The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-09-13
LIGHTNING CAUSES
oOao OF co. CRIME

port OF the next Grand Jury Of the
G0d-fearing, law-loving Of this coun-
ty to help the Judge, the district at
torney, the sheriff and the other Of
ficers of the county to stamp out this
foe to progress and clean citizen
ship. Your grand jury would like to
elicit the help, cooperation and sup
port of the ministers of the Gospel
Of every denomination in this conn-
ty. well knowing their fixed views
about. these things. Their help would
be great aid to law enforcement.
We have inquired, If the court
please, into all the business affairs of
the county as we'll as we could in
quire into them with the. limited
time we have had. We find and be-
lieve while we are not bookkeepers.
that the accounts of all the officers
in the county are being honestly and
fairly kept. We attach hereto a copy
Of the report of Hon. S. B. McNafr:
Chancery Clerk of this county. who
under the law is the auditor of the
county and make his report part of
this report
AS near as we are able to tell we
believe that the authorities who are
charged with the duty of looking
after the sanitary duty of the coun-
ty are doing their duty. We appre-
clate the fact that this is very inn
portant matter and respectfully sug-
gest that the constituted authorities
keep up this good work.
We have had some complaint A.
bout the condition of the roads in
the county, both gravel and dirt. We
want to here urge upon the commits
sloners OF the gravel roads of this
county to see to it that the roads
are given attention now where they
need II and that as nearly as possi-
bic with the funds available they be
Kept up to the standard. Our COM
m1ttee who have investigated the dirt
roads OF the county fnd some of
them In very bad condition, a con-
ditlon though, that is pardonable for
the Following reasons: First, because
the present Board of Supervisors let
their contracts for road work under
the assumption that a correct, meas
urement had been made of the mile
age in each district. However, your
present Board of Supervisors found
condition to have existed from
1911 up to short time ago that was
an error. In other words the mile
age was shorter in each district than
1T was supposed to have been. al
measurement with a steel tape by
the present Board developed this mis-
take and shortage. The contracts
TO work these roads as stated above,
however had been let on the assump-
tion that there was more mileage in
each district than there really was.
The contractors had bought expen-
sive mules and machinery on the as
sumption of mileage and when the
Board did not pay them for the full
mileage in every case they were un-
able to keep up the roads. We had
testimony showing that some of
these contractors paid five and six
hundred dollars pair for mules that
are now worth two hundred or two
hundred and fifty dollars pair. In
other words, they had invested prac-
tically all of their fund in equip
ment and it was very hard for them
and has been hard for them to keep
some of the dirt roads up to stand
ard.
We find nothing criminal in our
investigation but to save further
mistakes we have agreed with the
Board of Supervisors to recommend
to them that hereafter each bidder
must file a certified check for Five
Hundred Dollars with his bid in
each Supervisors District. Each bid
der must bid on the district separ-!
ately and must furnish a good and
sufficient bond in good Surety COM
pany for the faithful performance Of
his duty as road contractor.
These bids will be heard by the
Board of Supervisors on October 4th
and when the new contracts are let
which will be in the next thirty days
we are assured by the Board of SUI
pervisors that all of the roads will
be put up to the standard and main
tanned.
District No. / has 35 miles. Dist
No. 2 has IS miles; Dist. No. 8 the
largest in the county, has 40 miles:
District No. has go miles; District
No. has 196 miles. We want to |
call special attention here to the i
fact that some people who live on
these roads have been in the habit
of cutting brush, sprouts and other
stuff from the fence rows and putting
them in the bitches of the public |
roads which causes the bitches to
I'LL up and wash the roads away. |
This must be stopped 1t is a vio-
lation ito obstruct the public high
way" and we have advised the Board
OF Supervisors to prosecute these peo-
pie after they are warned not to do
this any more. This notice to roaA
contractors as outlined above will
appear in the next issue of the
BrOokhaven Leader. 1t meets our
hearty approval and we believe will |
facilitate the business of the people
generally of the county.
We further recommend. that il the |
funds are available that the Board |
OF Supervisors put in concrete cul-
verts to take care Of the worn out
that are made out of wood and which
have to be replaced SO many times.
Now having made to your Honor
this our final report, we respectful |
ly ask to be discharged.
J. L. Godbold. Foreman.