The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-29
DIFFERS WITH THE MAYOR.
Health officer Says Many Places
Around the City Need Draining.

Health Officer Says Many Places
Around the City Need Draining.
Health officer LeHardy does not agree
with Mayor Meldrim in the opinion ex-
pressed by him in a recent interview in
the Morning News that the lands around
the city appear to him to be fairly well
drained and in better condition than usual
at this season of the year. After reading
the article referred to Drs LeHardy adj
dressed communication to Mayor Mel
drim, in which he said:
Seeing by the morning paper that you
are under the impression that the sur
roundings of Savannah are well drained,
I have upon a map indicated the low
places which although partially drained
require to be drained, because in wet
weather they retain water, which be-
comes green and unsanitary. The county
drains should ali be cleaned and property
owners required TO drain into these, or it
should be done by the county and charged
to the owners. We have got to face these
matters, and I think you will this year,
as well as you did last year. bring the
county convict labor to do this work be-
fore il is too late"
In speaking of the matter yesterday to
a Morning News reporter DR.. LeHardy
said
why there should be a tendency to
hide or lack of energy to ascertain the
exact condition of the low and swamp
lands around Savannah among those who
can have them put in a healthy condition,
al S- .f
problems so hard to fathom. The proof
that one may ride along our public roads
and see not a cupful of water was demon
srated last year. To make the asser-
ton without investigation is calculated 20
iull the people into false security without
good foundation. To one who wishes to
see them undrained-or badly drained
lands are found in every direction around
the city-north, on Fig and Hutchinson's
Islands; west, on the Vale Royal and
Springfield tracts and Musgrove swamps;
south and southeast, on the DeRenne and
Hampstead and Cuyler swamps; east, the
Cuyler and Placentia watersheds. To
bring the matter to the understanding of
everybody who rides a wheel, 1 will take
them along the Estill-Dale avenue to
Ihunderbolt, starting at Bull street. Look
ing south as you are about TO pass the
tract Of the Electric Railway, at the ex-
tension of Habersham street, you will see
stagnant water in a ditch and water
soDbed soil in the swampy growth of
pushes. This is the end of the DeRenne
sWamp-it extends south for several miles
few hundred feet from the White Bluff
road-in places it is almost impassable.
Immediately south of EsHll avenue, at
distances ranging from one-fourth to one
hat miles, are low undrained lands, which
after rains remain covered with water for
days and weeks
Crossing the Waters road where the
oih and uncared-for DeRennes ditch runs
Is a stretch of low and badly drained land.
rms courses all along the eastern flank of
the city, passing west of the Catholic Gem
etery and on the Lawton property to the
Diuit nearest the river. A few hundred
yards beyond this another stretch of low
ana badly drained lands may be seen,
spreading north and south of Dale ave-
nue. fully half mile either way. Just
beyond the crossing of the old Skidaway
road comes another piece of poorly drain
ca land, and less than quarter of mile
beyond this. comes the great Cuyler
swamp. with its hundreds of acres of the
richest soil unfit for cultivation, although
the county canal passes there"
Dr. LeHardy's map indicates the water
sheds and lowlands as indicated by him.
rms map shows Savannah TO be surround
ca by swampy land, a great deal of which
Is undrained or only partially drained.