The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-21
County Offices.

sentiments:
County Offices.
The committee says: .r
1t being a long established custom
for one grand jury to examine the ac-
counts of the county officers for the
period of the sitting of the previous
grand jury we have but followed the
custom, and as the previous grand
jury employed experts who made i
thorough examination up to 18th No
vember, last, our work was confined
TO the examination of the books dur
ing the month of November, or up to
the beginning of the term of this
grand jury.
We found the books of the county
treasurer, tax collector, sheriff, and
County Commissioners all in order and
properly vouchered. The balance on
hand and in bank of the tax collector
on 18th February, viz, $31, 81, was
verified by the banks.
The comprehensive report of the ex-
perts employed by the last grand jury
is attached, and we ask reference to
same. As it is the custom for all
banks and large corporations to have
.heir books examined by experts, we
think most desirable that the same
plan should be followed in regard to
the accounts of the different county
officers at least once a year, for an
examination by a committee from the
grand jury is of but superficial char
acter at best
Public Buildings.
The Committee ON County Buildings
beg leave to report that they have
thoroughly examined the condition of
the county buildings assigned for their
inspection, VIZ: the Court House and
Jail, the Court House being visited on
Feb. TO- and the Jail on Feb. II. AS the
Court House has but recently been put
in thorough repair and reprinted
throughout. it was found to be in first
rate condition. 1t is evidently, also we'll
looked after by those in charge and
kept in good order. The linoleum
floor covering in those of the rooms
provided with same is very much worn
about the desks in the various offices.
Some patching would be very benefi-
cial in these places and add greatly to
the appearance of these rooms, and as.
the cost cannot be very great, we
would recommend that this be done as
soon as possible.
The county Jail was visited on
Thursday, Feb. y, by your committee,
floor by floor and from top to bottom.
in good condition and quite clean.
There are seventy-four prisoners con-
fined within its precincts, four of
whom are in the hospital. The hospital
is a light airy room, and is well kept.
We recommended larger space for re-
ceiver of tax returns
Public schools.
The Committee on Public Schools beg
leave to report that we called on Supt
Ashmore and he accompanied us on our
visit to several of the schools, In cur
opinion the county has every reason to
be proud of her public schools with
few exceptions. For instance the Bar
nard Street School This building is
old and badly constructed, We find
some of the rooms entirely too small,
the stairWays are narrow and danger
Gus for a school building, and we feel
quite sure that some of the rooms must
be very uncomfortable in hot weather.
Your committee think that something
ought to be done with this building as
soon as possible. AS the location is
central, we would recommend that the
Board of Education tear-down, the old
building and erect a new one in its
place as soon as the funds are avail
able.
From our interview with the superin-
tendent we believe that the money APP
propriated for public school work is be-
ing judiciously expended.
There has been some complaint of
cold in the Henry Street School, hut
we are Informed by the superintendent
that there will be additional heating
apparatus placed in that school at
very early date.
Roads and Bridges.
Augusta road, that portion paved
with gravel extending to Montieth, is
in good condition, excepting few
holes near the three-mile post. Beyond
Montieth it is in bad condition, and
should be worked. The floors of bridges
need slight repair. The bitches leading
to Pipemaker creek are doing excellent
work, having lowered the water level
of the swamp several feet. At Mon
tieth the culvert Is INSTRUCTED, the pipe
being too high and causing the water
to lie in the ditch.
Montieth road has mud holes, es-
pecially near Salem Church. The
bitches need opening. Louisville road
is paved to Pooler and generally in
very good condition. There are few
holes near the seven-mile post, made
by timber wagons. Portion beyond
Pooler is in bad order and much cut
up by timber carriages. The neighbor-
ing swamps are full of water, except
at points penetrated by new bitches
from Dundee and Pipemaker.
The new. road seven miles from Sa-
Vannah. extending from the Augusta
toward the Louisville road, is being put
in first-class condition, being widened,
crowned and we'll ditched.
The battle-ground road is in its usual
sandy condition, with one Doggy place.
Dean Forest road has a deep and
impossible cut at the Seaboard Air
Line crossing. No suitable bridge
across canal and two bad washouts at
Owens back water that should be
looked after at once.
Waters road, from heavy travel and
exposure to winds, has worn fiat and
has few holes within five miles of the
city; should be improved by croWning.
Montgomery crossroads is in fair
order, flat and washed in one place
west of Waters road 1t has few
holes, one quite bad near Haner's
bridge. Improvement of eastern end
is now in progress.
Burkhalter road is in bad condition,
especially at eastern end, near
O'Brien's place.
The new shell road to Montgomery is
in generally good condition, and an i'm
portant Improvement. The pipe under
causeway requires attention, being
washed at one end.
The new LaRoche avenue, straight,
broad and we'll drained, will prove
very popular and useful acquisition.
Dale avenue is in good order, the
north and south shelled street of Thun-
derbolt, at which it ends, is series OF
puddles in wet weather, and should be
promptly improved.
I'LL