Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-10
PLANNING THE NEW CITY.
QUESTIONS THAT COUNCIL WILL
DISCUSS TONIGHT.

AtOESIANJNN' 4 II = wv 4NOlA4 WAAAG
DISCUSS TONIGHT.
The Old and New Plans of the Extension
south of Anderson Street.-The In
crease in the Value OF Property There
since 1s4O-The Proposed IOO-Acre
Purchase by the City-What Leading
Property Owners Say About II.
Tonight the City Council viii take up
for consideration the new plan which is
proposed for the extension of the city
south of Anderson street. A former Coun-
Gil adopted plan for laying out streets
and squares beyond Anderson street, but
the streets have not been opened. Both
the old and the new plans have been de-
scribed in the NEWS, and the important
differences between them pointed out.
Each plan has its advocates. The friends
OF the old plan are the small owners who
bought lots with the understanding that
streets were to be opened as they were
laid out on the several plans under which
fhev bought, The holders OF large
blocks of land prefer the new plan. 1t is
more uniform than the old one. Being
perfectly uniform, while the other is not,
property in that section would be made
smore desirable, and would become more
valuable.
The new plan interferes with only about
80 houses already built, whereas the old
plan interferes with about double
that number. The new plan takes up
Is per cent. less land for opening streets
and will consequently cost Is per cent.
less, the old plan requiring 43 per cent. OF
the ground for streets and the new plan
only % per cent.
The tract Of land embraced in the
extension south Of Anderson and
between East Broad and West Broad
streets is estimated at 400 acres. On the
map Of the old plan the tract is cut by
twelve streets, running east and west,
but very irTegularly. BY the new plan
there are only nine streets running east
and west, and they are ali parallel with
Anderson street.
AS there are fewer streets ia the new
plan the blocks Will be larger. 10 open
all of the streets so laid on on the ola
plan the city would have to buy lI2 acres,
which at $1,000 per acre would cost
$172,000. The new plan, with fewer and
more uniform streets, requires only 100
acres, which would cost 100000. At first
cost the new plan will prove the cheapest
by $4,000. Streets will have to be opened
in that section in very few years at che
most. The city is building up rapidly,
aud 1t is astonishing how few unimproved
lots are for sale north of Anderson street.
In White ward, for instance, while there
are many lots which are not built upon,
it is almost impossible to buy lot be-
cause the owners contemplate making
the improvements themselves.
The eity's new population will have to
seek homes, therefore, south Of the present
boundary. Land IN that section is en-
hRncing in value every year. It follows,
then, that the longer the opening OF the
streets is postponed the greater will be
the cost to the city.
Fortv-six wars ago the whole A0O aeres
could have been bought for about $1,000.
Now the same property is worth nearly
100000, and is doubling in value every
eight or nine years. A delay of
single twelve month in opening
the streets increases the first cost
for the land $4,000 to $4,000.
This is shown by the increased valuation
OF a tract of 100 acres, which lies west Of
Bull street and south of Seventh street on
the old map. In 1910 the tract, which
was then known as Bottoms lot" sold,
as is stated 10 Beckett's Abstract of Land
Titles, for $3.50. Nine years later the same
tract brought 500. In 1868 the 100 acres
sold for $4,000. To-day it is held at
100000, FIVE times as much as 1t cost
eighteen years ago. The increase in
value has been at the rate OF l2lS per
cent. per annum, doubling every eight
years.
Allowing $4,000 in favor of the
nGN BAon AAL ONCnAhn oAACSN1 bnS 60b5V-
quent cost of cleaning, and keeping them
IN repair will be Is per cent, less than
the streets which would be opened under
he old plans.
In connection with the discussion on
the new plan the city viii be offered the
tract of 100 acres referred to above. DR..
MOsseaux, who owns the land offers 1t at
$1,000 an acre. Should the city buy it the
streets can be opened according to the
new plan and the city will be able to give
foot for foot of land in exchange for the
lots that are cut by the new streets.
Property owners and real estate men say
that opening the streets will double the
value OF the land in the extension.
Taking of % acres from the 100-acre
tract Tor new streets, and the city would
have 70 acres left, worth not less than
$4,000 an acre. An acre lot, 30 feet
square, would divide into 10 lots AZ feet
front and 80 feet deep, with a street 80
feet wide running through the middle OF
the block. These lots would be worth 500
apiece, and real estate men say that there
would not be any difficulty in getting that
price for them. Ii that is correct an acre
divided into lots would bring $4,000, and
the investment would be highly profitable
10 the city.
1t is claimed that the city could realize
enough from the tract to pay for il and
leave a surplus that would almost
defray the cost Of opening the streets. In
case the city does not buy the tract it
will probably be purchased by syndicate
which is being formed for that purpose.
The majority Of the Aldermen are said
20 look with favor upon the project, the
drawback being that the city has not the
funds in hand to make the purchase. The
terrs mentioned are $50, 600 cash and the
balance at low rate ofinterest for long
term of years.
PICKED UP FROM A WRECK.