaulieu road half a mile away from the
orphan house. However, If it ran to the
very gates of the institution the public in
terests would not be impaired thereby.
The Morning News has advocated the
building of the Meridian road ever since
the inception of the project, because 1t
would be the cheapest and best solution
of the question of an improved public high
way through a well settled section of the
county; and Furthermore, because 1t would
open up to sale and settlement the Ashton
and Queensbury plantations, which are
county property. They were bought some
years ago in order to provide for the prop
er drainage of Cuyler and other swamps.
1t goes without saying that no unpreju-
diced person would favor the drainage of
Buckhalter swamp and the Improvement
of plantations on the Little Ogeechee riv-
er as against the completion of the Merld-
ian road and local drainage, which would
benefit the whole public of the city of Sa-
vannah. The Morning News repeats what
1t has stated before, namely, that with the
finishing touches put on the roads of the
county that have been improved, the
purchase of the toll roads, the completion
of the Meridian road and the hardening of
the Louisville road to PoolarCOn the coun-
ty line, all of which can be done for less
than 1t will cost to dig the first three miles
of the Buckhslter swamp canal, there
would be no necessity for taxing the people
for new roads for years to come