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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.