The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-20
OBJECTS TO A SHAVING SHOP.
THE GRAND JURY WANTS MONEY
LENDING SUPPRESSED.

superintendent Used Convict
without Authority - Special Com
,nittee Found Nothing Else Wrong
with County AfTairs-Many Roads
and Drains Need Attention-SaIa-
ries should Not Be Drawn Until
The Bills Are Passed.
The grand jury of the Superior Court
was not discharged for the term yester-
dsv. but made its general presentments
nevertheless, which, in accordance with
the courts order, are published in the
Morning News to-day.
The most interesting feature of the re-
mort. no doubt, is the report of the spe-
cial committee appointed to investigate
certain charges made by Mr.. William Ke-
hoe with regard to the management of
county affairs by the County Commission
ers. Mr.. Kehoe furnished a written state
ment of the complaints he had to make,
which was taken up in sections by the
special committee
Taking up the first section, the commit
tee. after considerable figuring as to the
width of the pavement with Augusta grav-
el on Estiu avenue, the Waters road,
Montgomery Cross road and others, and
as to the depth of it on these roads, finds
that there are seventy-seven cars of the
gravel unaccounted for. The committee
also reports that all the gravel used prior
to the construction Of Dale avenue was
purchased without any advertising for
bids, but that it was bought at as low
price as it was sold to any one else.
gT-,..
self as satisfied with the method adopted
for measuring and testing the gravel by
the County Commissioners. The commit
tee found no evidence of the charge that
the county superintendent of public works
had been the agent of the company selling
Augusta gravel. The charge as to the for
age unaccounted for was passed with the
statement that the discrepancy was due
to a clerical error.
The committee found that Supt. Chap
lin did use the services of a county con
Wet Neptune Golden, for his private work
without authority and during the term OF
said convict's sentence
The charges of immortality at the con-
wet camps do not appear to have panned
out much. The committee could find no
several instances cited.
Mr. kehoe characterized the "Buckhal
ter deal' as "a grand scheme for the i'm
proVement and reclamati ton of a large sec
ton of land belonging to the Chairman.
The committee was not able to throw any
light on this question and said it seemed
to be a matter entirely of engineerine
opinion and future results will have to
demonstrate whether it is wise or not. The
committee took no exception to the rem
tai OF mules and wagons to the county by
Mr.. Chaplin while he was County Com
missioner. Several other charges along
the same line, the committee viewed in
practically the same light as will be seen
from its report
More exception appears to have been
taken to what Mr.. Kehoe called the SHAY
ing shop in the superintendent's office
than to any of the other features With
regard to this feature, the committee says:
1t has been shown that Mr.. J. w Nc
Intyre makes loans of money to court
mouse employees, for repayment on pay
DAY charging about 10 per cent. for if
teen or twenty days; Mr.. Reuben Butler
also admits making loans to county en-
ployes, receiving compensation therefor,
ana We recommend that this practice be
strictly prohibited"
There was no evidence to show that the
steam roller could have been bought for
less than the county paid for it. With
regard 10 disbursements of the poor fund
II Is recommended that Clerk Mcintyre be
required TO keep a pay roll, to be signed
py an those who receive aims from the
county. 1t is also found that Supt Chap
lin violated a resolution of the board bv
ordering gravel himself, instead of doing
II through the clerk. The committee also
recommends a change in the system of
pookkeeplng better adapted to the increas-
ed business of the county.
Inc report of this special committee is
signed by Messrs. George w. ,Tiedeman
Tnalrman; W. s. King, Charles H. Dorsett,
Iohh IL. Hunter and F. G. Bell.
The committee on roads. bridges and
drainage, as will be seen, takes up eacn
ioad, bridge and drain in the county and
states the condition in which each was
found The committee found that repairs
uIe needed on almost every road, and
many of the drains in the county The
sanitary condition of many of the drains.
IL Is stated, also needs attention. and with
me large force at its command, it is con-
SuSfed the commissioners should be able
10 look after this work.
ne special committee appointed to re-
Iort on the request of a number of prom
IHvht citizens for a road on White Marsh
1sidld made a favorable report on the
Peuton. 1t was found that there were
e~ allnculties in the way of construct
iiIs ule road, and it was believed existing
VVmqluons justified it's being built.
Inc committee on convict camps is of
tne opinion that the sleeping quarters of
ne convicts should be kept more neat and
Gleah' but generally everything was found
III good condition
county offices and records were all found
III good condition and well kept.
CHuer the head of county treasurer the
srahd jury states that lists of bills passed
Ior payment should be in the possession
9L the treasurer before warrants are
urawn upon him from the County Com
missioners' office
ne grand jury objects to the practice
VI the clerk of the County Commissioners
uraWlhg orders on the treasurer for the
ssatarles of county employees before the
says:
we also find that the messengers sal
ares are not usually paid before about the
.olh OF the month, and at times when they
need money they are in the habit of hav-
ing 1t advanced to them for which ad-
Fance an amount is deducted in the form
y, interest. We do not think this credita-
n IN mi q