The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-10
Suburban Drninage.

The water from what IS lOpOSIdpHlcdily
known as the Musgrove creek watershed
flows into Musgrove swamp proper, and
also into its lateral arms or branches
known as Telfair Minis, Lamar, South
Fork and other Smaller swamps. The wa
ter from these lowlands finds an outlet
through the Springfield canal, or Mus
grove creek, as it is known to some, into
the Savannah river at the Ocean Steam
ship wharves. So important was the i'm
provement of the drainage of that portion
Of these Iowlands nearest the city con-
sidered that more than fifty years ago the
mayor and aldermen of Savannah under
took to drain them. About twenty years
ago. under the direction of an expert COM
mission of which that distinguished sol
der and engineer, the late Gen. ]. F. Gil
mer, was a member, the city enlarged the
old rice field outlet now known as the
Springfield canal and extended it to the
old backwater dam in the rear of Laurel
Grove cemetery, from which point the
county commissioners in 1883 built the Mi
mis- canal, draining that arm of the greater
swamp In 1891. Commissioner J. a. G.
Carson chairman Of the drainage commits
sion of the county built the Lamar canal.
These two canals, with the exception of
two or three small laterals hardly more
than bitches, constitute the only work that
has been done in the extensive watershed
Immediately southwest of the city. The
necessity for the thorough and systematic
drainage Of this large area of low and
soggy land has been recognized and urged
by every sanitaran and by intelligent ciu-
zens for years. Formerly the city and
county authorities used what means they
had at their command to drain these
swamps. and the only reason why they
were not long ago placed in a good sani-
| tary condition was a lack of funds.
With the education of the people to the
necessity of submitting to taxation for
drainage purposes, and the growth of the
convict force, the money and labor neces-
sary for accomplishing the work of drain
age have been available for several years;
but apparently those who had authority
and the means placed at their disposal,
ignoring the knowledge Of others and lack
ing information themselves, have neg
lected their opportunities and are spend
ing their energies and wasting the peop.e's
money in improving far away sections Of
the county.
No doubt had the carefully prepared
plans of previous boards OF commissioners
been followed. the labor and the money
Which have been at the disposal of the
county commissioners during the last four
and hair years would have given a thor
ough and systematic drainage for the en-
tire country surrounding Savannah. 1t is
no secret TO the pubic that there were
members OF the board Of county commits
sionors which went into Office in 1898 who
desired 10 carry out the well conceived
plans OF their predecessors In office. had
not distractions been placed in the way
of their doing so by a
minority OF the board. and
the four years Of their valuable services
and thousands OF dollars of the peoples
money were frittored away; nothing of ma
teral Importance being accomplished
Il was the hope of those who had the in
tercsts Of the city and county at heart that
the new board which entered upon the dis.
charge of lts important duties LAST March
would make q change, but the same splrit
seems 20 dominate the actions OF the pres
cnt as of the former board, with the dis
uuctlon, however that the members of th,.
present board seem virtually TO have as.
signed their duties 60 the same hands thar
$50 sacccssfully controlled the previou.
board Il - possible that the members on
The board OF county commissioners viii
awaken 90 their responsibilities and give
90 savannah aud TO the county the bonen
NJ their own Judgment and energy. The
grand jury will doubtless present tho facfe
10 Thorn as they have neyor thought or
.aDu before. arl that may help me onort.
now being made to have che count,
around tl' c.} have The immediate atton
lon 90 those ln authority.