The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-05
WILL USE CONVICTS
IN GRADING THE GROUNDS FOR THE
STATE FAIR.
FORTY MEN FOR SERVICE.
COMMISSIONERS WILL LEND THEM
FOR THIRTY DAYS.

Meeting of the County Commission
ers Was Held and n Resolution
Allowing the Fair Association the
Use of the COnvicts of Camp No. 3
for Thirty Days Was AdOpted-As-
ISOLATION VIII Furnish implements
for the Grading-Fair Directors
VIII Meet This AfternOOn-Priv-
iIege Committee VIII Doubtless BE
Decided Upon-Expected That "A
Secretary for the Fair VIII BE
Chosen.
The County Commissioners will help
the Savannah Fair Association in pre-
pairing the grounds on Dale avenue for
the State Fair to be held next fall.
meeting of the board was held yesterday
at the Court House. and it was agreed
to grant the Fair Association the use of
convict camp No. for thirty days.
In camp No. 8 there are forty men.
The camp is now located ON the Louis
vile road where some grading is in prog
ress. About ten days will be required for
the completion of this work, and, when
it has been finished, the convicts will be
turned over to the Fair Association.
1t is estimated that 1000 will be saved
to the association by the use of the con-
victs They will be employed in grading
the fair grounds. They will not build
the race track. though, if it is found
that they complete the necessary level
ing before the expiration of the thirty
days, they may be put to work grading
: b.n Tba
an expert, as great care is to be expend-
ed upon the track.
The commissioners would not agree to
complete all the grading To do all the
work that is regarded as necessary, the
county authorities estimated that it
would require three months of the time
of the convicts. In view of the fact that
the regular work of draining and road
building must go on, It was decided that
it would be impracticable for the county
to undertake the completion of all the
Fair Association wants done. Resolu-
TONS were passed some time ago by the
commissioners, looking to the construc-
ton of LaRoach avenue, from the Skid
away shell road to Isle of Hope, and of
the Montgomery road, and the board
concluded that the work could not be in
grounds.
Fourteen mules belonging to the county
will also be employed upon the grading
of the fair grounds. Twenty scrapes
are wanted by the Fair Association for
the work, and thirty-four additional
mules will be needed for their operation.
1t is thought ahat the scrapes and the
mules can be secured from some railroad
contractor, who is not now using his
nd iFnrs aphSs fscios
ers specified in the resolution to give help
to the Fair Association that the benefic-
larry should furnish all implements for
the convicts.
A meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Fair Association will be held this af-
ternoon, when the plans for the buildings
will be submitted by the Building Com
mistee for approval, 1t is probable that
the directors viii accept the plans, and
that the chairman of the committee, Mr..
A. B. Moore, will be authorized to adj
vertise for bids for their construction.
1t is estimated that $14,4O0 will be re-
quired for the three exhibition buildings
and the grandstand contemplated I'm the
plans, and an additional $1,000 will be
needed for the stables and stock pens
that will be constructed later.
The Building Committee will also have
charge of the grading. Authority will be
given to advertise for scrapes and mules
for the work. The construction of the
race track. too, will be under the super
vision of the committee. Mr.. Moore has
been in correspondence with Seth Crit
fin, who is now building track in Mem
pills. and that well-known contractor Of
race courses may come to Savannah. He
has built some of the fastest tracks in
the country.
An artesian well is being driven at the
fair grounds, and che Plant System track
has been finished. All will be in readi-
ness within a few days for a supply of
water 1t will not be long before the
preparations of the grounds for the fair
will be well under way.
1t is probable that the directors will
take up the consideration of certain APP
plications for privileges that have been
received. 1t is suggested that a Privi-
lege Committee is needed and the direc-
tors may decide to leave all questions of
privileges to such committee. The di-
rectors win also consider the election of
secretary 90 fill the place left vacant
by the resignation of Mr.. Martin V. Cal
win of Augusta, who decided that he did
not want the position because it would
have involved his remaining away from