The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-19
ROADS STOOD TEST.
UNUSUALLY HEAVY RAINS OF PAST
FIVE DAYS
DID NOT INJURE THEM.
PRINCIPAL HIGHWAYS AND DRAINS
INSPECTED BY OFFICIALS.

Chairman of Roads and Bridges and
superintendent of Public Works
Made an Inspection Found the
Highways, Roads and Canals In
Excellent shape - Some of the
Larger Canals Were Tnxed-Had
to Discharge Great Volumes of
Water-Work VIII Soon BE Start
ed on White Bluff Road.
One of the gratifying results of the
recent bad spell of weather, and the
prevailing and incessant rains-if, in
deed. there was a single redeeming
feature-was the assurance which it
gave the county officials of the sta
bility of the county roads and the ex-
cellence of the drainage system. In a
record breaking rain of five days, dur
ing which time the precipitation was
4.23 inches, no appreciable damage was
done to any of the roads and the drain
age system disposed of the great vol
umes of water in a manner which
surprised the officials.
AS is his custom after every un-
usually bad spell of weather, the chair
man of roads and bridges of the Board
of County Commissioners made an in
spection of most all of the roads trib-
utary to the city. His inspection was
confined in great part to the roads and
drains in the eastern section, all of
which were visited, though some at
tention was also give to the highways
in the western part of the county.
On the Principal Highways.
In some localities the roads are be-
ing surfaced and are in an unfinished
condition. Some apprehension was
felt, but the investigation showed that
little or no carnage was done. On
Moore avenue, the old Skidaway road,
where the gravel has been recently
laid, some damage was done, but it
was slight. The gravel recently laid
which had not cemented was slightly
injured, though a few days of good
weather will repair the injury wrought
The work on LaRoche avenue was I'M
injured, and all of the other roads
were in practically dry condition.
This condition of the highways, which
is unusual when the heavy rains are
taken into account, is the result of the
almost perfect network of drainage
throughout the county on which the
several years The Casey canal was
the only one which was taxed the
water being up to the top of the bank.
1t was, however, discharging satisfac-
tOrily. The DeRenne canal was half
filled, but was also in first class opera
ton. The Klacentia canal, which dis
posed of large volumes of water, was
found in good shape.
Supt. ChaPIin's Report.
superintendent of Public Works w.
F. Chaplin reported to the board that
he had found all the roads in good con-
dition. The conVicts had at times been
deferred from working by the neces-
SAINT rains, he said. This was not,
however, to their discontinue, and
served only as a VerificatiOn of the old
saw that it is an i'll wind that blows
no man good.
The commissioners are very jealous
in the care of the roads, and the re-
port of the chairman of roads and
bridges and of the superintendent,
though not surprising, was altogether
gratifying. Now that there has been
a let up in the bad spell, the work will
be reSumed, and the striped suits
knights of labor will be given an Oppor-
tunity to earn their pork and cab
bage.
soon Surface White Bluff Road.
The commissioners are anxious to
begin work on the White Bluff road
which will become the property of the
county so soon as titles are perfected.
Col. Garrard city attorney, and Maj.
Cam, acting in the absence of County
Attorney Cam, are now engaged in an
examination of the title. 1t has been
found that there are some irregular
tiles, though there is no cloud of any
consequence on the title.
IF we find that there is anything
wrong with the title, we will have it
perfected" said one of the board.
Now is the time. When the county be-
comes the possessor of the road it will
be free of encumbrances of every ma
ture. 1t is deemed most judicious to
find out the defects in the title now.
that they may be remedied. When the
title is declared good and the trade
consummated the county will be re-
lieved of the last of its toll roads"