The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-12
SHOULD HAVE MORE OFFERS.
TWO CEMETERY SITES NOT ENOUGH
TO CHOOSE FROM.

~ of Available Land Near the city
for Cemetery Purposes, says MIR.
Thomas-He Believes There Is an
Ideal site Between ThunderboIt
and BonabeIIa.
The small number of offers received oy
the city in response 10 its advertisement
for bids for new cemetery sites has caused
some surprise. OF the two sites offered,
the location Of the Bruton Hill tract is
not considered desirable, and the price,
500 an acre, is believed to put this site
Out of the question.
The other tract offered, that owned by
Col Garrard on the ogeechee road. is
regarded BY the City Council with more
favor, being for the most part sufficiently
elevated for cemetery purposes and with
considerable forest growth. 1t is objected,
however. that while this tract Is only
about TWO miles from the southernmost
limits of the city. it is practically twice
that distance from the center of the city,
and the only public facility for reaching
1t Is by the Ogeechee road Should the
city decided to buy it an effort would
doubtless be made to have the street rail-
way company extend its Battery Park
line to the site, but the result of such a
move would be only problematcal.
Owing to the fact that only two offers
have been received. it is not unlikely that
some of the members of Council may sug-
gest that steps be taken to bring other
pos sibly eligible sites in review. In this
connection the city may proceed with it's
proposed conference with the County Com
missioners as to the future of Estill Park
Notwithstanding Chairman Dale's effort
10 convince the aldermen that Estill Park
Is largely swamp. there are people who
are familiar with the park who hold the
opposite opinion, and who are inclined to
think that the city would do well to con-
slider us possibilities as a cemetery be-
fore surrendering whatever claim Il may
have left TO the land.
one of these Is Mr.. c. H. Dorset and an
other is Mr.. E. J. Thomas, formerly coun-
~ engineer both Of whom are thoroughly
familiar with the ground las to Estill
Park being a swamp" said Mr.. Dorset
Il hardly think it possible to find any
tract of go acres of land in Chatham
county which does not contain some
swampy lard. 1 should say that fully
two-thirdS of Estill Park is sufficiently ell
eyated for cemetery purposes, and much
rendered available by drainage There is
In addition considerable land adjoining the
park which is sufficiently elevated for
cemetery purposes, and which could doubt
less be secured at very low figure. The
routes which at present lead to the park
are somewhat circuitous, making the dis
lance 100 great for the convenience of the
general public, but with the Meridian and
other roads which have been projected
through the park, and which could be
completed through it at small expense, the
distance would be greatly lessened."
Mr.. Thomas shares Mr. Dorsett's opin-
ion as to the availability of Estin PARK
for cemetery purposes. 1T is not worth
while to talk about swamp land until the
question of drainage has been looked
into" said Mr.. Thomas. "A large part
of the present residence section of Sa-
Vannah was a swamp not so many years
ago. The only question is whether there
is sufficient elevation to thoroughly drain
the lowlands. Even leaving the question
OF drainage aside, there is ample high
ground in Estill Park for cemetery pur-
poses, the average elevation being 1 should
say, about eighteen feet. For cemetery
purposes an elevation of fifteen feet above
nigh water mark is sufficient. / am thor
oughly familiar with both sites and I
should say that the conditions at Estii
Park are fully as suitable for cemetery
on the Ogeechee road"
There is plenty of available high ground
for cemetery purposes within three miles
10 the south of the city, said Mr. Thorn
as, but that country Is practically a terra
lncognita to the average Savannahian, be-
cause of the lack of facilities for reach
Ing it. There is a splendid high hill on
the Middle Ground road which looks as
If it were put there especially for a GEM
etery, and, by the way, that is about all
IL will ever be good for"
IF Council wants to engage my services
and pay me a reasonable compensation, ."
said Mr.. Thomas, Il will furnish The city
with plats and locations of half dozen
available sites within easy reach of the
city. The ideal site. in my opinion, is To-
Gated just 10 the south and west of the
colored college beyond Thunderbolt, ex-
tending to Bonabella and beyond and lying
between the Casey canal and the railroad
from Thunderbolt to Sand Fly station. The
land is high and dry, and there are sew
eral magnificent pieces OF woodland 1t
was formerly cultivated, and the greater
part Of it is comparatively clear It is
easy OF access from the city by the Skid
away and other roads, and by both the
Isle OF Hope and the Thunderbolt lines
from the city. The four-mile post on the
Skdaway road marks the beginning of
the tract. There is any quantity of avail
azure idHo, WHICH cOul0 doubtless be Sc
cured on very reasonable terms, as it is
not under cultivation, and there is no es-
pecial demand for it,
Probably the reason why this land has
not been offered TO the city for cemetery
purposes" said Mr.. Thomas, lis that il
is owned by various parties. II all the
land were owned by one party, or IL the
owners could be gotten together on the
question an offer would doubtless be made
the city. The Bonabella plantation is a
part of the tract"
While the aldermen are famiIiarizing
themselves with the sites offered, as sug-
gested by Alderman Haas at the last meet
ing of Council, it might not be amiss for
them to take a turn through the territory
described by Mr.. Thomas. The location
enjoys the advantage of being easily reach
cd by the suburban railway lines. and II
its attractions should prove commensur-
ate with Mr.. Thomas descriptions the al
dermen will doubtless agree with him that
IL is an ideal spot.
MADE A QUICK TRIP.