The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-11-24
GRAND JURY's PRESENTMENT.
Exhaustive Report, Dealing With At
fairs of County, and Making
Pertinent Recommendations.

The grand jury made its final pres
eminent on Friday to the court Of
sessions, Judge Memmingcr presiding,
Sand The jury was discharged Cor the
scm. The work Of the grand jury
} has been very thorough, as is evidence
cd by the following exhaustive pres
eminent, and the highly compliment
/ tary remarks of Judge Mcmminger
$to the grand jury upon receiving it:
TO His Honor Judge r. w. Mem
minger, Presiding: We, the grand
jury for Newbcrry county for the
{ year 1908, beg TO report that we have
Sconsidcrcd all bills handed to us by
the solicitor and have reported our
findings on same to the court.
We have examined the books Of the
treasurer, auditor, superintendent of
j }cducation, supervisor, sheriff, master,
probate judge, and such Of the work
GOT the clerk Of court as comes under
\ the supervision Of our body, and find
@them, without exception, kept in such
manner as to reflect credit upon the
! persons who are responsible for the
conduct of public affairs in each Of
the public offices above enumerated.
We are especially eratificd in find
ing the following statement regard
ing the financial condition of the cdu-
cational department of our county,
viz, Amount on hand at beginning of
the last scholastic year, $4G,692. .88;
amount expended, 1874 ,720.25; balance,
on hand, $l1 $685.; which, taken in
to consideration with the fact that
several new and modern and comfor-
table school buildings have been erect
ed, valuable libraries placed, up-to-
date furniture and other paraphcr-
MALTA installed, and school term COM
mensurate with the ability of the
people TO patronize, cvinces a degree
! OF progress which promises much for
! the near future.
For some few years the supervisor
has been compelled to borrow from
the sinking fund commission amounts
ranging from five to seven thousand
dollars to meet the public necessities
Soi the county, entailing an interest
Saccount of 1880 per year. We feel
athat this is not good policy in the
\ conduct Of affairs, and recommend to
fthe senator and represcntatives-elect
the passage of an Act by the next gen.
.eral assembly authorizing the levy
and collection of tax of 4 1-2 mills
for Newberry county, this being ! 1-2
mills in excess of the 3 now levied,
which only produces $4,000, while
the books Of the treasurer show an
expenditure of $27, ,947G6.
four On mills would be sufficient
to place the county upon cash basis
in two years were ii not that the late
disastrous floods have entailcd loss
Of several thousand dollars, which
must be provided for if VIC would keep
Newbcrry off of the "Book of Re-
membrancc Of the sinking fund com
mission.
The county home is reported by the
committee charged with the inspection
Of same to be in good condition. So
far as it can be maintained by the
keeper, the inmates are as healthy as
age and infirmity will permit; well
provided for as TO food and raiment
and faithfully attended by the coun-
ty physician. We would suggest to
the supervisor, however, that this con.
dlton Will not continue TO exist unlesN
prior recommendation, coupled with
present instructions of this body. re-
suit in repairing the roofs and white
washing the walls Of the houses.
We would suggest that rock be OBJ
tanned from the quarry on the lands
belonging to the county at the home,
and used in building walls on the
northern and eastern sides of the new
court house lot, and that said lot be
sodded with Bermuda or other gras- ,
ses; also that walk twelve feet in
width, from College street to the front
steps, be built, Of such material as is !
used in the formation of sidewalks b,
the town.
We would recommend that the old
court house be thoroughly cleaned
and put in such condition as will in
.duce the rental Of all rooms on the
ground floor, and that the upper story
ba ronoyot tod and uco1 frr y,,o), ,>,,