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GRAND JURY PRESENT
MENTS, FEBRUARY TERM
We, the Grand Jury, drawn
and sworn for the February term
of Bntts Superior court, beg leave
to submit the following present
ments:
We, through committees, have
examined the books of the various
county officers, and as far as we
were able to ascertain, in the
limited time given, they are kept
as the law directs.
The Ordinary, Clerk of the
Superior court and Sheriff report
that no county funds have passed
through their hands since the
August term of court.
We have received reports of the
County Commissioners, Treasur
er, County School Commissioner,
and Tax Collector which are here
to attached as part of these pre
sentments.
County Commissioner’s Report
To the Honorable Foreman and
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury,
February Term 1908:
In compliance with law, we sub
mit to your body a statement of
our disbursements for last year
and up to this date of this year.
We began the operation of
last year's work without any
money that we could use, and
continued through the year that
way except about twenty-six
hundred dollars commutation
road tax, We levied ten mills on
the taxable property on the di
gest for the year 1907, the same
as the year before. Notice from
the Treasurer’s report that all the
warrants issued last year has
been paid. In levying the taxes
as well as all other matters, we
have endeavored to track the law
and remain in its perview. We
have contracted with Austin
Brothers to build a steel bridge
across Wolf creek at Boatner's
mill at a co3t of SBOO.OO. Sever
al other bridges in the county are
in bad repair though we are hay
ing them repaired and put in
good fix as fast as we can. On
account of the heavy rains and
freezes the roads are in rather
bad shape though it is unavoid
able on our part. We expect as
soon as the weather will permit
to push the work on the roads.
We feel assured that if nothing
unforeseen happens that we will
be able to reduce our taxes some
this year.
The county farm is in very
good shape having made a good
crop on the place last year.
The Court House and Jail are
in good repair except one place
at the western entrance of the
court house which we will soon
have repaired.
Disbursements as follows:
Bridge fund364B 70
Superior Court 1165 78
Jail fund 1435 20
Pauper fund 1270 •37
Public buildings... 1259 65
General fund 9086 99
Lunatic fund 52 00
Coroners fund ... 175 00
Contingent fund.._ 1117 14
Litigation fund 275 00
Public Roads- 7985 87
It appears that nine thousand
two hundred and ten dollars of
the above amount was drawn on
the 1906 funds.
Respectfully submitted,
H. G. Asbury,
J. M. Maddox,
J. 0. Gaston,
Chairman County
Commissioners.
Feb. 18, 1908.
We find the County is indebted
as follows, having lapsed from
year to year to Jan. 1, 1907:
To Jackson Banking
company .. $ 16500
To outstanding
warrants 9210
To bridges 3000
Total $ 28710
Which, less the amount
on deposit in Jackson
Banking Company,
bank held by injunction $ 9512
leaves a net indebt
edness of $ 19198
We find that the above is a
just and honorable debt, and trust
that some ways or may be
provided to pay the same.
Treasurer’s Report
To the Grar.a Jury of Butts coun
ty. From January 19, 1907 to
February 15, 1908.
Balance on hand
Jan. 19, 1907 8976 07
Rec’d of W. E.
Gresham, T. C.
April 14, 1907,. 1004 92
Amt held by in
junction 9980 99
Amt paid out on
order of Judge •
Pendleton.... 468 37
Amt now in bank
(1906 business) 9512 62
Rec’d from tax le
vy (bridge fund) 5276 47
Rec’d from T. J.
McClure (pauper
fund).. $ 478 98
Received
from tax
levy(pau
per fund) 1143 24
R’cd from
public
road col
lectors 2982 86
Rec’d from
tax levy
public
roads 4397 07
Rec’d from tax le
levy on jail fund.. 1319 11 •
Rec’d from tax le
vy on litigation
fund 1582 95
Rec’d from tax le
vy Superior court
fund 2198 53
Rec’d from fax le
vy Coroner’s fund 175 88
Rec’d from tax le
vy Contingent
funds $1495 00
Received
from R. R.
and oth
er tax... 3878 45
5373 45
Whole am’t rec’d 24928 54
%
DISBURSEMENTS.
Disbursed on ac
count Bridge fund $ 4723 56
Disbursed on ac
count Paup’r fund 1157 22
Disbursed on ac
count Public roads 6638 69
Disbursed on ac
count Jail 1319 06
Disbursed on ac
cout Litigation-.- 1310 94
Disbursed on ac
count Sup. court . 3202 74
Disbursed on ac
count Coroner 201 76
Disbursed on ac
count Contingent- 2826 56
Total amount of
disbursements for
1907 21380 53
Total amount rec’d 24928 54
“ “ dis
bursed 21380 53
Balance to go to
1908 account 3548 01
Amount paid on
warrants for 1908 1711 23
1836.78
TREASURER’S COMMISSIONS.
For receiving and
paying out, $ 10,000 00 SSOO 00
For receiving and
paying out, 14,928 54 186 60
Amt. rec’d, $24,928 54
For paying
out, $11,380 53 142 25 828 85
Balance on hand, $1,007 93
Treasurer has received corri
ntissions on all 1907 business ex
cept for paying out $1007.93.
Geo. R. Ridgeway, Treas.
Georgia Butts county:
Personally appeared before me
Geo. R. Ridgeway, treasurer of
Butts county, who on oath, says
that the above is a correct state
ment of the receipts and dis
bursements of the funds for 1907.
Sworn to and subscribed before
me, this 18th day of Feb. 1908.
J. H. Ham, Ordinary.
Tax Collector’s Report.
Report of C. R. Carter, Tax Col
lector, to the Grand Jury of
Butts County, from Oct. Ist.
1907, to Feb. 15th, 1908.
Amount of taxable property
on digest —rate —ten dollars
per thousand....-$1,832,981 00
Collector charged to.. .$18,329 81
Amount collected from prop
grty. 18,000 88
Amount in executions. 230 00
Amount of double tax re
lieved 5 30
Amount errors in prop
erty on digest 93 13
Total $18,329 81
COMMISSIONS.
Collected on digest SIB,OOO 88
Collected not on digest 249 24
Total --$ 18,250 12
Amount of Tax Receiv
er’s commission 220 62
Amount of Tax Col
lector’s commission-. 441 25
Total 661 87
Total $17,588 25
Amount collected from
railway, telephone, tel
egraph and express
companies $3,957 60
Amount .of Collector’s
commission 79 15
\ $ 3,878 45
Amount turned over to
G. R. Ridgeway, treas
urer $21,466 70
C. R. Carter, T. C.
Georgia—Butts County.
Personally appeared before the
undersigned, an officer author
ized to administer oaths, C. R.
Carter, who on _ oath says the
above statement is true.
Sworn to and subscribed before
me, this Feb. 18, 1908.
J. H. Ham, Ordinary.
Report of County School Com -
missioner.
To the Hon. Foreman and
Gentleman of the Grand Jury of
Butts County:
In compliance with lav/, I here
by make this, my annual, report,
County School Commissioner for
the year 1907, and present to you
my books and all the papers be
longing to said office for your in
spection, and for such comment
as your Hon. body may deem ad
visable. The public term for
said year 1907 was six scholastic
months or 120 days, the Board
permitting teachers to report pu
pils at any time during the year,
or until each child of school age
had attended school the full 120
days. By this method many of
public schools in the rural dis
tricts have been kept in opera
tion for eight or nine months in
the year. There were forty-one
schools in operation, twenty-one
white and twenty colored. There
were six county-line schools to
which some of the children from
Butts county attended. Four of
these were white and two color
ed. In all of these schools there
were enrolled during the year
3494 pupils or about 88 2-3 per
cent of our entire school popula
tion according to the school cen
sus of 1903. Of these 3494 pu
pils 1782 were white, which
shows a fraction over 100 per
cei\t of the white school popula
tion according to the school en
numeration for said year 1903.
This increase in attendance shows
that the people are being awak
ened to the advantages offered
them through our public schools.
There were employed during the
year 76 teachers, 43 of these
were white and 28 were colored.
Owing to the fact that our pub
lic school year is co-existent with
the calender year and that many
of the public schools are now em
ploying teachers beginning their
schools iin the fall, necessarily
increases the number of teachers
whenever changes are made in
tGciohcrs. v
The Board of Education, after
much labor and study, laid off
the county into school districts
according to the law known as
the McMichael bill. There are
IS of these districts, and a map
of .them has been filed in the
Ordinary’s office as the law di
rects. Immediately after these
districts were laid off, the Board
ordered an election for three
trustees for each district. Five
of these districts, viz: Nos. 1,3,
4. 11 and 15, held elections and
elected trustees, but these elec
tions will not amount to any
thing until the people vote on the
question of local taxation in their
respective districts Three of
these districts. Nos. 1. 3 and 4
; however, have voted and carried
; local taxation in their respective
1 districts and are now operating
their schools accordingly. I be
lieve that we will make a great
mistake to ignore the advantages
offered us under the county sys
tem and permit the district sys
tem to be forced upon us in its
stead.
Financial statement for 1907:
Balance on hand Feb.
18,1907 $ 38 £>2
Rec’d from State
i Treas., Mar. 2nd,
! 1907 448 18
i Rec’d from S. S. C.
, Mar. 16, 1907 1810 12
Rec’d from S. S. C.
Apr. 27, 1907. 2OO 00
Rec’d from S. S. C.
: June 6, 1907 1442 14
Rec’d from State
Treas June 14 1907 448 18
Rec’d from State
Treas Sept. 9 1907 486 59
Rec’d from Joseph
Jolly Sept. 23,1907 6 08
Rec’d from State
Treas Nov 21 1907 486 59
Rec’d from Dr. J.
W. Crum Dec 16,
1907 4 00
Rec’d from S. S. C.
Dec 21, 1907,-.- 2000 00
Rec’d from S. S. C.
Jan. 17, 1908 612 15
Rec’d from S. S. C.
Jan 24, 1903 3513 20
Total, 11495 75
DISBURSEMENTS
Paid White Teachers $ 9215 35
“ Colored “ 1462 37
“ C. S. C. salary 500 00
“ M. B. E. “ 62 00
“0. A. Thaxton,
conductor white
institute 15 00
“ C. S. Maddox,
conductor colored
institute 10 00
“ C. S. Maddox
expenses to con
vention 10 00
“ Miss Emma Jane
Ham and C. S.
Maddox county
maps 12 00
“ Jackson Record
advertising 1 50
“ Jackson Argus
advertising 6 48
“ F. L. Walthall
assisting C. S. C.
2 days 4 00
“ Stationery, pos
postage and ex
press 16 00
‘ ‘ American Seat
ing Cos. for desks 174 70
Total 11489 40
Balance on hand $6 35
All of which is respectfully
submitted.
C. S. Maddox, C. S. C,
Upon examination of the court
house we find that a number of
window lights have been broken
out and need to be replaced. We
find the large glass is broken out
of the door on the east side open
ing into the-portico, and that the
tiling of -the west entrance is bro
ken and f in a dangerous condi
tion, the same having to be
closed to the public.
We find the plastering in one
or two places has fallen down
caused by leaks. In quite a num
ber of places in the building we
find evidences of these leaks,
many of them being caused by
the tin valleys which we think
1 need to be repaired.
The clock in the tower is also
in need of repairs. The out
ward appearance of the building
is fair.
The janitor is keeping the house
in fairly good condition.
We find the boiler in the base
ment which is used for heating
the building is doing its work
imperfectly and needs some ad
justments.
Upon investigating the jail we
find there are some glasses out,
which ought to be put. in and
that the steps on the outside and
inside ought to be fixed perman
ently.
The sanitary condition seems to
be as good as could be expected
under the surrounding circum
stances.
At the poor farm we find all
the buildings in very good condi
tion, except some broken window
sash, and we recommend the
same be replaced with new ones.
We find 5 paupers, 2 white and
3 colored all of which are well
cared for. We find 2 mules, 2
cows, 1 calf, 6 head of hogs and
pigs all in good condition.
We also find 1 mowing machine
1 rake, 1 two-horse wagon and
other farm tools all in good re-
Drill*
We find about 4000 lbs of fod
der and hay, 100 bushels of corn,
Bor 10 bushels of peas, 25 ga 1 -
lons of syrup and 700 pounds of
meat.
We have examined the dockets
of the Justices of the Peace and
Notaries Public of the county,
and also the docket of the Coro
ner, and find them all kept ac
cording to law.
In the Clerks office the records
are well kept, and papers and
other documents are promptly
filed and recorded. All records
are of easy access to any and all.
We find there are many colored
people who are tax payers whose
names do not appear on the Tax
Receiver’s books, and advise that
some steps be taken at once to
get them on.
We have re-elected T. S. Ham
mond Chairman of County School
Board, and Evans Smith has
been elected to fill the vacancy
caused by the expiration of the
term of Mr. S. K. Smith.
We recommend the reappoint
ment of O. A. Andrews to Notary
Public of 552 District G. M.
We recommend the County
Commissioners repair at once
the following bridges: Colbert’s
Mill bridge on Cabin Creek,
Barnett’s Mill bridge across Tus
sehaw, the bridge across Tusse
haw at the Jack Maddox place
and the bridge at Indian Springs.
We recommend the County
Commissioners take such steps
as the law directs against the
High Falls Water Power Cos. to
have the bridge near Will Fos
ter’s place raised or anew one
built.
We find the roads in bad con
dition all over the county and
recommend that the Commis
sioners repair the worst places as
fast as the weather and their
means will permit
We extend our thanks to his
Honor, Judge E. J. Reagan, for
his able charge and the many
courtesies extended our body,
also to our Solicitor, Hon. 0. H.
B. Bloodworth, for his valuable
assistance and aid.
We tender thanks to our effi
cient bailiff, Mr. A. E. Wilkin
son, for the promptness and con
sideration with which he has
performed his duties to this
body.
We recommend that these pre
sentments be placed on the min
utes of the court, and also that
they be published in the Jackson
Argus and the Jackson Progress
and that said papers be paid $lO
each for publishing the same.
All of which is respectfully
submitted. W. B. Dozier,
F. M. Allen, Foreman.
Clerk.
Ordered that the foregoing
general presentments be publish
ed and entered on the minutes of
this court as recommended.
• This Feb 25, 1808,
E. J. Reagan,
Judge S. C. F. C.
FOR SALS.
The imported stalion Applaudi,
will be sold by the Jackson
French Coach Horse Company,
Jackson Georgia, on the first
Tuesday in March next.
3-5.
For Sale —My residence on
North Oak street. I have also
for sale or rent the residence of
J. V. Smith on West avenue.
tf J. T. SMITH,
FOR RENT.
Rooms for rent. Call on W. B.
Reeves. R. L. C. No 2.
2 t
MONEY TO LOAN.
$20,000 to loan on Butts county
farms at 7 per cent. Come quick
if you need monev.
T. J. DEMPSEY,
Jackson, Ga.
Lumber, lumber, lumber! you
bet, and plenty of it. Cut price
on flooring and eeiling only $lO
per thousand. Jackson Lumber
Cos.
Jamerson’s Cold Tablets are
| guaranteed to cure your cold.
125 cent boxes sold at Jamerson
Drug Cos.