The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-04
EXPLANATIONS IN ORDER.
GRAND JURY FILES COMPLAINTS
WITH COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

4 Special Committee VIII Go Over
the Ground to Inspect the Work
on Roads and Drairage-The Com
missiOners VIII be Called by
Chairman Dale to Meet This After
nOOn-The Carriage Question Up
Again.
Chairman Dale, of the county commits
sloners, is in receipt of a formal commune
cation from the grand jury announcing
that a special committee from that body
will investigate the recent complaints
against the methods of the commissioners
in pursuing the work of drainage and
improvement of the public roads.
The communication is signed by Mr.. A.
c. Harmon, chairman of the special COM
mittee from the grand jury.
Mr. Harmon paid Chairman Dale an in
formal call yesterday at the court house,
and told him it was the purpose of the
grand jury to make the investigation.
Chairman Dale replied that he would like
10 have a written statement as to some
specific charges, which are to be brought
against the commissioners before hand, in
order that he might cali a meeting in the
meantime to discuss the matter and take
action.
Mr.. Harmon later sent a letter to Chair
man Dale making the charges plain, and
stating in brief just what the complaints
are that need TO be looked into by the
grand jury.
The letter raises the following points and
these will be laid before the commission
ers at their meeting this afternoon prior
to the investigation by the special commit
tee from the grand jury, which is to take
place tomorrow
4. From the southwestern boundary
of Musgrove territory up to the limits of
the city, there is a large area reported in
most insanitary condition and virtually
without drainage.
o. In the Dundee swamp. south
of the Central railroad and on the Ogee-
chez canal, is a section very much in the
same condition as that reported above.
g. The drainage of the upper part of
Cuyler swamp and several Of its rribu-
taries remain unfinished.
a. The Hampstead and the Cooper
sWamps and the northwest corner of De,
henne swamp are reported TO be in a bad
condition.
.. Why is it necessary to build a new
road to Thunderbolt, when the one now
gong there can be purchased for consid-
erably less money than it will cost to
buiin the new one?"
As is well known these complaints
nave arisen out of the seeming neglect
the county commissioners have given the
drainage work around the city in under.
taking TO drain Buckhalter swamp, which
is a remote district of the county
The matter was first officially brought
before the county commissioners in the
nature of an appeal from the clty's san
itary board, DR.. LeHardy and others con-
curing in the opinion that il was dan
gerous to leave certain drainage work
which was necessary for the health of
the community and take the county con-
victs away out to Buckhalter swamp at
this time. The county commissioners
gave the sanitary boards petition a cool
reception when it was brought before
them.
The special committee from the grand
jury consists of A. c. Harmon, chairman;
Joseph Phillips c. D. Baldwin, NJ. L. Ex-
ley and Clarence G. Anderson.
Something was said by the chairman of
the county commissioners concerning the
question whether the committe will ride
out TO Buckhalter swamp, or wheth-
er il viii walk. that is to
say, whether the county will pay for the
carriages. The county attorney was con-
suited in the matter. In point of law. il
is held that the county cannot defray the
expenses Of carriages for the grand
jury on any Grand the point being that
no money can be expended unless in con-
formity with some statutory law. and
there Is no law allowing such AN expendI-
ture Of public money in this state
Il was not until special law was passed
allowing the expenditure OF money to de
fray to actual living expenses Of a petit
jury while confined pending a verdict in
a case that the counties OF the state were
allowed to pay for the meals and board of
the petit 1uries Of counties In this state
The grand Jurors, however. in this case
are not worrying themselves much about
the means Of getting out to where the
county's work Is supposed to be going on
where 1t should be going on, and where it
really is going on just at present They
have appointed Thursday as the day for
making an investigation of the work being
done by the county. They have notified
the chairman OF their purpose, and they
will be there at roll call, carriages or no
carriages.
The chairman Of the special committee
was seen by a Morning News reporter and
asked about the investigation. He declin-
ed to say anything further than that the
special committee had appointed the day
for investigating the county commission
ers' work and had sent a letter notifying
the commissioners of 1t. When asked
about the carriage question he sinn,v