The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-05
..Hcnhs We Win. rniIs You Lose, ;,

"Heads We Win. Tails You Lose"
when the people of Savannah come to
realize what the city council has done in
the matter of the street railways they
will be greatly surprised, to express it
mildly. II appears that the street railway
people tipped nickel into the air
heads we win, tails you lose;" and they
won, of course.
There is not In the published report of
the TRANSACTION, one solitary point in the
deal which shows to the advantage of the
people or the city. The concession" of
Price street is no concession at all. The
railroad people desired to give 1t up any
way, because of the proximity of Hab-
ersham street. which Is to carry double
tracked line. They only held on to it for
the purpose of shutting out possible oppo-
sition; and they secured more than they
probably expected.
City council was not only pleased to
graciously receive the CONCESSION of
Price street, which the company would
have given up anyway, but granted the
company the street in fee simple to be
sold at its pleasure for Sc per running foot
If a purchaser should be found. AS the
street from St Julian to Duffy is about
mile and a quarter long, its value to the
Savannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope
railway foots up $3935O, Notwithstanding
it will not operate a foot of railway
through it, This is a bonus to be given
to the railway by the city council for the
concession" of a street which would have
been given up without consideration.
1t appears from this Concession" of and
bonus for Price street that the street rail-
way franchise for that street alone, ac-
cording to the figures of the Savannah,
| Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope railway and
the city council, is worth $39 $50; yet the
city has never received a cent for the
| franchise. 1t has been given gratis to the
| railway companies which have enjoyed it.
| And now it is proposed that, not the city,
but the company. shall receive pay for
| the valuable privilege of the city's street!
Besides this $S9,35O bonus, the company
is to receive. gratis, the exclusive privi-
! lege of all the other streets on which dou-
! ble-track railways can be built. With
| this matter settled and clinched, the
street railway company would feel quite
| safe from competition!
What are the advantages 70 secured to
the people by this deal? In the first place,
the ''big belt is to be drawn in to An
derson street, a distance of twelve blocks.
The big bet' now extends from Mont
| gomery street on the west to Habersham
street on the east, and serves the people
| between those streets in, tho cou+hern Goo
ton. By way of compensation, a belt line
is to be run south on Whitaker street
to Tenth through that street to Abercorn
and thence northward, contracting the ser
vice three blocks to the west,
two blocks to the south and
\ two blocks to the east from the
! lines of the "big belt" The people who
| have built houses in the section thus af-
1 fected will be denied the benefits of street
car service. There will not be any reduc-
ton of taxation on the property, however
Another very striking benefit" to the
people will be the delightful system of
spur lines and transfers This will be
an enlargement and extension. of the very
delectable custom which has obtained at
the Second avenue and Indian street juno
tons. Changing cars, which often involves
standing several minutes in the rain. is
very dear to the hearts of the councilmen.
probably. and hence their willingness to
perpetuate and extend the practice. The
belt system is to be employed only where
it cannot well be helped, and the people
are to be given short lines, spur lines and
| transfers.
The railway company is to cede to the
city Whitaker street in front of its car
barns and depot, between Second and
| Fourth streets, which it cannot close; but
1t is not to give the city anything to help
it open Whitaker street to traffic
Verify, the city fathers might adopt the
| language of a great commander as revis-
ed by the negro minstrels. 1--WE have met
the enemy, and are his" 1t is one of the
| humors of municipal legislation to note
how easily the street railway people got
what they wanted when they had set their
pegs. The engineers of the scheme are
probably yet chuckling over the matter.