The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-07-31
THE SEABOARD'S PLANS.
It's Scheme 10 Control Hutchinson
Islands Water Frontage.

ton of It's Holdings-The Difficulty
in Tracing Titles-The Advocacy Of
and Opposition to the Scheme.
The committee appointed to consider
the resolution TO grant she eastern portion
Of Hutchinson Island 10 the Seaboard
Company is not expected TO report al the
meeting Of the council Wednesday night.
City Attorney Adams is engaged in the
endeavor to discover the amount of the
citys holdings on Hutchinson and Fig
islands, but finds that he has undertaken
long and tedious job In the half cen
fury or more that the city
has owned Hutchinson Island numer-
Gus leases and franchises have been
made to various parties, and most of the
water front has been sold. The lessecs
in many cases threw up their leases or
transferred them to other parties, and
many lot owners have neglected their
holdings If a careful record had been
kept of these leases, sales and transfers,
there would be no difficulty in ascertain
ing the extent aud location of the city's
holdings along the water front; but this
was not done, and hence the present con-
fusion.
THE U. s. SURVEYS.
The surveys of the United States en-
gineer's Office represent the city as
having about 1900 feet of water
front at the lower end of the island,
including its holdings on Fig island. The
latter is a long, narrow strip of land sepa
rated from Hutchinson Island only by
creek. This creek was navigable good
many years ago, but was closed up some
time ago in the course of the work TO
deepen the channel of the river.
AS soon as Mr.. Adams can arrive at
satisfactory conclusion as to the city's
holdings on the island. the committee will
take his data under consideration and ar
rive at a report. Alderman Cam, who
has been active in the matter, has taken
the position that the Seaboard Company
should pay the city for its
water front, if it is granted the eastern
half of the island or as much of this
water front as il desires to use. He holds
that with the increasing demand for
shipping facilities the water front is too
valuable to give away, notwithstanding,
he admits that it is very desirable TO have
Hutchinson's Island improved.
BETTER OFF THAN IT THOUGHT.
It was not known at the time the Sea-
board Company made its last application
that the city owned any large amount of
water front on the island. and the appli-
cants claim now that the citys holdings
are not more than half the amount claimed
by Alderman Cam.
The application of the Seaboard Com
pany is very favOrably looked upon by
some of the aldermen and has the sup
port of many of the largest business men
of the city. As stated in the MORNING
News some time ago, the securing of a
terminus for the Middle Georgia and At
lantic railway is now a secondary object
with the Seabosrd Company.
Two years ago the company was granted
10 hnl Of ETft4nfucC,tfc br
payment Of $1,000 on the condition that
it build a bridge across the river build
seyenty-tive miles of its road inland and
make certain improvements on the island
These conditions were to be carried out
within two years. Some of the members
of the company opposed the acceptance
of the island on these conditions at the
time as they felt satisfied that il would
be impossible to fulfill them within the
time specified, owing to the inability to
lind market for southern securities.
THE LIMIT OF TIME EXPIRES.
The time specified by the city for the
fulfllment of the conditions named has
already elapsed and the Seaboard Compa-
ny is out considerable money with nothing
to show for it. They spent
about $4,000 upon the island besides
about ~, 900 more for surveys.
The SeabOard Company has made an
only for the eastern or lower half of the
island, which it proposes to improve by
building wharves and warehouses, and
providing shipping facilities generally,
building a railroad the length of the is
land, and bridge from the upper end
across TO the water works tract with five
miles of railpOad into the interior. The
company PROPOSES to establish general
terminals for the accommodation of all
railroads desiring to make use of
them, with facilities for transacting
shipping and warehouse business. Incl
dentally it hopes TO bring in the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic railroad some time in
the future, or some connection with it by
another line.
THE CoMPANY's PLANS.
This much and more President j. p. Will
hams, of the Seaboard company, told
MORNING News reporter who called upon
him yesterday. In regard to the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic railroad, Mr. Viii
liams said it would be folly to build line
into Savannah from Eatonton paralleling
the Central railroad and the projected
Atlantic Short Line for great portion of
its length.
"A connection will certainly be made,
however" said Mr.. Williams. "There
are the Macon and Birmingham railroad,
which has been completed from Macon to
LaGrange at cost of 81, lO0, 900. the
Atlantic Short Line, formerly the Macon
and Atlantlc, upon which 500, 600 has been
expended, and the Middle Georgia and
Atlantic railroad, which has already $3.50
600 invested. All these lines are headed
for Savannah, and it is folly to suppose
that they are going to remain disiointed
and disconnected as they are at present
Here is &, 800 900 of capital, great deal
of which was taken from Savannah.
invested in these properties and
tie stockholders win be compelled for
their own protection to carry out the
plan Of line for Savannah
ALACK OF TERMINALS.
1.-The fact that proper terminals are to
be had will have very great effect in
fastening the completion of this line.
While the Middle Georgia and Atlantic
railroad will not build the entire distance
to Savannah, it is very likely to be pushed
northward and expected 10 see it COM
pleted to CHATTANOOGA BY pushing
only short distance northward valuable
connections win be secured with lines
that are now IN competition with existing
lines TO this port, and which are carrying
large amounts OF freights to other points
that could easily be directed here The
Middle Georgia and Atlantic Is yet des-
tined to prove a very important factor
IN savannah S commerce.
Outside of all these considerations
however, it is very important to the city
H-lt Te1a