The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-26

in Georgia. Gen. Kell, being from his IN
creasing infirmity unable to discharge the
duties of his office, my predecessor in Of
flee, Gov. Atkinson, employed Col VIII
liam G. Obear of the state troops as a clerk
in the office who performed them Col.
Obear was paid out of the military fund.
In the appropriation act passed by your
honorable body al your last session, such
restrictions were thrown around the DIS
bursement of the public money, and L
think wisely, that not on'y no part of the
military fund.- but no part of any other
fund could be applied 10 the payment Of
clerk for the office. Gen. KelFs health be-
ing stin so bad that he could do no part
of the work of the office, and being I'M
willing to supplant him by appointing an
other to the office he had filed so long
and so we'll, and mindful of his splendid
serv ces 10 his country in the days Of his
manly vigor, the only course left TO me
was to place Assistant Adjutant General
Byrd on the roll of the Capitol Guard as
captain, and require him to. do the work
of the adjutant general, paying him $45
dollars a month out of the public buildings
and grounds fund as captain of the Guard,
and Gen. I<el paying him $50 per mouth
out OF his salary of S2,00) per annum, Thus
we patched up a salary of 500 a month for
Col. Byrd who had performed the triple
duty of captain of the Guard, keeper Of
tant general This course was pursued
after agreement with Gen. Kelr and con q
sultation with the attorney general who
advised me that in no other way could /
pay an officer to keep the adiutant gener-
ais office open without a violation Of law.
This couI Sc, while the only one open to
us, has been unsatisfactory, because the
triple duties of acting adjutant general,
keeper Of public buildings and grounds and
captain of the Guard have been too much
for one man, and have worked a hardship
on the other four members of the Guard
whose duties have been thus increased.
L therefore recommend that Gen. Kell,
in consideration of his extreme age and
growing infirmities and in recognition of
mis- splendid services TO the South and his
state, be retired on the first day of Janu-
airy, $780, with his rank, on a pension sui
ficient to support him comfortably during
his life, or that provision be made for
paying the assistant adjutant general who
performs the duties of the office, an ade-
quate salary when thus actually employed.
Northeastern Railroad.
The Northeastern Railroad Company
whose bonds were Endorsed by Gev Col
quit under authority of the act of Oct.
q, 1870 having defaulted in the payment
of it's interest due on the first day of No
Vember, 1893 was seized by Gov Northen
on Nov. IS, 1888, in accordance with the
provisions of the act authorizing the in
dorsement, and put in the hands of r. K.
Reaves of Athens, to be operated by him
as the agent OF the state, in accordance
with the provisions of said act Mr..
Reayes continued 10 so operate the road
until April 49, 1895, when Gov. Atkinson,
after advertising as required by law, Of
fered the road for sale at auction to the
highest and best bidder, In Athens, its
southern terminus.
No satisfactory bid being received. the
Governor bid it in for the state, and Mr.
Reaves continued, by order of the Gov
ernor, to operate il as agent for the
state.
At the beginning of the present admins
tration, Mr.. Reaves having operated the
road to the entire satisfaction of both
Cows. Northern and Atkinson, and seeing
no good that could result TO the slate from
a change of agents, / continued him as
agent, and he is still the agent of the state
in charge of the property.
The net earnings Of the road have been
sufficient to pay the interest on the $287.
900 of state bonds issued TO pay off the
bonds of the railroad company indorsed by
the state, which upon the default of the
company in the payment of its interest
became an immediate liability of the state.
and some months have Shown a small
profit; but not sufficient TO warrant
the state in holding and operating the
road permanently. 1t has always, too,
been the sense of the general assembly, as
is evident from all the legislation on the
subject since it fell into the hands of the
state, that the road should be offered for
sale whenever in the judgment of the
Governor there might be a probability OF
selling without loss to the state.
Thus believing. and this belief being con-
CURED in by the special committee APP
pointed by your honorable bodies al youI
last session to look into the affairs of the
road, / have advertised according to the
provisions of the act of Dec. p, 1897. for
sealed bids for its purchase, to be opened
on the 31st day of October, when | have
reason to believe there will be more than
one bidder, and that the road will be sold
at price sufficient not only to save the
state from loss, but to yield q little profit
Geological Survey.
During the year two bulletins have bsen
prepared and printed. the one on THE Ar
tesian Wen System" and the other on
1.-THE Clay Deposits of Georgia"