The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-03
THE DUST MUST Be LAID.
The Electric Lines Fined For Not
Watering Their Tracks.

The Mayor Says the Fine Will be Re-
peated Every Day the Tracks go
Unwatered-The Roads Making a
Fight Against it, and to Appeal to
the Council.
Recorder Wilson yesterday fined each
of Savannah's street railways $50 for fail
ing to comply with the ordinance requir-
ing them to efectually water their tracks
every day.
The roads We're placed on the
information docket several days ago by
CITY Marshal Wade, and yesterday morn
ing Capt J. II. Johnston, representing the
City and Suburban and the Savannah,
Thnderbolt and Isle of Hope; Mr.. Glen
Saussy, representing the Belt Line, and
President Collins Of the Electric railway
appeared in the police court TO answer the
charge of violating the ordinance.
City Marshal Wade testified to having
several times notified the railroad author
tiles TO comply with the ordinance, and
finally, under instructions from the mayor,
had placed them on the docket.
SAY IT CAN'T BE DONE.
President Collins, Capt. Johnston and
Mr. Saussy argued that while they have
been having their tracks watered yet it is
an impossibility to carry out the terms of
the ordinance Ito effectually lay the
dust" without having a watering appa-
ratus attached to each car. The tracks
might be watered early in the morning
and within an hour the ground would be
as dry as ever.
Recorder Wilson, however, had no dis
erection in the matter except to impose the
fine prescribed by the ordinance, $50 each.
The representatives of the roads gave
notice of an appeal to the council and filed
a bond for the amount of the fines. The
appeal will be made at tO-nights meet
ing.
1t will be remembered that a few weeks
ago an ordinance was offered in the COun-
Gil to repeal the ordinance requiring the
watering of car tracks, in view of the fact
that all the roads are now using electric
ity, but it was voted down, several of the
aldermen claiming that the fast-running
electric cars raise as much dust as the
mules and horses did. The railroad people
consider the ordinance an unnecessary
hardship, and will make a strong effort
to have it wiped off the statute books
They deny the claim that electric cars
raise the amount of dust that horse-cars
did, and say that if an attempt is made to
enforce the ordinance to the let
ter twill involve great expense upon the
roads, because watering cars will have to
be run every few minutes during the day,
WOULD BREAK UP TRAVEL.
This arrangement would also seriously
interfere with the schedules, as the cars
would always be running in conflict with
the watering apparatus, which would
have to make numerous stops for its sup
ply. Mr.. Saussy made a test yesterday
after the police court proceedings by
effectually watering 300 feet Of the Belt
track in front of the exchange, and within
an hour the place was as dry as if water
had never been poured upon it.
Mayor McDOnOugh was asked about the
enforcement of the ordinance you can
say said the mayor, that the ordinance
will be enforced just as long as it remains
on the books. The railroads have no
reason to complain about the fine. | had
Marshal Wade repeatedly notify them
that the tracks should be watered, and
the newspapers warned them also. When
patience ceased to be a virtue | ordered
them on the docket, and propose to have
them docketed for every day they con-
tinue TO violate the ordinance, irrespective
of the appeal to the council"