The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-09
THEY DIDN'T DISCUSS TAXES.
COMMISSIONERS EVIDENTLY AWAIT
MA. sAUsSY'S RETURN.

Lateral Connection Through Their
Lands with the COanty system of
Drainage, VIII he Forced to- Con-
struct the LnteraIs at Their Own
EXpensc-To stop Hunting and
shooting ON Lands Belonging to
the COunty-COunty VIII Bear "a
PropOrtionnte share of Expense of
VaccinatinE Public school Pupils.
Contrary to the generally received ex-
pectation the Board of County Commits
sioners. at their meeting yesterday. did
not discuss the question of back taxes
due by corporations, or thought to be
due, under the recently rendered decis-
ion Of the Supreme Court of the state
At least no formal discussion OF the
question took place in open meeting,
though the commissioners may have
talked it over informally in the prelimi-
nary caucus. 1t is scarce likely, though,
as the caucus only lasted a very few
minutes and the meeting itself very lit
tie longer. 1t is more likely that the
question and it's consideration by the
commissioners have been deferred until
the return from Atlanta of County At
torney J. R. Sauccy, who is expected
while there to obtain the full text of the
decision of the Supreme Court, that has
not yet been published. and thus pre-
pare himself to give a clear and authori-
tative opinion.
The commissioners did, however, pay
attention to other matters of public in
terest. Superintendent of Public Works
ard Roads w. f. Chaplin submitted
report touching the condition of the
drainage of the county in the section of
the county southwest of the city that
stirred the commissioners to the adopt
ion of immediate remedial measures.
Superintendent Chaplin's report on this
subject was as follows:
Il respectfully beg to inform you that
a lateral of the Buckhalter canal a pub
lie drain of This county, has been dug 10
the lands of one Lydia Naylor, who pro-
tests against the continuing of the lateral
through her property. In consequence
the water in said lateral is lying stagnant
and, necessarily, is in an unsanitary con-
dition, and should be allowed TO flow into
lis natural outlet at once, by the compile
ton of the work through the lands of the
said Lydia Naylor."
In regard to this matter, the County
Commissioners. all of whom evidently had
previous acquaintance with the conditions
surrounding this lateral and the demand
for prompt action, passed the following
order: 1t appearing from the report of
william f. Chaplin, superintendent of
public works and roads, that the lands of
William Mayor Middleton, alias William
Mayor, and now claimed by his heir, are
In an unsanitary condition and require
drainage by laterals and bitches 10 con-
meet with the established system of drain
age, il is ordered that the owner of said
property be notified in terms of the law TO
dig and open drains and bitches and con-
meet the same with the Buckhalter canal,
and to keep the same open and in good or
der said notice to be served as provided
by law.
Upon default of compliance with said
notice, the superintendent of works and
roads shall, after a space of ten days, pro
coed TO construct such work as is neces-
sary to drain the lands and report the ex-
pense of the same to the commissioners
of Chatham county"
In accordance with this order a notice
will be served at once upon the owner OF
the piece of property specifically referred
to, and within the next few weeks upon
other property owners whose failure to
dig laterals has caused congestion and
unsanitary conditions to prevail in the
county system of drainage. Thus, these
property owners will be compelled to do
at their own expense work that the coun-
ty has been previously willing to do for
them.
The commissioners also discussed the
practice INDUCED in by a number of per
sons of shooting over the county lands,
in general upon every day of the week,
but especially on Sunday. The commits
sioners have made urgent and repea ted
efforts to break up this practice, which
has become nuisance and a source of
and of destruction 10 the young crops
planted on the land, A number of those
who shot last Sunday on the lands were
reported to the meeting, with their resi-
dence and business addresses. From the
long list of names, ii seemed that the
sportsmen Of Chatham county have an es-
pecial affinity for the public lands, and
that about a company of them are accus-
toned TO spend SUNDAY there
81 am tired of II, said Comm Ssioner
Simkins. 1--WE have done everything pos
sible to stop this practice, from posting
notices to making personal appeals. The
notices only served as targets for some of
the sportsmeu who could not hit anything
else. Something ought to be done to stop
it." Chairman Dale and Comm ssioners
Lyons agreed with Commissioner Simkins
while Superintendent Chaplin related an
incident regarding a sign that had been
posted up to mark dangerous bridge
sporting humorist had changed by shoot
ing away the first two letters of the word
making it read, "Passable." This implied
reflection upon the excellence of his work.
with especial regard TO the real condition
of the bridge had not pleased the super
indent at all. though he has since brought
himself. or been brought by others, to a
point where he can see the joke.
The commissioners passed an order on
this subject, asking the assistance of the
grand jury in breaking up a practice to
which they so urgently object. The grand
jury is requested 10 present for prosecu-
ton and punishment those reported TO it
in the future for violating the law relative
to shooting over land which has been pro-
tected from such trespass by notice given
with the required formalities.
The general report of Supt. Chaplin
showed that about the usual amount of
road making and drainage had been done
by the convicts during the month though
the work had been iuterfered with to some
extent by the bad weather that prevailed
for "A number DAYS iI2ille ~ . no ap,n,pt