The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-22
GRAND JURY ON DRAINAGE.
STRANGE INCONSISTENCIES IN TIE
REPORT OF THE SPECIAL
COMMITTEE.

,.,,.....,s.te,,-
,N,-,.-- -, vi
no'i'S 49, >. -
WIN my
me Oitih'hS '"ii
Opposes the Policy OF the county
Commissioncrs-Ih case = ''e"r-
~ Drawn Now. and Light Is
Thrown on the Drainage Question.
Those Who have been calling for light
on the drainage question are AT last TO he
gratt0ed.
The Morning News is enabled 70 present
the full text Of the report OF The Harmon
committee 20 the grand jury 10 its readers,
and also reports from party Of citizens
who have visited the swamps around the
city. Marvellous 10 relate there is but lit
tie difference In these with respect TO the
bad condition of the swamps close around
the city The chief difference lies IN the
fact mat despite acknowledgements OF the
unsanitary condition OF swamps closely
adjacent 20 me CITY the committee from
the grand jury, with WondfouS slroKe
OF inconsistency recommend the eoh'lhu-
menced at the direction of the county COM
,niseiopers on Ruckha1ter swamp. which
!, t,. , e,,,. 49, .sf,. ana .bi.n
- way
discharges on the opposite SIDE OF the
county ia a sparsely settled territory.
The citizens committee which began an
tnsnecti,n ar the instance Of the Morning
NEWS agree 'Na' vac =" amps O. o'i'" "a
Vannah need draining ana that TINS
should have been done before the conyicts
nj the county were taken off 10 BuekbaIt-
-. -. .,.. .+,.-.- -t1 20
g ." ann AMY w. VI '''N
the county.
The case could not be more clearly put.
The citizens committee. after visiting
,, ..,,,
.ie a"aiipa 'iou'i" 'ii9 0''S'
found Dundee swamp IN deplorable con-
dition, and badly in need of drainage"
-,Lo Harmon ,or,,,,ttt.,o ,eror,o5 to tbe
erdhu jury OuI HIsI VISIT was 10 Duii-
dee canal We found it fun Of river water,
and on its western bank a rice field with
tho bar,,as+ eor,, ~, Tho ditcbee If thu
NalS Noyal cdHal were grown up III "eeua'
as was the case also with the Dundee
canal from Augusta road to the Touis.
,, ,,
Inc clllzehs committee Whlch mas mace
tour OF the territory above savannah de-
clares' III ne pea OF 'he oseechee canal Is
grown W with weeds ana needs clear
ing.
Inc Harmon committee reports 70 the
grand jury Inc o8ecchee cahal IS ID
very uhsahhary cohdluoh' pelhs run
OF decayed vegetation ana stagnant
water. III not belng under the control OF
the county commissioners we recommend
that the owners ne required 70 clean ~
Inc clll@ehs committee deelates' Inc
portions OF lelIair swamp VISITED by us
were IN very pad CONDITION ana snow out
htlle sign OF recent work.
Inc Harmon committee 10 the grand
July says We proCeeueo thiouBh t"S
IeiIdr I!ce held ana Iouhd u needed
uralhage' ana were informed by 1he chair-
man OF the drainage committee OF the
COMMISSIONERS thal estimates were on NE
IN MS once ana Would De acted on by the
commissioners
FROM such OBSERVATIONS the harmon
committee proceeds notwithstanding these
caiuiu aShho"leuse Oh 'he unsaHl-
tAiy cohdluon OF the country Immediately
suJaoeht 70 savannah 70 recon memo me
iurther prosecution OF the work on BUCK
matter swamp "h4ch ies lar over on lhe
VIher slue OF lhe county ana ehp'es INTO
the Little Ogeechee river.
ne posItloh taken by the cluzehs com
mlttce Is that so long as the sWamps close
70 the city are IN need OF drainage II is IN
wise Tor the county commissioners to take
the ehtire force OF county laborers OH TO
buckhdlter 10 draln that vast wilderness
ieaNihg the city OF savannah IN the great
est risk Of disease.
MAJ Blandiord' an experienced ana skill
ca engineer AFTER a careful Inspection OF
the country about the city with the cit-
zehs committee declares that there is
ueploIaple laek OF drainage IA the terri
Tory Immediately surrounding the city
MT {. ~. Dorset OF the citizens com
mlttee declares that one day out in the
country around savannah with the other
members OF the committee has surprised
MN as 20 the vast amount Of water that is
spreading ana stagnating over acres of
land IN close proximity 20 the city
Mr.. NJ. j. Solomons of the citizens COM
mltlee. SAYS he was astonished at the
tr1ghttul condition OF the drains and
bitches and canals. lie says such state
OF affairs Is a constant menace TO the
safety and hedlthfulness of the people Of
the city He deplores the policy of taking
the convicis o. the county away from this
territory and placing them at work in a