Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-09-06
HIGHWAY Dept
IS EXONONATED
BY LEGISLATURE

~ &GWHV6Hut OaNe9
Pursuant to the resolution introduc
ed in the House at the 1928 session
by Representative E. H. McMichael
or Marion, and concurred in by the
Senate, providing for an investigation
OF the State Highway Department,
committee of five members from the
Senate and ten from the House wal
appointed, with authority to subpoena
witnesses and an authorized expendt
ture of $4,000.
At public hearings held in the SEN
ate Chamber, every criticism which
had been made of the Department
through the press or otherwise, which
was brought to the Committee, includ
ing those listed in the Resolution, was
thoroughly investigated, special atten
ton being given to the Ebert Quarry
the Equipment Depot at East Point,
likewise to the titles and leases cover.
ing land on which buildings are erect
ed. The entire committee visited and
made searching inspection of tho
State Highway Departments property
and shops at East Point.
At conclusion of hearings the COM
mittee appointed a subcommittee
composed of Mr.. G. w. Landlord from
the 18th District, Messrs. ]. B. Moore
of Appling county, and c. M. Head
of Cobb county, to draw up tentative
report for consideration by entire com
mittee.
Following this plan, the sub-commit-
tees report was read to the Commit.
30 xryfk hut
one dissenting vote, that Of Mr.. Nc
Michael of Marion, was adopted.
This report was adopted in the Sen
ate unanimously and In the House by
vote Of IS to II.
Following is full report of findings
by committee as approved by 1928
General Assembly:
ITO the President of the Senate,
''The Speaker of the House,
''The General Assembly:
your committee appointed under
the terms of house resolution No Ii
| by Mr.. E. H. McMichael, of Marion,
respectfully submit the following re-
port:
1.-THE Hon Stephen Pace acted as
| chairman and D. F. McClatchey acted
as secretary of the committee. Your
committee held various meetings and
also inspected the highway depart
ment's headquarters at East Point
| Your committee had before it officials
of the highway department and all
| books and papers and reports for
which your committee called Every
request made for information by your
| committee was promptly complied
with by the highway department, and
exhaustive hearings of witnesses weru
conducted.
Your committee under the resolu.
ton were instructed to investigate
irregularities, mismanagement, ineffi
| cheney, extravaganza and burdensomu
| overhead expenses, which were alleg
ed to have consumed the greater part
OF the state funds, leaving a small
percentage of the said state funds for
the actual maintenance of the state
system of highways Your committee
finds that the highway department OF
Georgia has been managed honestly
intelligentlY and efficiently. Your com
n1ittee failed to discover any irregu
larities, mismanagement. extrava
gance, or burdensome overhead ex
pense. On the contrary, your commit
tee reports that the Georgia highway
department has a smaller percentage
of overhead expense than the depart
ments of many of the other states
and is conducted in as economically
a manner as is consistent with the
best results.
III.
Your committee finds that the
state highway board has invested the
proceeds of some of the war materials
given to the state in warehouses and
general headquarters in East Point
Ga. That the state highway depart.
ment has a most excellent and eff
Gent plant and one absolutely essen
tial to carrying out its work and nv
building said plant in a suburb of At
lanta the board is saving in office
rents alone more than enough to nav
the state 10 per cent on such build
lngs, not even considering the ma
chine shops and storage acreage. Your
committee commends the action of
the state highway department in refer
ence to the East Point Headquarters.
".
j Your conmitte finds that the titles
of the real estate on which said build.
ings are erected are in good shane
and that the interests of the state are
fully protected.
V.
Your committee made a full and
complete investigation of the pur-
chase OF the granite quarry in Ebert
county, and found the following to he
| 20 otc In
Negotiations for the purchase of
this property were made by DR..
Charles M. Strain, then chairman Of
the highway board, and Mr.. H. L.
WIGS, of Ebert county, Ga. Mr.. H.
L. Wigs and w. A. Grassland, o
United States officer, never in the
employment of the state highway
board, had employed Mr.. R. c. Aston,
or Atlanta, to procure for them a
charter for company to be known as
the Granite Products company. While
Mr.. Aston was preparing the papers
for this charter negotiations for the
sale of the Ebert county quarry be.
gan between Dr. Strain and Mr..
Wigs. When Mr.. Wigs informed
his associate, Mr.. Grassland, that he
desired to sell said quarry, Mr.. Cross
land objected to the sale on the
| grounds that he and Mr.. Wigs, by
keeping said quarry, could make II
( pay fair return on two hundred
thousand dollars ($200,000). Mr.
Wigs insisted on selling the quarry
to the state and Mr. Grassland then
stated to Mr.. Wigs that he could
not sell anything to the state, as he
was a United States road official as