The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-02
CHAIRMAN DALE's VIEW OF 1T.
GRAND JURY PREsENTMENTs CUT
NO ICE WITH HIM.

Commissioners Would Never Have
Any settled Policy II They At
tempted to Follow All the Recon-
mendations OF the Grand Juries.
To Buy and Rebuild she'll Roads
would BE Too CostIy-County
Drainage in Better Condition Than
Mai. BIanford Left IL, lie Says.
Chairman j. j. Dale Of the board OF
County Commissioners does not attach
any great weight to grand jury present
ments In fact he has found reason to dis
agree with so many presentments by the
grand 5uries during the last few years that
he is becoming rather skeptical as to the
value OF the ancient and honorable in
stitution.
Il DO not mean 10 crlticise the grand
juries," said Commissioner Dale. - have
no doubt that the gentlemen mean well.
The trouble is that one grand jury diff
fers with another and II we attempted 10
do all they ordered us to do We would
bankrupt the county or put the rate of
taxation so high that the taxpayers would
put US out Of Office bodily"
"Of course. as soon as / read the report
OF the grand jury's presentments this
morning 1 ordered Superintendent Chap
lin 10 transfer all the eonvicts from Buck
halter TO the Musgrove creek watershed
and TO buy the Vernon shell road at once.
What else could I do? Did not the grand
jury order it done? Really l am thank
ful that we do not have to obey their
orders"
These varying presentments by the
grand juries" said Chairman Dale, re
mind me of the fable of the old man
and his son who started to town with
a little ass which they had to sell Desr-
ing to get the ass 10 town in good cOndi-
ton, they walked and led the animal. The
first person they met remarked upon what
fools they were for both of them to walk
when one might ride. So the old man got
on and rode and the boy walked. The
next man they met said that il was a
shame for the old man to ride the ass
and leave his little son to walk. upon
which the old man got off and put the
hoy on. The next traveller they met said
the old man was a fool for walking when
both might ride, upon which
the cd man mounted with the boy
The next person exclaimed what a shame
az was that two men should ride "A little
ass when the two were more able to carry
the ass than he 20 carry them ThereupOn
they returned to their original plan aud
walked the ass to town, as they had start
ed out to do
If the County Commissioners undertake
to be guided by the advice of the various
grand juries," said Chairman Dale, we
will never know what we intend TO do
so We prefer to be guided by our own ideas
in county matters, especially as we devote
considerable time and attention 10 the
county's business, while the members of
the grand jury, good citizens as 1 admit
most of them to be, devote an hour or
two at occasional intervals TO these mat
ters"
For instance, we proposed last year 10
extend the Louisville road to Pooier with
Augusta gravel, the improvement evidently
being much needed. The grand Jury which
met in the spring and which aadits our
budget. forbade US doing so. taking 5000
off our road appropriation and adding il
10 the school fund. Now, the grand Jury
which has just completed its labors, orders
us to complete the road to the county lire.
four or five miles beyond Pooler'
IF the gentlemen who own the shell
roads" said Mr.. Dale had anything 10
sell would not object to buying these
roads, but the roads are worn out To put
theSe IOduS IN COnQltiOn after buying tn I'm
would cost from 50 900 TO 5000 a mile. In
other words, TO buy these roads and put
them in proper condition we should nave
10 Increase the tax about 50 on every thous-
and dollars of taxable property in the
county. The taxes are too high now and
we have no intention of increasing them"
The drainage report Is an old tale re,
told, which is only TO be expected con-
sidering the source from which i comes
The drains are certainly in better condi-
ton around the city than when Mai
Blandford had charge of the work We
have force of men cleaning out drains
In the neighborhood of Estil avenue. and
few complaints have been heard on the
subject of drainage. The Buckhalter canal
Is being constructed for about. one-haIf
what such work cost the county under
Engineer Blanford and viii soon be com
pleted. II will drain Lamar swamp and
VIII take away about two-thrds of the,
water from Springfield plantation, and will
certainly be of great benefit to that Sec
uon. The Buckhaiter canal Is not being
constructed for the drainage of Buclhal-
ter swamp alone, but for the benefit of a
large portion of the county, extending
practically to the city limits"