The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-23
SCHOOLS TO GET $4,000.
GRAND JURY COMPROMISED on
THAT AMOUNT.

Conditions Attached to the ApprO-
priatIOn, HOwever-$IO,OOO Must
Go Into school BuiIdings-Other
Appropriations Cut Down-ROads
and Bridges Reduced $1,000, Courts
S2,OG0 and Chain-GanE S2,00O-The
Grand jury Thinks There Are 9th
err Things Besides schools in
which Economy Gan BE Practiced.
The grand Jury met yesterday afternoon
and completed its revision of the county
budget. The report of the grand jury upon
the budget will be submitted, with its
presentments for the term. Thursday af-
ternoon.
The school appropriation is placed at
$4,000. This Is a compromise between che
$4,000 allowed by the County Commission
ers and the $4,000 asked for by the Board
of Education. The probability of such
compromise was indicated in the Morning
News after the recent conference between
the grand jury and The Board of Educa-
ton.
No official information could be obtained
as to the action of the grand
jury. 1t is understood however, that the
$4,000 appropriation for school purposes
is conditional, the condition being thar
5000 of this sum be used in pro
viding permanent additions to the school
facilities. This may mean that the Board
OF Education will be required to begin
work on a new school house in order to
get the additional amount, or that it may
make additions to the Henry Street school.
The grand jury evidently based its cal
culations upon the report of the finance
committee of the Board of Education,
which showed that In addition 10 funds on
hand and the amount expected from the
state all that would be required from the
county to conduct the schools for another
year, on the same basis as they are now
conducted, is $40, I32. This makes no al
lowance, however, for an increase in the
number of classes. which will necessarily
follow an increase in the school accom-
modations.
The action of the grand jury can hardly
be considered a victory for either the
County Commissioners the Board of
Education. As a matter of fact, however
the educational appropriation is the only
one Increased, while several other appro-
priations were reduced. The roads and
bridges appropriation is cut 5000, and the
appropriation TO courts and chain-gang
are understood to have been cut $1,000
each. This makes a reduction in the COM
missioners' budget of $1,000, as against an
increase of $1,000 or a net reduction OF
$1,000.
The meeting of the grand jury was what
might be called a meeting of the commit
tee of the whole, its special object being
to confer with the County Commissioners
upon their budget. If the commissioners
had any idea that it was merely for the
purpose of giving them an opportunity 10
offset the effect made by he Board of Ed
ucation on Friday afternoon, they discov-
cred their mistake. The grand jury de-
veloped a very economical turn of mind
and the commissioners were closely ques-
toned as to the various items of The bud
get and searching inquiries made as to
whether or not reductions cotld not he
made without seriously Gripping The coun-
" departments.
Chairman Dale informed the grand
jury that in the majority of the expend-
itures of the county the commissioners
have practically no option. They have no
power to regulate the expenses of the
courts and can only base their estimate
OF the probable expense for the year on
the experience of previous years. They
can place no limit upon the courts as 10
the number OF jurors who shall be In
attendance, nor can they limit the num-
Der of court officers. These things are
all regulated by law and are largely with
In the discretion of the judges.
Chairman Dale surprised the members
of the grand jury when ne Informed them
that their investigation of the chain-gang
was unnecessary, the county chain-gang,
like all other chain-gangs in the state,
being now under the control of the state
prison commission, and conducted
under rules adopted by the commission.
Even the diet of the convicts is determ-
ined by the commission. Mr.. Dale said
this fact had evidently been overlooked,
fl having always been the custom for
grand juries to investigate the chain
gang.
Some of the grand 3urymen thought
the amount allowed the court officers for
insolvent costs too large, but they were
informed that this is also regulated by
law. Practically the only important ex-
penditures i'm which the County Commits
sioners have any discretionary power are
those for schools, roads and bridges and
drainage, and even in these matters they
are subject TO revision by the grand jury.
Notwithstanding the fact that these ex-
IeDditures mentioned are provided for by
law the grand jury is evidently of the
opinion that there is room for economy in
the conduct OF the courts and the chain
gang. as shown by the reduction in the ap.
pTopriations to each.
Mr. George J. Mrs, the foreman, was
seen after The adjournment of the meeting
He said that there had been some
reductions in the appropriations, but that
he did not feel at liberty to make them
public. lie furnished a copy of the changes
10 Chairman Dale of the County Commits
sioners, however The latter when an
preached for Information on the subject
said that he thought It proper that such
information should come from the fore
man OF the grand jury and declined 70
give out the figures. If there ere any other
changes than those mentioned, however.
they are of small Importance.
ANOTHER COMPANY GOES TO-DAY.
Company III of the Signal Corps VIII