The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-18
NOT TO ACT HASTILY.
THE COUNCIL LOOKING INTO THE
INDIAN STREET MATTER.

INDIAN STREET MATTER.
The CentraTs General Manager and
Counsel and Ex-Alderman Thomas
Before the Committee of the Whole
The County Commissioners Com
mittee and the Fertilizer Delegation
Fail to Get a Hearing Yet-What
Members of the Council Say About
the Matter-The CentraPs Plan.
The committee of the whole of the
city council met yesterday at 1890
O'Clock to discuss the closing Of
Indian street west of the canal
Messrs. Smart, Read and Estill of the board
of county commissioners and Messrs. John
W. Huger and Laurence Hartsherne were
present in the mayors Office, but on the
opening Of the meeting were requested to
retire. General Manager n. S. Belknap of
the Central railroad, Capt. H. c. Cunning
ham, counsel for the road, and ex-Alder-
man D. R. Thomas, who were also present,
were invited to remain
Alderman Myers objected to discussing
the question of closing Indian street until an
understanding had been arrived at as to
what was the agreement about opening Bay
street. Ex-AldermRn Thomas, who was
chairman of the street and lane committee
in the last council, explained at length the
agreement between the Central railroad
and the CITY, by which the former agreed
to give right of way through the Vale
Royal tract in consideration of the city
granting the railroad company an extern
sion OF time in which it was TO lay its tracks
on River street.
DIFFERENCE OF OPINION.
Maj. Belknap said that there was no
such understanding, but ex-Alderman
Thomas insisted that there was. That it
had been agreed upon, and that further than
that, an ordinance was passed at the time
giving the railroad the right to use River
street for its tracks.
About 1:3J o'clock, the county com
missioner's committee, in waiting, be-
came impatient and inquired of
one of the officials as to the
probability of the commissioners and
the fertilizer people being invited in. The
official went into the mayors office, and in
a minute came out and reported that it was
probable that the outsiders might be in
vited in some time within a week. The OPP
ponents of closing up Indian street at once
took their departure
Members of council were seen after the
meeting but were not inclined to be- COM
municative upon the subject Alderman
Myers said nothing had been accomplished,
but the matter, he said, is being inyesti-
gated. Alderman Myers was unable to say
whether the Central has encroached upon
the line of the proposed extension of Indian
street.
CoUNCILMEN NOT TALKATTvE
Alderman Harmon, chairman of the
street and lane committee, said in substance
about the same thing. He added that the
matter is not in the hands of the street and
lane committee, and therefore ne did not
care to express ar opinion as to the status
of the case until after the matter had been
thoroughly investigated by the committee
of the whole, which is now considering it,
he said that be was not a member of the
last council and could not therefore speak
officially as to what contract, if any, existed
between the city and the Central railroad
1t would have been better, if a contract had
been agreed upon, that it should have been
put in writing and the documentary evil
dence would then have been clearer guide
TO the council than verbal understanding.
about which points Of difference might
arise. He was unprepared to say whether
or not the Centrars Improvements between
Wadley street and the canal basin have
trenched upon the line of the proposed
Indian street extension westward This
will have to be determined by survey.
THE CENTRAL's PLAN.
The impression seems to prevail that the
Central is interested only in closing up the
river front so that no other line of railway
can get in from the Ocean steamship
wharves to the wharves of the Savannah
Florida and Western railway east of the
city. If it can prevent the extension of
Indian and River streets west of Water
street, their present western terminus. the
Central will have virtually closed up the
river front of the entire business portion of
the CITY, This is the stragetic point which
has called halt 10 any farther extension
westward of the two streets named, but the
Central claims it has not enough tracks to
the wharves, and that is why it does NOT
want the streets extended
1t is understood that the railroad COM
pany will submit some kind of proposition
TO council looking to an adjustment of ex-
listing differences, and until that is done
members of the council are not inclined to
commit themselves upon the subject If the
council closes the streets it is said litiea-
tion may follow to open and extend them.
The property referred to yesterday morn
ing as having been purchased by the Cen
trail Railroad and Ocean Steamship Com
panies is the Central Cotton Press. The
property was originally located on the river
front, just east of the cotton exchange. 1t
was then centrally located, from whence its
name is derived When it was chartered
in the name of the Central Cotton Press il
retained the name when the owners moved
it near the canal 1t was purchased a few
years ago by the Ocean Steamship Com