Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1903-06-06
AMERICUs. Ca. JUNE 6, 1908.
GENERAL PRESENTMENTs.
Grand Jury of Sumter County, May
Term 1903.

Gsrand jury OF Sumter County, May
Term 1903.
We the Grand Jury for the May term
1908 of Sumter County Superior Court
make the following general present
ments:
We have carefully investigated all
crimes brought to our attention and
acted upon same, and upon all the af-
fairs of the county as given in charge
by the Judge we make the following
report; County officers,
Treasurer,
We find the books of Treasurer A
G. Speer, correctly and neatly kept
They show up to May term 1908 as fol-
lows: Cash on hand and in bank
$13, 262.67.
Sheriff.
We find the books of the Sheriff
neatly and correctly kept and his office
in generally satisfactory condition.
Ordinary.
The books OF the Ordinary's Office
were carefully examined and every
thing properly indexed and so arrang-
ed that all records were very accessi-
BILE and easy to obtain all information
desired.
Tax Collectors Office.
We find the Tax Collectors books
neatly and so far as we could determine
IN the limited time allowed us, to ex-
anime same, are correctly kept. We
also find that these books have not
been audited for several years and we
recommend that the County Commits
sloners employ an expert accountant to
do this work as early as practicable.
Clerk of Court.
We find the books of the Superior
and City Court are both kept by the
county clerk and we report same as
being in good condition.
j. P's. s. NJ. P's.
We find the books of the Justices
and Notary PubIic's neatly kept.
There were no costs itemized on books
of Districts Nos. 884, 1907, 756, and
687 and we recommend that all costs
in future be itemiZed as required by
law.
County School Commissioner.
We find the books correctly and
neatly kept. There were 962 white
pupils enrolled, average attendance
685, showing II per cent attended
school.
Colored pupils enrolled 2671, attend
ance 1881, showing 81 per cent attend
ance.
Paid white teachers So, 168. SO. Paid
colored 81, 931 So.
In the year 1896 the board inaug-
urated new sytem of taking deeds to
all school property before making per
manent improvements Since that
time they have built twelve new school
houses and repaired six. All of them
have been ceiled and painted except
one and the contract is let for the
finishing OF this one. They are fur
nished with new patent desks and black
boards. They have spent So, $50.
There are only four white school hous-
es in the county which do mot belong
to the county and all of these are in
fair condition.
For the colored schools they have
built two new school houses at a cost
OF $500. 1t is their purpose to provide
them with better buildings if they
comply with the requirments as laid
down by the board for the building of
school houses.
Poor Farm.
We find the houses of the poor farm
to be In very good condition with one
exception which needs some repair
done to the floor and chimney. There
are II inmates, all of whom are colored
and all seem cheerful and well proyid-
ed for. We recommend that a cook be
employed to prepare the food for the
inmates, some of whom we find are I'M
able to cook for themselves and great
deal of supplies are thereby wasted.
Roads and Bridges.
We find the roads and bridges in fair
condition, considering the spring and
winter rains, except the following:
Bridge known as Stubs bridge in the
Goth, district needs lengthening about
fifty feet and needs repairing generally,
also the public road leading from that
bridge to Americas. In the New 10th,
district the crossing at Bear Branch
needs either bridging or filling in.
The road near Andrews mill in the 10th
district is in very bad condition. Old
18th, district the bridges are reported
in bad condition and need repairing.
In the nth, district the bridge over
Chokee.Laggie is in very bad cordi-
tion and needs repairs. At Seals mill
in the Goth, district the bridge needs
lengthening and repairing badly. We