The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-10-02
A LIVELY TILT IN COUNCIL.
Alderman Myers Question of Privilege
Stirs Up Alderman Fslligant-

immediately after council convened last
night Alderman Myers rose to a question Of
privilege, and had the clerk of council read
an article in the Times intinating that the
South Bound hal a slice in Hutchinson
Island, and giving Alderman Falligant as
authority for the staten eat. When the
article had been read, Alderman Myers
defended his action IN council, in the follow
ing remarks, which were attenuvely
listened to:
deem this article demands a short explana-
ton. but ! will not follow the example OF its
author by throwing out all kinds Of dark hints.
| Il is manifest that the authors are actuated by
| sinister purpose inspired BY corporations that
have for some time attempted to create the i'm
preston abroad that terminal facilities could
not be obt&ned Ia this city, and have thrown
| every obstacle In the way 70 prevent
competing roads from entering our city.
of council financially Interested in the
South Bound. Therefore, he and his unnamed
| correspondents allude to me and associate ON
GERS Of that company, and / assert for these
officers and myself that We have no interest
| whatsoever ia Col Machen's road, nor mis- pur-
chase OF Hutchinson Island, and the insinua-
| tons in this and some similar articles written
by these same people to the Charleston papers
recently, are sanderous. and false In their allu-
sion to the South Bound in connection with
| Machen g projects.
| IL strikes me journalism is reaching a very
| low ebb when 1t almost daily attacks an enter
prise charging it with underhand dealings
| without the shadow Of truth, and one which viii
| be of incalcuable benefit 70 our city. If any
alderman was opposed to the terms Of this offer
70 Col Machen he should have expressed hisop-
| position in this chamber; he owed it to his con-
| stituents not to remain silent until a newspaper
| reporter found him al some street corner wait
ing TO be interviewed, and besides he should not
be guilty Of making false statements.
Since there has been so much said by the
author OF these articles about the grant TO the
| Middle Georgia and Atlantic railroad, | will
briefly state few reasons which prompted my
support OF this measure. Since the war no
new railroad has entered this city About
year ago Col Hawkins desired TO make Savan-
nah the terminal Of the Savannah, Americus
| and Montgomery road. We did not offer him
| sufficient Inducements Terminals here proving
| too expensive for his means compelled him
| to stop at Lyons and make traffic arrangements
| with the Central. How much more benefit his
road would have been 20 us as an independent
| nne any OF our business men can answer. Next,
| the South Bound asked council to provide them
with terminals and through the city's liberality
they were enabled 10 enlist northern capital,
and that road is now assured. Then the Macon
and Atlantic applied. Tney were given to I'M
derstand that Hutchinson Island could be Sc
cured at a nominal price, but Manager Lane
deemed IL entirely too EXPENSIVE to be utilized.
have since learned from reliable authority this
road has surveyed line from Guyton to Cole
tons Neck, which is located five miles from
Button and that they have purchased and OBJ
| tanned option on all available water front; by
| examining the United States coast survey chart
you will dad from 20 to 2I feet OF water there at
low tide. Therefore when Col. Machen, through
| his energy and perseverance,, succeeded In
| bringing some capitalists south to investigate
his project felt satisfied, unless very strong
| Inducements were offered, he would not succeed
| in inducing these gentlemen to invest.
| Hutchinson Island was the only available
property the city possessed; the
island mas been an expense TO the city for
years and cannot now be utilized unless
a very large sum of money is expended. The
great advantage this road would give us | need
not dwell upon. It places our port nearer TO
| the great west and the rich mineral fields of
| Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, so we need
no longer fear the taking away of our com
| merce by competing Atlantic ports, besides
| opening rich new territory which is now trib-
| utary to Macon and Augusta
In conclusion / will add SINCE l have been a
| member of council have taken an active in
| terest in promoting any new enterprise which
in my judgment would assist in building up our
| city, and the Middle Georgia and Atlantic road
would do its full share toward reaching that end.
Alderman Falligant spoke at length, the
| burden of his remarks being that he thought
the project will be good for the city. He
denied, however, that he had said to
| Times reporter what had been attributed to
him.
Alderman Cam charged openly that the
| final proposition in open council Alder
man Falligant had not opposed, and the
mayor, in answer 20 a question by Mr..
| Cam, corroborated Alderman CAMS
statement.
| Alderman Falligant arose excitedly, and
said that the author of the article in the
Times, as 1t quoted him, was a mean and
contemplate liar
Alderman Carson wanted to know why
he had not denied it sooner. and Alderman
Falllgant, in reply, said that he did not con-
slider it worth noticing.
| Alderman Falltgant, crowded on all sides,
| seemed 10 think 1t was plot to down him,
| and said that some councilman had been
trying to get Him out of the council, be-
cause he had opposed boulevard around
| the city. He had the clerk read the para
graph as follows: "The South Bound peo-
pie" said Alderman Falligant this morning,
having obtained considerable, probably
felt a little ticklish about asking more, and
SO got in on the ground floor under cover oil
another company" He then repeated the
denial.
Mr.. Cam said the only difference in
the caucus was between $500 aud 1000
and as l was in the minority l can speak
freely. There was no vote of four to five
on the question as to whether the islanC
should go to the railroad, and yet there il
an opposition for that reason against the
caucus as a public enemy.
Alderman Fallgaut was next cross
questioned about assuming to be opposed t.
the caucus and voting against Alderman
Carson's motion to abolish it. Alderman
Falligant arose excitedly and said a figh
had been made upon him in council eve
since the electric light question was up. H,
said: 81 won't stand any more of this
foolishDess." The mayor and several alder
men called him to order for the language
but he angrily said he didn't care, and if tn
fight is to be kept Up he would hold SOM
one personally responsible.
Alderman Myers said that in bis remark
he had mentioned the name of no alderman
and his remarks could not, therefore, be
held to be of a personal nature. He haC
felt it proper to answer the SANDER con
tanned in the article in which Alderman
Falligant was the only alderman named Oh
quoted
Ayers Sarsaparilla, sending the brai