The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-21
WHERE DRAINAGE is NEEDED
CITIZENS HAVE No DIFFICULTY IN
FINDING THE PLACES.

cation OF the GOnditlon on tht
Lands Around the City Undertaken
by "a Committee of Citizens ny He
quest of the Morning News-The
First Days Work shows Ample
Proof of the Need of Nearby Drain
age-More Than - TcncupfuI Of
Water Found In TcIfnir and Mus
grove S1yampS-AuOther Trip 10 he
Made Tuesday Afternoon.
In order that the people of Savannah
may be advised of the exact condition OF
the county's canals, bitches ana drains
Immediately contiguous TO the city, and
also the condition of the swamps and
other lowlands in its vicinity the Morn
ing News has requested a number Of well
known citizens to examine into the mat
ter and give their views. The invitation
was addressed TO them without a knowl-
edge of their opinions on the question,
other than that they are DESTROYS Of haV-
ing the county adjacent to the city in the
best sanitary condition possible. No
member Of the committee, excepting Mr.
Blandford. has been talked TO on the sub
ject, nor has he been requested to do
anything except so much as is explained
in the letter hereto annexed.
1t Is the purpose of the Morning News
10 present 10 its readers the real state of
the drainage around the city without
prejudice or bias. The examination viii
be prosecuted from day 10 day at the
convenience Of the gentlemen who have
l. 10
ritory in question has been inspected. The
result of the investigation will be given 10
the readers of the Morning News either
as a whole or from time to time as it may
be reported by the committee.
The invitation TO the several gentlemen
requested 10 undertake this WORK read as
follows:
Savannah, Ga, Aug. 49, 1S97-Messrs. c.
H. Dorsett A. McC Duncan, c. f. Prem
dergast, WV. Starr r. A. Blandford w.
c. Powell J. II. Cavanaugh,
w c. Lyons. John Lyons
and NJ. J. Solomons, Gentlemen: As YOU
have had in your several official capacities
as commissioner, grand jurors,
engineer, etc, valuable expert
ence and extended observation Of
the drainage work of the county-what
has been done and what remains to be
done around the city-the Morning News
respectfully invites you, and such other
gentlemen as you may ask to act with you,
at its expense, 10 make a tour OF inspec-
ton of the country surrounding the city
and report what, in your judgment, is its
sanitary condition and what will conduce
TO it's improvement, and to remove the
dangers which may exist or arise from
imperfect drainage or lack of drainage,
should any such conditions prevail Yours
Respectfully J. II. EsulL
The committee viii start from the DE
Soto on Friday, Aug. 20 at go p. m.
Never was there a more vital issue be
fore the people of Savannah than the
question drainage as it now confronts
them. Experiences of certain years IN
the past have not been forgotten and
the city has progressed too far since that
time to choose a similar back-set now.
The salvation of the city of Savannah
is perfect drainage in the immediate vi
cinity Of the towns outskirts and thor
ough sewerage system within the cor
porate limits.
There have been repeated complaints
against the methods pursued by the cOun-
~ commissioners in the question of drain
age. The removal of all the county's
convict labor from the drains and bitches
near the city to Buckhaltcr swamp a
watershed that is far distant to the city
and which drains toward the other side
of the county, discharging into the Little
Ogeechee river in sparsely settled regions
of the county, has been objected to by
the health officers and many citizens be-
sides. Similar objections have been raised
by members of the board of county COM
missioners, but the work is going on at
Buckhalter, and the much needed work
near the city Is being neglected, neverthe-
less.
A special committee from the grand jury
was appointed to look into the complaints.
This committee, under the escortage Of
the members of the county commission
ors, took several trips in a tally-ho over
the county to inspect the drainage. That
committee reported TO the grand jury as
whole yesterday. but the grand jury
made no report TO the court. The Jury was
in session two hours hearing the report
OF the special committee and discussing it,
but failed to make any report on the bust
ness before the members, asking the
court TO allow them until next Friday to
make their reports.
Meanwhile, the public interest runs
high in the question Of drainage. The
health officer of the city declares that it
Is necessary for, at least a part of the
county force, to be kept busy all the
time working on the drainage close around
the town. II is understood that the grand
jury committee reported that the drain
age about the city Is in good condition.
The following gentlemen met at the De
Soto hotel yesterday afternoon at the hour
named and began the work OF making
an impartial investigation of the coun-
tvs drainage:
Maj. r, A. Blandford Mr. c. n. Dor
eett Capt. A. Nice. Duncan, DR. T. e.
Besselieu, Mr.. j. II. Cavanaugh Mr. M.
J. Solomons and Mr.. John d. Robertson.
The party left the city by way of the
Louisville road. They noted that the
A. I'D