The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-01
TROLLEY LINES COMBINE.
The Electric Railway Takes Control
Of the Belt Line.

Re at the Head of the Consolidated
Lines and a New Directory to Be
Chosen.
savannah will have only two street
railway systems after tomorrow. The
Electric Railway and the Savannah
Street Railway, the Belt Line, have con-
solidated. The result of the deal is to
rive the Electric Railway Company con-
troll of the Belt Line.
The Electric Railway will assume en-
tire charge of both lines at once, and by
Sunday will be operating them from its
mower house on Gwinett street. The Of
flee of the Electric Railway will remain
at Gwinnett and Price streets.
This is thesargest street railway deal
that has ever occurred in Savannah,
about one million dollars worth of prop
ertv being involved The results of the
deal will be of great Importance to the
city,
ON FOOT FOR SOME TIME.
The deal has been on foot for some
time. In fact negotiations have been
conr on for several months.
Nothing definite, however, was arrived
at until Aug. II, when President Collins
and Director Hicks of the Electric Rail
way Company met Managing Director
T. w. Wrenne Of the Belt Line Company
in Atlanta.
The deal was agreed upon then, but the
agreement had to be ratified by the direc-
tors of the two companies.
Managing Director Wrenne arrived in
Savannah this week for the purpose of
completing the details of the transfer.
Meetings of the directors of both the
Electric Railway Company and the Belt
Line were held and the deal ratihed. Mr.
Wrenne represented the Nashville direc-
tors of the Belt Line. He and President
Collins are now engaged upon the details
Of the transfer.
A CONSOLIDATION.
The deal is not a sale, but a consolida-
ton by which the present Belt Line rail
way becomes a part of the Electric rail-
way A new board of directors of the
Electric Railway Company will be elected,
including the majority of the present
board and several of the prominent mem
bers of the Nashville syndicate which
owns the Belt Line. 1t is not thought
that any of the present local directors of
the Belt Line will be on the new board
yesterday afternoon at the De Soto, and
confirmed the reports of the deal. 1t had
not been intended to give out anything
for publication until all the details had
been completed but as usual in such
cases the facts leaked out and became
generally known yesterday. The Morn
ING News has been aware that deal
was in progress for sometime, but could
not announce the fact without breaking
confidence.
TO BE OPERATED AS ONE.
"It is true" said Director Wrenne
that a consolidation has been entered into,
and that hereafter the two lines will be
operated by one company. We have not
arranged all the details as yet, and conse-
quently cannot announce them for publ
cation.
The consolidation will be known as the
Electric Railway Company, and Presi-
dent Collins of the Peoples Electric
Light and Power Company win be at its
head. The new company viii be opera
ted and directed from the present head
quarters of the Electric Railway Com
pany. We believe that this consolida-
ton will prove greatly to the advantage
OF thep people of Savannah, as well as TO
the stock and security holders of the two
companies. twill result in an improved
railway system with better connections
for its patrons.
A passenger can take a car in any part
of the city and reach any other part of
the city along the lines of the present
Belt and Electric lines by paying only one
fare. Another advantage that will re-
suit to the city is in the enlargement of
its electric light and power facilities.
tirst-class electric light plant will be
put in on the present site of the Electric
railway power house, sufficient to furnish
light and power in any amount that may
be demanded
The Nashville people," continued Mr..
Wrenne, who are interested in the new
company, are the strongest, financially,
IN Tennessee, representing several million
dollars, Their addition will give great
strength to the company"
PRESIDENT COLLINS TALKS.
President Collins, of the Electric Rail
way Company, confirmed all that Mr..
Wrenne had said.
We will not be able to give out all the
details of the deal for day or two yet"
said he. "You can state positively, how
ever, that we will be in control of the
Belt Line by Saturday night, and on Sun
day we will be operating the full system.
This consolidation. gives us control of rs
miles OF street railway, including the
Ihunderbolt line, and 81 cars
Both lines have about the same amount
OF track, something over II miles each,
including double track. Many improve
ments will be made in the track and roll
ing stock of the Belt line, and the whole
brought up to first-class condition.
The pOwer-houSe of the Belt Line on
Habersham street will be shut down and
all the power will be furnished from our
pOwer-house on Gwinnett street, where
we have recently made considera BILE addi-
lions. to Ourplant l will remain at the head
OF the company and board of directors
composed of the largest stockholders of
tae company, both in Savannah and Nash
vile, will be selected.
NEW BOARD TO BE CHOSEN.
An election for directors.will be held
as soon as the organization is completed
and a strong board will be selected. The
same spirit which has impelled us hereto
lore, to give the people of Savannah the
very best street car service to be had will
De continued with the new company. The
people of Savannah will have no reason
10 complain of the results of the consoli-
cation. In fact they will be greatly bene-
titedn
MIR. Collins estimates that there will
De large saving in expenses by the con-
soldatlon, the new company requiring
very little increase in ONCE force and
electricians over the present force of the
6Ieclrlc railway. Supt. Saussy, of the
Belt Line. will be retired from the street
railway business by the results of the
deal, his Sprviaac not hain., rao,,;,ad il,