The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-24
GENERAL PRESENTMENTS.
Chatham Superior Court, March
Term, 1902.

ne SrdnO jury Tor the Marcn term
of this court submits this its general
presentment:
The grand jury has examined, by
committees, the books of the county
officers, County Commissioners, treas
urer, tax collector, clerk of Superior
Court, ordinary and sheriff; has in-
spected the books and offices of the
magistrates of the county; has in
spected the public buildings; has Wis
tied the public schools and has inves-
tigated the convict camps, the county
farm and the condition of the roads.
drainage and bridges. The books and
records of the various officers are gen
orally well kept.
The County Funds.
We find that while the banks in
which the funds belonging to the
state are deposited pay interest at
the rate of per cent. per annum on
daily balances, the county is not al
lowed any interest. We do not see
why the state should be paid interest
on its deposits and the county should
be paid nothing.
In the sheriff's office we find that
from 1888 to 1900 inclusive there are
which is on account of a lack of de-
scription of location of the property
and part because of errors. Deduct
ing for errors there should be a con-
siderable amount collectable. We rec
ommend that the sheriff be authorized
by the County Commissioners to ex-
pend such sum as may be necessary
to collect these back taxes.
We find certain of the books of rec
ord in the office of the clerk of the
Superior Court in bad condition, ow-
ing to continued use, and we recon-
mend that they be placed in proper
condition as recommended in report
of committee submitted herewith.
Public Buildings.
The Court House and Jail have been
| thoroughly inspected. The Court
| House is much in need of repair and
! we heartily commend the improve
ments contemplated by the County
| Commissioners.
The Jail building is generally in
| good order, the cells are clean and
neatly kept and the prisoners seem to
be we'll fed and cared for.
COnVicts.
At the main convict camp, on the
county farm, we found 1870. convicts,
16 men, of which were colored and 8
women, of which were white and 50
colored. The camp is provided with
| everything necessary for the health
and comfort of the convicts and their
treatment is humane. The health of
the convicts we found generally good.
| At the beginning OF the term we in
| dorsed the action of the previous
grand jury by special presentment,
| presenting the necessity for a reform
atory for juvenile convicts, and rec
commended an election by the people
to determine tie question. Suisse
| quently the County Commissioners
| provided for the separation of con-
victs of 16 years of age and under
! from the adult convicts, by the cree
| ton of a separate dormitory. We be-
lieved that this provision would full
fill the requirement for a better con-
dition of the youthful prisoners. We
| find, however, that the dormitory
which has been erected, although am
pie and commodious, is in close prox-
| unity to that used by the adult con-
victs. We believe that there should
| be a separation of the young prison
ers from the older ones during work.
! ing hours as well as in quarters, and
we recommend that quarters be built
for the youthful convicts in a more
distant part of the farm and that they
! be segregated at all times.
We found at this camp one prisoner,
an old man, sentenced from the City
! Court to IL months Imprisonment for
Vagrancy. He is not a criminal, but
is weak minded. He claims to have
three sons and a daughter, all of
whom are said to be in good circum-
stances, and we were informed by the
! quartermaster of the camp that
some members of his fSrrffly had called
| in a locomobile to visit him. In our
opinion, some steps should be taken
by which the county may be relieved
of the support of such cases. There is
also at this camp a partial paralytic,
also sentenced for vagrancy, who
claims to have rich and influential
! friends in the county.
OF the three convict camps located
elsewhere than on the county farm,
one is at Tybee, where there are forty
| four convicts employed in drainage
work. Another camp is located at
! Montgomery, where there are thirty
nine men convicts employed on the
Beaulieu road. There is also a camp
at Avondale, in which there are fifty
| men and seven boys.
Roads, Drainage and Bridges.
We have investigated the condition
! of the principal roads in the county
! and also the county drainage. Since
the report of the last grand jury the
new road, from Haner's bridge, on the
Montgomery cross road to Montgom-
I cry, has been opened, graded and
paved with oyster shells, a distance of
about five miles, making the total of
paved roads in the county about forty
five miles. We do not, however, rec
ommend the further ues of shells as a
paving material. The first estimate
/ for the Montgomery road was a layer
! of eight inches of shells. AS the work
progressed II was found necessary to
= Increase this thickness to twelve inches,
thereby increasing the cost to very
nearly what it would have been to
have paved the road with Augusta
gravel.
The bridge over Pipemaker creek. on
the Augusta road, built by the county
/ In 1892, of which complaint was made
/ by the grand jury for the December
. term. has been repaired. This road. as
! far as Pipemaker creek. Is not In the
best Of condition, but It is being re-
/ paired.
! La Roche avenue. from the Skida-
| way road TO the bluff at Isle Of Hope,
! has been completed. The bridge on
thia road connecting the Isle of Hone