The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1910-06-17
GRAND JURY REVIEWS
COUNTY'S CONDITION
FINAL PRESENTMENT GOES INTO
MATTERS FULLY.
Condition of the Roads-County Of
fees in Fine Shape-Number of
Recommendations.

The grand jury in the court of gen
eral sessions made its final present
ment on Wednesday morning. The
presentment is as follows:
Grand Jury's Presentment.
To the Hon. Robert Aldrich, Presid-
ing Judge:
This body has acted upon all indict-
ments handed it by the solicitor, and
have reported our finding to the
court.
Committees have called on the s:v-
eral officers of the county, and after
making as careful inspection of the
books and other matters pertaining to
the offices as we were able, beg to
report favorably on the same.
We have made an especially thor
ough investigation of the affairs Of
the county home. We find that th2
farm is in good hands; that the
lands are we'll preserved and well till
ed. We find that there are sixteen IN
mates in the alms-houses. These
poor, unfortunate people, notwith-
standing their condition, seem to be
contented and satisfied with their
treatment by the keeper of the home.
The houses generally are clean and
we'll kept. De would, however, rec
ommend the purchase by the super
visor of at least six single iron beds
and mattresses for the whites. These
beds need not be costly, and would
be q source of considerable comfort
to these poor people.
AS to the insurance on the county
buildings, the county supervisor re-
ports $25,S64.45 fire Insurance with
the State sinking fund commission on
the new court house, with S6,2So.oo
of concurrent additional insurance
with old line companies, making to-
tai of S32,250. And he also reports
$4,000 tornado insurance on the new
court house. There is $4,000 o. IN
surance on the furniture and fixtures
in the new court house. These s7v-
eral amounts we think adequate. We
find that there is s7,155.79 fire. insur-
ance on the old court house building;
81, 1000 on the county jail; $3.50 on the
dwelling of. the keeper of the county
home: and a total Of $500 on four
dwellings county alms-houses. All of
this latter insurance is carried with
the State. We would recommend
that the insurance on the county farm
property be increased, so that there
will be $1,000 on the keepers dwell
ing, $3.50 on the four almshouses'
$3.50 on the barn.
Complaint has been made 20 this
body that there is stagnant water 'n
the old Pool brick yard, which is the
cause of fever. We would recon-
mend that the same be heOt well
drained, and to that end we further
recommend that the supervisor m
mediately take such steps as may he
necessary for the draining off OF the
water.
At the spring term of court We rec
commended the purchase by The su-
pervisor of two blood hounds, and also
that certain repairing be done on tie
iail building. We find that neither
of these recommendations have been
carried out. We again recommend
the purchase of pair OF blood
hounds for the use of the county, and
urge upon the supervisor the adVlsa-
bility of having the jail building re-
guttered at once wherever needed.
The public buildings should not be
allowed to go to waste or to depre-
ciate in value on account of the lack
Of proper attention.
At the spring term of court, the
Honorable J. F. J. Caldwell, presid-
ing Judge, addressed this body quite
fully with respect to the adoption by
this county of system of rural police,
and urged upon it the advisability OF
looking carefully into the matter. We
have, therefore, considered the mat
ter thoughtfully, but do not think that
just at this time the system should
be inaugurated in this county, for the
reason of the expense incident to it's
success. We believe, however, that
the dangers spoken Of by Mr.. Cald-
we'll could be greatly lessened if the
peace officers of the county, particu-
larly the country magistrates and
constables, would be more diligent
and alert in the performance Of their
duties.