The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-30
MUST DONATE $50, 900.
SAVANNAH MAY GET THE AMERI-
Gus AND MONTGOMERY YET

Business Mems Committee-H Sa-
vannah Will Give $4,000 and WIN
Aid in Securing Rights of Way Into
the City and Terminal Facilities, and
the City VIII Give the Rights of
Way Through It's Streets and Prop
erty, the Road VIII Be Built Here
The Proposition Under Considera-
ton.
A tangible proposition was made by Col.
g. H. Hawkins, president of the Savannah,
Americas and Montgomery railroad, to the
business mems committee yesterday, and at
a called meeting Of the business men Of Sa
vannah, at the Board of Trade rooms yss-
terday, it was presented to them. 1t was,
in brief, that Savannah should donate $50
600 to the company and lend its aid to
secure right Of way into the city, and ter
minal facilities. The proposition was re-
ferred later to a committee for report.
The conference committee not having
been favorably impressed with Col. Haw-
kins' proposition the day before, Col. Haw-
kins remained in the city, and after further
consultation with those friendly TO the en-
terprise, the chairman of the committee.
Mr. J. D. Weed called meeting for 5
o'clock in the afternoon 80 that Col. Haw
kins might present a written prop sition,
Although { time was short, the meet
ing was larg ely attended Mr. Weed pre-
sided, and introduced Col Hawkins, who
addressed the meeting for three-quarters Of
an hour. He was listened to atteutiveIy.
THE COMPANY s POLICY.
In the outset be outlined the policy Of his
company 10 connect Savannah, Americas
and Montgomery hich by short lines of
roads would make the coal fields tributary
to the road. He announced that the Ameri-
Gus Investment Comuanv, by its recent ar
engagements with the Georgia Improvement
Company, controls 1903 miles Of road Of the
Atlanta and Florida completed to Fort
Valley, and by the increase Of the capital
stock by the de the Atlanta aid Florida
road is 60 be comp eted to Cordele, forty
three miles south, where it will connect
with the Americas, Preston and Lumpkin,
and the latter will be extended to McRae,
from which point the company desires to
bring it to Savannah.
Col. Hawk S went on to explain that i'm
portant feeders could be thrown out by short
lines to Albany Eufaula, Columbus and
other points, and that the projected road
would shorten the distance to M ntgomery
rs miles.
He said that it is certainly the desire of
the company to make Savannah the
rated the name of Savannah in the title of
the Savannah, Americas and Montgomery
road. While he paid tribute 10 the energy
and progress of Bruins wick which has shown
a zeal to courage the road 10 be extended
to that place, IL is the desire Of the company
to bring the road to Savannah if 10 can do
so on favora le terms, otherwise it may
have to stop at McRae and look in the
direction of Brunswick.
WHAT THE COMPANY OWNS.
Col Hawk reviewed. the properties of
his company, which are 40 miles of road
under operation from Louvale, via Ameri-
Gus, to Abbeville, and a line Of boats on the
Ocmulgee running to Brunswick. BY this
line, necessitating two transfers to steam
boats, it is impossible to serve Savannah
well. From Abbeville to Americas the
company is widening the gauge Of the road
to the standard with sixty pound steel rails
as fast as the rails are received, and the
work will be- completed, he said. in thirty
days. The draw-bridge over the Flint
river is Of iron. and an iron draw bridge
is being built over the Ocmulgee. The
property had paid the projectors hand
somely and beyond their fondest expecta-
tions. In conclusion Col. Hawkins invited
the meeting to select a committee to go over
the road, and he would take pleasure in
showing them what properties the company
has, so that they could see and know for
themselves what they had, learn what the
road had done and what the property is
likely TO do.
COL. HAWKINS PROPOSITION.
The following communication to Chair
man J. d. Weed and the committee, EN-
bodying Col. Hawkins proposition, was
then read. IL is as follows
THE report appearing in the MORNING
NEWS Of this date, Of interview had yester-
day between your committee and myself,
fails TO bring out some POINTS which l wish
TO appear.
"A prominent citizen Of your place who
had done much to influence building other
lines of transportation to your CITY, advised
me of the appointment of your committee
about ten days since and urged me to come
at once prepared to accept or reject propo-
sltions that would certainly be made me-
'S on too sent me several letters and tele-
grams inviting me to come, In one of " hich
you assured mo the people were stirred and
meant business. Under impression made
by these communications | came to hear
rather than max propositions.
Il sincerely hope that after full and free
consultation plan of cooperation might
be reac ed which would alike pro-
mote the interest of your place
and people and also the Savannah,
Americas and Montgomery railway.
Your business mems committee asked for
proposition from me which "a as UMPIRE
pared TO make, as | had been led to believe
proposition would be made me- Later
one of your committee asked If | would
make traffic arrangements with a road you
might build to McRae BY which our and
your contemplated road might cooperate
To which | replied that / u ought such a
proposition premature, as you had no legal
organization through which such contract
could be made.
IN ON THE GROUND FLOOR.
at was iutimated strongly by another
member Of your committee that you would
come in and cooperate with our company
only on the ground floor, so that if there
was a chance for profits, YOU would be
entitled 10 reap. ! replied that our people
had come in on the ground floor by taking
stock at par in our railroad company when
il was considered worthless, but that we
might be able h do better by you by allow
ing you TO take stock in the company,
which was now worth 40 TO 80 per cent
The suggestion was made that the Ameri-
Gus Investment Company owned the road
and would garner all profits unto itself To
the exhaustion of the railroad. / explained
that the investment company was not Il
construction company, ana did not prey
upon the road. but acted as its financial
aid. As your committee had no
proposition to make other than as intimatod,
and | had none matured, | made knowa
IN raadiuasQ m Cpptin,ta ha ,1i