The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-21
SCHOOLS GET AN INCREASE.
THE GRAND JURY GIVES EDUCA-
TON THE SUM OF $4,000.

/ The Full Amount Ask ed for by the
Committee From the board at
Education ApDroprinted-The ST.
900 Additional Given to Education
Taken on the Roads and Bridges
| ApprOpriatiOn-The budget In
creased by Only s., 900, Which Was
Put Onto the County Poor Fund.
The grand jury Of the Superior Court
! has acceded to the request OF the Board Of
Education and has added $500 to the
amount appropriated by the County Com
missloners in their budget for the cause Of
education in Chatham county.
A committee from the Board Of Educa-
ton was invited to appear before the grand
jury at yesterday afternoons session, the
invitation coming in response to a request
for permission to make a statement rela-
tive TO the educational fund. The board
had a committee before the County Com
missioners at the time the budget was be-
fore them for action, and the commission
ers then increased the appropriation for
education from $4,000 to $4,000. The board
stated at that time that it would positive
ly have to have the amount last named in
order to pay the fixed charges which would
accrue during the year, and the commits
stoners consented to the increase to that
extent The committee also asked for an
extra appropriation for repairing and
building school houses, which was needed,
It was stated, on account of the large in
crease in the number of school children
from year to year. The commissioners,
however, did not see fit to increase the
amount beyond $4,000
The grand jury met in the Superior Court
room, and it was there that Col George A.
Mercer. president of the Board of Educa-
ton, and other members appeared before
1t. Col. Mercer made an address before
the grand jury showing the need for an in
creased appropriation on account of the
condition of certain school houses and the
need for further accommodations on &C
count of the increase in the number of
children The committee from the board
thought an addition of 81 900 would be suff-
cient and asked for that amount This
would Increase the amount to $4,000, the
same amount as was appropriated for ed
ucation last year.
After the committee from the board re-
tired the grand jury took the matter up
for consideration. What the discussion was
of course is not known, but the grand jury
decided to accede 10 the request of the
board, and increased the appropriation to
the amount desired.
The amount of $1,000 which was added TO
the amount for education in the county
budget was taken off the amount appro-
priated by the commissioners for roads
and bridges. Just after the committee from
the Board of Education appeared before
the grand jury, Vice Chairman f. S. Lath-
rop of the County Commissioners, and
Capt. John r. Dillon went before that
body in order to explain certain features
,t,1, ft,. 4fr
desired to know. One of the special fea-
lures inquired about was the appropriation
of $35 900 for roads and bridges. 1t was eX-
planned that the commissioners desired TO
extend the pavement of the Augusta road
for distance of six miles, to extend the
Louisville road to Pooler distance of
four miles further surfacing both with Au-
gusta gravel, and that IL was also desired
10 build several substantial iron bridges
at various points where they are badly
needed.
The grand jury evidently thought that
Ills appropriation could better afford to
stand the loss than any other and decided
TO lop off 5000 from 1t and add it onto
the educational fund. With the $2S,000
one OF the proposed roads can be extended
and the iron bridges can be built though
the other work may be deferred for
year.
The grand jury increased the total bud
get by only 81 600, making the total $780,,
100. The extra $1,000 was added to the
county poor fund which the County Com
missioners made only $1,000 The commits
soners made a much smaller appropria>
ton for county poor on account. OF the
! organization of a charitable association in
the city, which proposes TO look after the
poor of the city and county. The $1,000
was intended only for the county poor
who live outside the city limits.
The grand jury looked at the matter Of
the poor fund in a different light, and de-
] cided that the county should pay more
| for the benefit of the poor than the $1,000
put In by the County Commissioners. II
| was considered that the city poor belong
| to the county just as much as do the
| poor who live outside the city limits, and
| the grand jury, therefore, put In the extra
| S2.00Q for the county poor who live within
| the city limits leaving the ST. 600 for those
| outside. The appropriation of $1,000 for
| county poor Is stin n decrease of $1,000
| from the amount appropriated in the last
| budget. The County Commissioners have
| persistently refused TO do anything toward
| cooperating with the Charitable Assocla-
\ ton of Savannah, even though the Mayor
! md the city attorney appeared before
| them and told them that the association
| intended to do as much for the poor out
side the city limits as for those within.
The changes made in the budget by the
| grand jury are similar to those contended
| for by Commissioner Kehoe whose mo
! ton was defeated at the April meeting of
! the board. Mr. Kehoe wanted to decrease
! the roads and bridges appropriation. and
| increase the appropriation for education
| and county poor. The grand jury's action
/ Ia the matter of the educational and coun-
ty poor funds is final and the appropria-
tons viii stand as it has put them TIE
final presentmeuts of the grand jury win
! be completed next week, and will be pre-
scented TO the court on Judge Falhgants
return from Mcintosh county on Monday,
May. go
CONTRACTORS NOT HEARD FROM.