The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-10-26
A NEW STATE ROADPLAN
HUMPHREYS AND JOHNSTON ARE
ITS AUTHORS

to the Present Lessees for Fifty
Years at Not Less Than $4,000
Per Month-Other Important Legis-
lative Work.
ATLANTA, GA. Oct. 25.-It is doubtful
whether the legislative mind can stand the
strain of any new or additional prop sision
touching the lease of the state road, but
Mr.. Johnston of Campbell and Mr.. Hum
phries of Screven have between them pre-
pared a substitute for the House bill 1t
will probably be introduced tomorrow, so
as to be ready in the event the House
and Senate fail to agree to the
pending Till. The Humphries-J Johnston
substitute provides for the lease of the
road and its appurtenances to the present
lessees or the owners of the present lease,
for term of fifty years, at not less than
$50, 900 per month, provided they abandon
their claim for betterments, as well as for
the taxes paid Tennessee and all other
claims.
OTHER CONDITIONS.
The bill imposes various other conditions
and restrictions, among them the following
That the read shall give a $500, 900 bond {;
shall not sub-let the road without the c. n
sent of the state; shall not discriminate
against other roads or persons, etc. Ii the
present Re sees decline to take a new lease
under the conditions named, then the gov
ernor shall. advertise the road for ninety
days to the highest bidder, but not less
than $50. 100 per month for fifty years to be
considered, bidders to make their own
arrangements with the present lessees about
the pending claims for betterments, re-
lieving the state Of all obligation or re-
sponsibility therefor.
THE ARBITRATION RESOLUTION.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Whitfield intro
duced the resolutions anticipated in the
NEWS, providing for submitting the better
ments claim of the lessees to arbitration.
The resolutions, after reciting the claim
made by the lessees for betterments aud for
taxes paid in Tennessee. provide:
WHEREAS, II is desirable to have all doubt
speedily removed If there be any as to the
rights Of the state and the lessees under the
lease contract; nOw therefore, be it
RESOLVED, By the general assembly, that with
out conceding any part of the claim, and with
an explicit denial of the aforesaid claim of the
lessees, in whole or in part, that the
Hons. Logan E. Bleckley, Thomas J. Simmons,
Mark Ban ford, James NJ. Smith, Alfred H.
Colquitt, Henry D. Mcdaniel, and Cam pbell
Wallace be appointed a commission with
power and authority to hear. consider and de-
termine according to the law, the equity and
natural justice Of the claims recited and set
forth IN the foregoing preamble, and make
(the present Western and Atlantic Railroad
Company and the state of Georgia, or the
owners of the Western and Atlantic railroad
which judgment, when rendered, to be binding
and conclusive upon both parties.
9. hesolved, That the said commission shall
meet in the city of Atlanta on Nov. IS, 1899, and
organize the commission, and thereafter the
sessions of the commission shall be held at such
times and places as will be most expedient for
a speedy dispatch of IT'S business, and shall con-
clude It's labors by Sept. 20, 1890. 1t shall have
nuuar 70 a "a Of xuiT
TO administer oaths, and compel the production
of books and papers which they may deem nee
essary and proper to the investigation of the
matter hereby submitted.
Resolved That it is hereby made the duty Of
the attorney general OF the state to advise the
commission upon all matters involved in the
disposition of this question; provided always
that said commission shall not exercise any of
the powers herein granted until the Western
and Atlantic railroad company binds itself in a
written undertaking. to be delivered to said
commission to stand to and abide its decision of
the investigation, and to abandon all and every
other proceeding whatever to enforce and as
sert its aforesaid claims.
Resolved That said attorney general shall
submit all counter claims in behalf of the stats
against the said lessees which may lawfully and
properly arise under the contract of lease,
received from the state, and unaccounted for
by said lessees, or property lost, or for any
other proper charge which said contract may
authorize; and it shall be the duty OF said COM
mission to fully hear and determine the same
and render such Judgment in the premises as
may be proper and just, which said Judgment
shall be filed with the governor, and by him be
communicated to the next general assembly.
A TROUBLESOME RAILROAD BILL.
The House is having a time with the
Macon and Birmingham railroad bill. The
special committee appointed yesterday to
investigate the charge made by Mr.. Hill
of Meriwether, that on the passage OF the
bill the vote had been incorrectly reported,
brought in TWO reports. Both agreed that
Messrs. Flyers of Pierce and Sims
OF Wilkes were absent, but
and MIR. Holiday, who voted nay, was
recorded as aye. The bill only received
ninety votes, including these The majority
report recommended that the journal be
corrected, reducing the vote on the bill to
eighty-seven, and that the speaker be
allowed to cast his vote, which would still
give the bill majority. The minority re-
port stopped with correcting the Journal
In the debate which followed the opponents
of the bill resisted the proposition to permit
the speaker to vote, as the bill had gone to
the Senate. The matter was dropped tenn
porarily on the adoption of a resolution re-
questing the Senate to return the bill to be
corrected.
SENATORS AND A NEW LEASE.
The Senate resumed consideration of the
lease bill this morning. Several amend
ments offered yesterday were voted down.
Among them were Mr.. FItzgerald's, to
advertise the Hoaa for sale when lease
propositions are advertised for, and Mr..
Rice's amendment, bringing the property
under the new act subjecting railroads to
county taxation.
The rest of the morning was occupied in
the discussion of Mr.. Bartlett's amendment
making ineligible as bidders competing
lines. Pending a decision on this amend-
ment the bill was postponed until Monday.
e The House passed the bill of Mr.. johnson
of Clinch for tae protection of the public
roads and bridges from heavy timber and
turpentlne wagons. T bill provides that
where owners or employees are not subject
TO road duty, they shall repair all damage
to roads or bridges done by their wagons.
The act is not operative in any county till
it is recommended by the grand jury.
THE CRowDER BILL.
The Crowder bill to tax notes. bonds.
mortgages, etc., held by foreign money
lenders, passed. A tax will tie levied on the
local agents OF these companies.
The following new bills were introduced
in the House:
To prohibit the transfer, transmittance,
or assignment If notes and accounts for the
purpose Of garnishment.
Attic meeting this afternoon Of the senate
com nittee considering the ten-hour labor
bill, the friends OF the measure and the mill