The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-23
The Grand Jury on Drainage.


The majority report Of the grand jury's
committee on drainage and roads. publish
ed ia fuu in the Morning News yes terday.
Is most remarkable paper. u fully sub
Stimulates the charges which have been
made. that the drainage about the city is
not in proper condition, and vet it recon-
mends lhat tho work in the far southwest
corner Of the sixth militia district be car
rIed on. The Vale Royal canal was found
ty the committee 10 be grown up with
weeds the Dundee canal in the same con-
dtion and fun OF river water, while a rice
field on its west bank Hss flooded with a
harvest flow; the Ogeecnee canal was in
an "unsauitary condition, being full OF
deoayins vegetation ana stasnant water
the Telfar swamp was in very bad con
duou" and showed but little sign of re-
cent work. the Tef8ir rice field was
found 20 need drainage" 70 Offset which
the Information was youchsafed that plans
and estimates for the drainage of that
arcs Were con file" with the commission
ersl The fact that these estimates are "on
lle,' while the c1nyicts are 10 Buckhalter,
win of course make the Telfair place dry
and sanitary,
The most striking feature OF the report
is the amount Of space and solicitation ex-
pended upon Buckhalter II seems that
the determination Of the commissioners to
kalsomine that dclectable barony was not
sufficient; IT. must also be whitewashed
More than half Of the report on drainage
Is devoted to Buckhalter and the richness
Of It's bottom lands, which latter has never
been denied. while bare paragraphs are
given 20 the canals and drains in the out
-kirts Of the city. which are acknowledged
10y the majority report to have been found
filed with weeds and "decaying vegeta-
bile matter" and "stanant water"
we are pleased 10 report, say the ma
iority. "that We could not sec" where the
lands of the chairman of the county com
missioners would derive any direct bene-
ut from the Drainage of this (Buckhalter)
swamp" Why should the committeeman
oe pleased TO report any such thing?
There has never been any objection raised
| TO me drainage OF BUckhalter upon that
score. Nobody has ever suggested that the
drainage Of Buckhalter was to be per-
formed for the personal benefit of the
chairman Of the commissioners II is inn
possible for extensive public Improvements
TO be- carried out without bcnehung some
private interests, ana there s no good ana
sufficient reason 90 Doe urged against the
chairman of the commissioners enjoying
such benefits If they should come within
the legitimate scope Of "the greatest good
TO the greatest number" The objections
Rave not been urged upon personal grounds
al an, as has frequently been stated, but
upon the broad ground that the citys best
interests demand first attention.
The intense satisfaction OF the majority
part Of the committee with the work of the
commissioners, and its conviction that the
people should do no thinking or invesugat-
ing for themselves, is most strikingly set
forth. The report is IN two sections or
rather under two heads, and each head
winds up with the admontion to the peo-
pie to place their implicit trust in the
board of county commissioners and fear
no evil. II the people have grievances, they
should be considered as private" and the
august board should not be worried with
them. If puddles and pools, aud ponds of
stagnant water are found. and If canals
are choked up with weeds and "decaying
vegetable matter" and are full of stag
nant water. no complaint should be made,
because a majority Of a special committee
from the grand jury has concluded that
"the gentlemen now in Office as commits
sioners are discharging their duty faith
fully" and that there is splendid drain
age in the county, Notwithstanding the
condition Of the Vale Royal Dundee. Tel
fair Ogeechee and other canals, to which
the majority report directs attention.
Verify. the report Of the majority OF the
grand jurys special committee is won
derful paper!