The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-10-07
FINED A HUNDRED A DAY.
The Electric Railway Company In
ours Heavy Penalty,

Mayor McDonough Imposes Fines
Aggregating 90, 900 for Failure to
Comply With the Ordinance Requir-
ing That Street Railway Tracks Be
Graded - President Collins Appeals
! TO the Council-The Cases against the
City and Suburban and the Savan-
nah, Thunderbolt and Isle Of Hope
Road Dismissed.
| Mayor McDonough's threatened pun
ishment of the Electric railway for fail
ure 10 regard his repeated warnings to
comply with the ordinance requiring it
! 10 grade its tracks was realized yesterday
morning in the police court. The amount
of the fine imposed upon the company was
s. 600, or 500 a day from Sept. 16, when
the case was docl1eted, toOct 6, when the
case was heared. The charge against the
Electric Railway Company reads as fol-
lows:
Violating city ordinance by failing to
put IN repair, at its own expense, accord
ing to the proper grade, four feet each
way from the center of its tracks in the
city of Savannah with such material as
will form hard and uniform surface of
even grade, and at the point of junction
with the rails, so that carriages and
other vehicles can cross its track with IA
cility and comfort"
THE START OF THE TROUBLE.
The case came up in the police court on
Sept. 10. President Collins, who was
present, requested through his counsel,
that the mayor impose a fine according to
the ordinance that an appeal might be
taken to council, where the question of
the equity Of the ordinance might be con-
sidered.
This the mayor declined to do, but
stated that he would allow the street
railroads more time, and if no steps were
taken by the railroads to comply with the
ordinance a fine of 500 day would be
placed against them for each and every
day allowed to elapse before taking such
steps
The City and Suburban railway and the
Savannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope
railway were docketed at the same
time with the Electric railway,
and were placed under the same
conditions by the mayor.
TRIED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW
President johnson showed yesterday
morning in the police court that he had
taken steps to comply with the ordinance
and had begun the work of filling in the
tracks of the roads of which he is pres-
dent. The cases against the City and
Suburban and the Savannah, Thunderbolt
and Isle of Hope railways were accord
ingly dismissed.
President Collins, however, was stiff
necked and would not bend to the yoke.
He made no claim of any attempt to COM
ply with the ordinance. He said that it
would cost his company too much to put
its tracks in the condition required by the
mayor, and that it had no money to eX-
pend for such purpose. He renewed his
request that the mayor impose a fine in
order that the matter might be taken be-
fore council.
PUT DOWN THE FINE.
Mayor McDonough was in an obliging
humOr, and complied with President Col
ms, request by affixing the fine of 500
day for the time named, or $4,000 in all.
He also stated that the penalty of 500
day would be repeated as long as the COM
pany refused to obey the ordinance.
"If you think it bad law you can APP
peal to council" said the mayor to Mr..
Collins after the adjournment of court.
Mr.. Collins replied that that was his
intention, and he accordingly gave bond
for double the amount and appealed to
council. The case will be set for hear
ing at the next meeting of council.
will you pay the fne2" a MORNING
News reporter asked President Collins
yesterday.
We couldn't if we wanted to-" was
the reply. I'VE haven't got the money"