The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-03-20
WAR OF THE CAR LINES.
Fares Reduced TO Three Cents on the
West Broad Street Line.

The City and Suburban Railway In
augurates the Fight-No Possibility
man Says There Never Was Much
Likelihood of One-What He Says
! About the Recent Negotiation.
A rate war has begun among the street
railways. At a meeting of the directors
| of the City and Suburban railway yester-
! day afternoon it was decided to cut the
| fare on the West Broad street line from 5
TO cents. Large placards have been put
on the side of the cars announcing the re-
duction, beginning tomorrow morning.
! The West Broad street
| line runs from the market, south on Bar
| nard street, west on Liberty, south on
| West Broad and out by Laurel Grove
! cemetery to Battery park, about two
! miles long. The fare has always been
| cents heretofore.
RESULT OF THE NEGOTIATIONS.
! The cut is regarded as the result of the
| failure of the recent deal looking to a
| consolidation of the City and
! railway. In fact it was rumored
about the time the deal was announced
! that the City and Suburban railway had
| made threats of cutting fares
| The West Broad street line intersects
| the territory between the two routes Of
! the Electric railway on the western side
! of the city, one of which runs out West
| Broad and Cemetery streets and the
| other out Montgomery street The
| Electric railway routes are belts, howev-
| err while the West Broad street line ter
inmates at Battery Park.
MR.. HARRTdAN's POSITION.
Mr.. J. N. Hartman, one of the New
| York owners of the City and Suburban
| railway, who represented that company
in the negotiations for the deal, arrived
! yesterday morning from New York He
was seen by MORNING News reporter
You can state positively" said Mr.
| Hartman, that there IS not the least
! probability of a consolidation In fact,
| the probabilities of consolidation are
| less now than ever before. The views
as to the value Of their respective proper
| ties held by the owners of the two lines
! are so far apart that consolidation is i'm
| possible"
| Mr. Hartman was asked if il were not
| time that an agreement had been made
! between the representatives of the two
! companies, which only required the sig
nature OF MIR. George Parsons, the prin-
| cipal stakeholder of the City and Subur-
| $3.50 ANAA'h J " Npl44PLGtG IliC QGdls
THE SITUATION EXPLAINED.
"The several statements of proposed
| consolidation of the street railways, as
| outlined in the MORNING News, and made
! upon some outlines, were not quite cor
rect said Mr. Hartman, land did in
| Justice to Mr.. Parsons and myself We
! did not have the power to act for Mr.
| George Parsons, and that fact was dis
! dinctly understood by the committee
| ant bo NJ,
| did agree for ourselves to a certain
! proposition, and further agreed to 90 to
| New Y Ork and submit it to Mr.. Parsons.
! but at the time expressed doubt as to his
| accepting the terms. Mir. George Par
! sons declined, when the matter was sub
/ united to him, to accept the proposition,
| and we so telegraphed the Electric rail
way committee. AS matters now stand.
the several interests are 50 wide apart in
| their views that the prospect of an early
| settlement of the differences is not en-
| couraging I would Furthermore state
| that am not here acting in the capacity
| of broker for Mr.. Parsons
| neither does Mr. Parsons require the
! services of any broker in Offering his rail
! way properties in Savannah; nor is he in
| the market endeayOring to effect a sale of
| them. The territory occupied by our
! lines has been invaded, the roads paral-
| leled, and the streets enCum bered with
| uoClSoS anu uupTOuJdDlG tracks. W e are
| forced TO defend ourselves, and propose to
do so to the best Of our ability"
! OTHER CUTS MAY FOLLOW.
| Mr.. Hartman was asked if the cut on
! the West Broad street line would be fol-
| lowed by reductions on the other lines of
! the system.
II cannot say as yet" he replied, until
we have seen the effects of this cut. 1t is
| possible that similar reductions may be
made on other lines. Travel has de-
| creased on the West Broad street line of
| late, and we are willing to
make some concession to bring
| it back. A similar reduction NAV
| be made on the Bolton street line"
a general cut in rates would materially
! increase the travel on the street railways
this summer, though whether it would be
! to the advantage of the railway compa-
MES is another question.
| Mr.. Collins, of the Electric line, was
seen last night. He said he was not pre-
pared to talk, but would have something
to say in day or two. The Electric rail
way people are inclined to regard Mr..
Harrimans position as a sort of bluff. and
believe things will yet come their way.