The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-16
GENERAL PRESENTMENTS
OF Grand Jury for the June Term,
1904.

c.: We, the grand jury for the June
term have carefully Investigated the
public buildings. drainage, public
roads, chaingangs and other matters
brought to our attention through your
charge, and beg to submit the follow
ing general presentment:
Chuingang and Drainage.
All convict camps were visited and
found in good condition; accommoda-
tions for convicts seem ample and
comfortable, and the sanitary arrange
ments are generally good. The con-
victs, with few exceptions, are in good
health and we favorably commend the
general conduct of the camps by Supt.
Chaplin and his assistants
The drainage bitches for the most
part are in good condition; the greater
number having been cleaned out dur
ing the dry spell and the general work
is satisfactory.
Public Buildings.
The Court House is in good order
with a few exceptions. There is
crack in the wall in the center of the
building, which can be plainly seen as
cending the stairway; this we believe
to be caused by heat from the furnace
fue, and though there may he no dan
ger from fire it has an unsightly APP
pearance.
There is an insufficiency of shelf
room in the record vault of the Su-
perior Court.
The county Jail is in good order, and
the inmates receive proper attention.
Education, Schools and school,
There was no committee designated
TO investigate these institutions, as va
cation season commenced soon after
the grand jury was appointed.
The county is to be commended for
its wise and progressive step in insti-
tuting manual training in the public
schools.
Magistrates.
The books and papers of the magis-
trateS have been examined and found
to be correct, with one exception. Mag
istrate P, L. Constantine of the Sixth
district reported that he was sick, and
had done no business, and his books
were not Obtainable. We recommend
that there be a uniformity in fees
charged between those of the city and
outside the city limits.
Books and Accounts.
and accounts of the county officials at
the Court House and found them
properly and neatly kept. So far as
we could see, the accounts are cor
rect.
We, however, do not think that a
committee from a grand jury would
be likely to detect Irregularities, if such
were cleverly concealed and with
fraudulent intent. Having the welfare
hpC inf Of ,f
heart we suggest and earnestly rec
ommend that an expert accountant be
employed by the County Commission
ers to examine and audit the accounts
referred to once each year, and for
said accountant to report the result to
the grand jury, which would furnish
to the grand jury such information as
we have given, only in a more reliable
manner. e~e,.-,.- ,.-.
Speedway.
With the large and increasing num-
Der of automobiles owned here, and
the large number that are brought to
the city during the winter season from
the North and West, we think there
should be speedway provided. We,
therefore, recommend that the County
Commissioners take the proper steps to
bond the county for a sum not to eX-
coed 100000 for this purpose; that the
COMMISSIONERS lOCdle llG Same SO LQdI
at any time in the future should it
cease to be used as speedway, that
it could be utilized as a county road
and opened up as such.
This measure would result in in
creasing the revenue of the county,
and, furthermore, would induce a
wealthy class to make Savannah their
winter home, necessarily benefiting all
lines OF business.
Roads.
This committee inspected most of the
county highways. We find the sur
faced roads in good condition, with a
few exceptions. The first three miles
of the Louisville road have been worn
to such an extent that water accumu-
lates in the depressed surfaces and
cannot drain off.
The shell road leading directly west
from Thunderbolt, recently bought by
the county, is sadly in need OF repair
The White Bluff road lis now under
going repairs, the city end with gravel,
the further portion with shell and
gravel is now being hauled for sur
facing the Ogeechee road.
The old dirt roads are in better con-
dition than we have ever seen them. |
We note that several farm gates open |
directly on the public roads. When |
these gates are left open they become |
a menace to the safety of travellers, |
particularly is this noticeable on the |
narrow road to Bonaventure and |
Thunderbolt.
We recommend that danger signals |
preferably the word "Stop') be post |
ed in some conspicuous place at all in |
tersections of the public highways with |
the electric and steam railways, and |
that the railway companies be required |
10 comply with same under penalty.
We also desire to call attention to |
the racing of automobiles on the pub
Tic roads, and in order to lessen the |
danger to other vehicles and pedes- |
TRANS, we recommend that notices be |
posted requiring a. slower speed, as |
well as keeping well to the right, |
around curves. They should also be |
required to slacken speed at crossings. |
penalty should also be fixed for nom
compliance.
The custom of tieing cows on the |
highways should be stopped, as dan
gerous to fast-moving vehicles.
While the roads built by the county |
are not flrst-class highways-in fact, |
We're never intended as such, the citi-
zens should be pleased with what has
been accomplished, for we now have
some forty (40) miles of good roads,
adding an immense benefit to the ne
cessities of traffic and the pleasure of
patrons.
We hope to see the good work con-
'lnue to the county lines.
In Conclusion.
IN conclusion we beg TO extend our