The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-02


remedy be applied-either a sand tran or
some other means-as will effectually Dre-
vent further recurrence of the trouble
The new Casey canal east OF its junction
with the new DeRenne canal aside from
its growth of weeds and the damlns of the
water caused by the sand bar above re-
ferred to- is in fairly good condition. Be
low the DeRenne canal outlet the flow is
sufficient to carry off the drainage. The
bed of the canal, however nearly its en-
tire length is foul and needs cleaning. MANY
of the trunks need repairing, having the
appearance of neglect
The lands drained by the new Casey,and
the new DeRenne canals we
found dry and In excellent
condition, At the time of our
inspection, the rainfall for three months
had been less than three inches In con-
sequence there has been no extraordinary
demand for drainage.
The Cuyler watershed is the most ex-
tensive and probably the most important
around savannah, including as il does.
nearly all OF the SUBURBAN settlements east
ana southeast of the city, extending from
the battle-ground road on the west around
to the Causton Bluff road, taking in The
Cathedral cemetery, a part of the East
savannah and Avondale and "a large terri
tory further south, Il covers a drainage
The Hampstead and Harmon canals we
found in better condition than any in the
county. The latter canal draiaing about
three and half square miles, we found il
nearly clean, and except for slight sand
bars where the bitches enter it, the flow
of water is good. There are but two or
three laterals to this canal, and these are
in good condition.
The Placentia canal drains an important
and Id al
1t is long, narrow watershed extending
from Bonnabella east to Bonayenture
and carries the drainage of the lands west
of Bonnabella the colored college Thun-
derbolt and Bonaventure and a part OF
Avondale and East Savannah. The land
is easy to drain and the canal which is
INSTRUCTED by fallen trees, weeds and sand
and has the appearance of neglect, should
be cleaned. No work has been done on
the canal for some time.
Work on the Buckhalter canal is pro-
crossing and its good effect is apparent
in the draining of lands in and on either
side of the swamp as far up as the work
has been doneF The canal when COM
pleted, will drain large area of land ex-
tending from the Little Ogeechee river 70
near Southover junction.
The lowlands west and southwest of the
city, including Musgrove and its tributary
swamps, Vale Royal, Minis Telfair La
mar, etc, are in what Is called the Mus
grove watershed, and receive the drainage
of about twelve and a half square miles
of territory. To the northwest is the wa
tershed of McAlpin swamp, which, with
MuSgrove, adioins Dundee, all having
their natural outlets in the Savannah
river. Your committee went over a con-
siderable portion of this territory.
The Minis canal, which carries the
drainage from Minis swamp and the La
mar swamp. through the Lamar canal is
in fairly good condition, and the adjacent
lands, at the time of our inspection. were
dry
The Telfair and South Fork swamps are
in bad condition and greatly In need of
drainage. The close proximity to the city
of this undrained territory emphasizes
the Importance of its early and thorough
drainage. A good deal of this territory is
without bitches of any kind. The Telfair
swamp beginning east of the car works
and which is a tributary of Musgrove
swamp, has never been drained Through
the old rice field north of the car works
is an old ditch which would naturally
form the basis of the drainage of this ter
ritory. Al this time the ditch Is full of wa
ter and the land Is soggy. West of this
field is the main swamp, extending a mile
and half to the divide and east of il is
the Musgrove territory. a part of which
is included in the city. We regard the ear
ly and thorough drainage of these lands
of importance.
The Dundee canal south OF the Augusta
road is INSTRUCTED with rank vegetation
and other deposits. The bed of the canal
is filed up in places, and its generally bad
condition extends nearly its entire length.
North of the Augusta road towards the
river 1t Is in better condition but even that
part of it is urgently in need of attention.
The McAlpin and Vale Royal canals and
diches are fairly clean and the drainage
is good. The canals and bitches, so far as
we could judge. are ample for the drain
age of the territory through which they
extend.
The Ogeechee canal Is in very bad con-
dition. 1t Is grown up with weeds, the
water is stagnant and is not running in
any part of the canal. We consider this
condition most unsanitary, and the canal
a menace to the health of the city and
the county as we'll We recommend that
the owners of the canal be required TO
put it in the proper sanitary condition, and
failing to do so promptly after sufficient
notice, that the work be done by the coun-
ty at the owners expense We are una
BILE to determine the utility OF this canal
as a drainage canal, but we recognize the
Importance of its being kept in thorough
sanitary condition.
We recommend that all drains and
bitches near the city be cleaned as soon as
1t can be done. If there is not a sufficient
force of convicts available for this work,
we recommend that it be done by paid la
Dor We suggest the ACCESSIBILITY of a suf-
fcient force of convicts being employed TO
keep the canals and bitches free at all
times from obstruction instead of doing
the work once or twice a year. While
the county has no authority to require
bitches dug on private property in con-
formity with the drainage system, we are
advised that it has the right to require
that bitches already dug be kept In proper
condition and we recommend the strict
exercise of this authority.
CONVICTS.
Our committee visited the convict camps
on the Waters road, the main camp on the
county farm. and the camp at Buckhal-
ter There are at present in the county's
charge 204 convicts, Y at work on Dale
avenue, 60 at the county farm, and SO at
Buckhalter. The condition of all the
camps is good. We especially note the ex-
cellent arrangement for the care Of the
convicts at the county farm. The disci-
pline. so far as we are able to judge, is
good and the general appearance OF the