The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-06
COUNCILS ACTION CONDEMNED.
The Street Railway Deal Universally
Censured.


Of the council Wednesday night in adopt
ing the report of the street and lane COM
mttee upon the matter of street railway
revision without giving opportunity for a
full discussion of the matter by council
and before the details of the plan were
made known to the public.
1t is safe to say that had the report been
ordered published and laid upon the table
until the next meeting of council, such
pressure would have been brought to bear
that it would never have been adopted in
its present shape.
Public sentiment is practically all one
way on the subject. With the exception
of the few persons interested directly or
indirectly in the street railway company,
the general expression of opinion is one Of
either total or partial condemnation.
These. expressions come from citizens of
every shade of sentiment and political
opinion. A few were found who said that
they had given the matter no considera-
ton, but even their ideas were in line with
the rest, being opposed TO exclusive monop-
oily of the streets by any one company.
Brief expressions of known business men
give a fair idea of the general sentiment.
This administration reminds me of the
man who strained at gnat and swallowed
a camel said Mr., 1. G.. Haas. 1T has
been straining at the commissions ever
since it has been in office and now, coun-
ell, by this railway deal, has done the city
more harm than the commissions could
possibly do in ten years. The undue haste
of council in this matter is beyond compre
hension. They have surrendered more of
the city's rights than can be regained in
lifetime and that, too without giving the
people any opportunity to express them
selves"
Mr.. John w. Huger, president of the
Commercial Guano Company, was very
emphatic in his denunciation in the deal.
"It is shame that street railway COM
pany should be given so much power" he
said.
II am surprised that council should have
made such a mistake said Mr. George
w Tiedeman. 81 cannot understand it,"
Mr.. M. B. Lane, vice president Of the
Citizens Bank, said ut is the best deal
that Hartman has ever made. He has
bound the city to a contract by giving val
liable consideration, and on this account
he will be able to hold the city to its
contract"
The possibility OF the need of more
street railway lines in the southern Sec
ton of the city should have been consid-
cred and provision made for access by
these lines TO the heart of the city by
direct lines or by the use of the present
lines or by transfers over the present lines
for one fare only for the whole trip. Coun-
Gil should have given the matter very
careful consideration said Mr.. John X.
Young.
Capt. John Flannery said: 'In giving
the railway company exclusive privileges
the council should have guarded the inter-
ests of the public by the most rigid re-
quirements as to service and malnte-
nance. The Price street arrangement does
not seem quite right to me. 1t is all
right for council to exact certain amount
per foot for the use of Price street, but
the amount, should 1t ever be paid, should
go into the city treasury and not into the
hands of a railway corporation"
Mr.. J. p. Williams brought the subject
home with an illustration of how he was
personally affected by the deal which has
beeen entered into. THE southern section
of the city fares badly In this DEAL said
Mr.. Williams. Take my own case. 1t
may be a selfish illustration, but 1t is right
to the point Several years ago l bought
section of the city for $4,000. On account
of the money stringency prevailing since,
/ have sold only few lots. had decid-
ed to spend $25, 900 this fall in building and
other improvements. If the Encouragement
of the street car lines Is put into effect
as announced I shall not spend dollar
there. The shuttle car system south of
Anderson street means the loss of thous-
ands of dollars to property owners there.
/ am only one, but there are others. Peo-
pie are not going to buy where the best
facility offered them Is a shuttle car with
long intervals between trips and several
minutes wait at transfer points The pro-
gress of the whole southern section will
be retarded by the drawing in of the belt
system. If council desires the development
of the southern section why did 1t not re-
quire the company to extend the Battery
park line to a junction with the Mont
gomery street line and thus make south
western belt This would be better than
two shuttle car lines. Instead of allow
ing the belt TO be drawn in council should
have required the street railway company
to extend its line out East Broad to
| Twelfth street and across Twelfth to
Montgomery or West Broad
| Mr.. H. d. Stevens said 1.-THE council
| should have made rigid requirements as
to conditions of roadbed and cars. Even
| the best portions of the track at present
nuisance to the people who live along the
lines. The noise made by the cars is ex-
tremely harassing to sick people. The
comfort of the public should have been
fully guarded against by council and there
was no better time to do so than when
granting concessions.
Col. A. r. Lawton expressed himself on
the same line as Mr.. Stevens Council
should require the street railway compa-
ny to asphalt its street crossings and to
give them the proper grade level" said
Col. Lawton. THE crossings on Liberty
street should be put In the same condi-
ton as those on Oglethorpe avenue. Every
vehicle gets a jolt and a Jar as 1t passes
these crossings. Every empty wagon
strikes these crossings with a rattle and a
bang that must be very distressing to peo-
Die living in the neighborhood. The
crossings are a great source Of discomfort
to bicyclists as 1 know fun well by expe-
rience. The comfort of the blcvclists
should be considered by council"
ITS an outrage" Mr.. D. b. Lester said
! Councils action means destruction To
! thousands of dollars of property. and
| damage TO many homes In many in
stances the value of property depends on