Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-07-28


Holland tything and SlOper tything,
Percival ward, to the Ogeechee road;
thence along the eastern side of said road
TO the southern line Of the Springfield
plantation; thence to the western line of
said plantation, and along the western
line of said plantation extended to the
savannah river"
The present city limits extend along
the west side of the Ogeechee road, to
point about 1000 feet south of Battery
Park. The proposed extension makes the
south boundary of the city line running
eastwardly from Battery Park to point
in the vicinity of Waters road, or, to To-
cate the line so as to be more readily
recognized. il crosses where the White
Bluff shell road intersects the track of the
Savannah, Florida and Western Railway.
The extension, if authorized, will bring
within the city limits quite large area
of land that iSvery desirable for building
lots.
Objections, of course, to the extension
are urged, there are objections everywhere
to anything like progress or improvement.
Some of the directors say that additional
taxes will be required to meet the in
creased demand for police, water and
light. Some of those who live on
the land and own it are afraid
that their taxes will be largely
increased by becoming a part of the
city. To a certain extent the objections
of both of these parties are valid. They
are not sufficiently strong, however, to
overcome the reasons in favor of the eX-
tension. The topography of the city's
site Is such that the city's growth must
necessarily be towards the south and
southwest. Indeed, the city is spreading
out in those directions quite rapidly.
Residences are being built south of Ander-
son street on streets laid out without any
regard to the plan of the city. If this
matter is not taken in hand now, some
day in the near future, when it is desired
to extend our principal avenues leading
south, it will be found the way is blocked
bv houses. What will then be done?
Will the extension of the avenues be
abandoned, or will the houses be removed:
The houses will be removed, of course,
and the city will be compelled to bear the
expense not only of removing them, but
Of securing the right-of-way. Now the
streets would cost comparatively little.
If the land is covered with buildings,
however. before the streets. such as are
necessary to preserve the harmony and
beauty of the city. are laid out, the city
will have a very pretty bill to pay when
the extension can no longer be delayed.
There is another thing that must not be
forgotten. The proposed extension would
encourage the building of houses. The
most of the lots within the city limits are
now so valuable that only men of wealth
can afford to build on them. If a lot is
owned by a man of moderate means he
does not build on it, because he feels that
he cannot afford to spend the amount of
money the value of the lot iustifies. The
proposed extension will provide both
cheap and desirable lots, which will find
ready market. The owners of the prop
erty included in the proposed extension
ought to favor it, if they are at all anxious
to serve their own interests. The
property is not now productive.
The only way to make it productive is to
bring it into market in the shape of city
lots 1t would then find buyers at good
prices. As its location is eligible, the lots
would offer inducements for investment,
because they would be certain to grow in
value. 1t would not be long before the
revenues Of the city would be very mate
rally increased on account of the i'll
creased value of real estate within the
corporate limits. The plea that the cost
of furnishing light, police and water
to the proposed extension would be greater
than the revenue derived from it may be
correct so far as the first few years are
concerned. but the increase in values will
probably be rapid, and it will not be long
after the extension is effected before the
taxes will more than meet the expenses.
In fact, a large part of the area has now
the benefit of the electric light.
There need be no hurry about
water and police. They will be fur
nished as they are wanted. In 1884 the
southern limits of the city were eX-
tended from Gwinnett street to Anderson
street. or prOlOngatIOn of Lovers lane,
as it is called in the act. Those who were
residents of the city at that time will re-
member that when that immense area
was taken in there were but few houses
south of Gordon street. The present Jail
was considered out in the country. The
military held shooting contests just east
OF the Savannah Hospital. That extern
sion, as the map shows, doubled
the area of the city. 1t gave
building in Savannah an impetus, how
ever. which is felt even now. When that
extension was made many poor men and
men Of moderate means bought lots and
they realized handsomely on their invest
ments. We are satisfied that the best in
terests Of the city require that the cOrpO-
rate limits should be extended as we have
indicated. We hope the matter will re-
ceiye the careful and unbiased cOnsidera-
tion of the City Council, and that no pri-
vate or corporate interest will be allowed
to nave any weight in reaching decision.