The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-29
STREET RAILWAY DEAL ON.
A CONSOLIDATION OF ALL THE
LINES IN PROSPECT.

Brought to a COncIusiOn-The Deal
Not Completed, But Probably VIII
Re In a Few Days-SOme of the
with In Case the Deal Goes
ThrouEh-An Issue of 81 100000 of
Bonds on the Consolidated Lines
One of the Features of the Deal.
The people of Savannah need not be
startled II they should wake up some
morning and find all the street railway
lines of the city under one control
Indications have pointed that way for
some time, in fact. ever since the sale of
the Electric railway property in January,
and its purchase by the Savannah Trac-
ton Company. Negotiations have been
pending and the deal may be consum-
mated at any moment
The result of the consolidation will be
10 make very decided changes in savan-
nah's street railway accommodations.
Some of the present lines will be aband-
oned and the traffic win be concentrated
upon the remaining lines. In return the
people of Savannah will be promised an
improved HGtNiIC III lllC way u AAApA "AA~
better cars and quicker schedules on the
remaining lines.
The lines of the Savannah Traction Com
pany, it is understood, are to be CONSOLE
dated with the Parsons lines, with Mr..
Parsons in control of the new company.
President ]. II. Johnston Of the City and
Suburban and Savannah. Thunderbolt and
Tela IF 1fpa d 10, no 40
Electric railway or Savannah Traction
people are not to be left on the outside,
however, and Mr.. J. S. Collins is to be
superintendent of the new company. An
issue of bonds to the amount of 81, 10000
viii probably be made with which to take
up all outstanding bonds The proportion
of the bonds which will be allotted to each
of the present lines is not known, but it is
said that Mr.. Parsons will have a consid-
cradle majority in the division.
The changes contemplated in the street
physical appearance Of the railways are
said to be as follows: The line of the
''big belt" on Bay street is to be abandoned
and the present line of the Price street
belt on st. Julian street will be made the
northern line of the big belt The rest
of the Price street belt is to be done away
with. These are the principal changes
contemplated and will result in doing
away with about four miles of track. The
Barnard street line is to remain and may
be operated as a belt in connection with
the Whitaker street line cars being run
up one street and down another, thus re-
leving Whitaker street of the switches
now on that street. The Indian street
line will not be abandoned, but will be
continued as at present.
The negotiations have been in progress
for some time. In fact the deal is said
TO be practically the same as that made by
Mr.. Collins with Mr. Parsons last fall
which was repudiated at the time by the
directors of the Electric railway. While
the deal is looked upon by those on the
inside as a practical fact 1t is not yet
certainty. There is said to have been
some hitch in the negotiations which pre-
vented its completion. This warranted
those interested who were called upon in
reference to the matter in denying that
any deal had been made.
Mr.. Parsons has been in this vicinity for
some time, spending the greater part of
his time at his place at Warsaw. but oc-
casionally visiting the city. President
Johnston and Managing Director J. N.
Hartman of the Parsons lines were seen
yesterday at the office of the Savannah,
Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope railway.
Both stated positively that no deal
had been made. Mr.. Hartman said that
idation of the street railway lines had
been in progress for some time, and that
the negotiations are still in progress.
Whether there would be any result he
was unable to say As to the plan of the
proposed consolidation Mr.. Hartman pro-
fessed to be entirely in the dark. Presi-
dent Johnston gave it as his opinion that
no such deal would be made, and said that
he had no desire to be placed in charge
of the competing lines.
MIR. Hartman was asked If the increase
in street railway fares to cents by the
Savannah Traction Company, which was
followed by the other lines, was not the
first step which had been agreed upon in
the deal. He replied that he did not be-
lieve there had been any deal to increase
the price OF fares.
If the deal is made, as it now appears
it will be, the announcement may be ex-
pected in the next few days. Mr.. Parsons
is reported to have made the statement
that he had obtained control of the Trac-
ton lines and would shortly take charge
of their operation.
There will naturally be some opposition
on the part of the public to having all
the street railway lines under one control
and the facilities for street travel decrease
ed. If, on the other hand, the consolida-
ton should result In giving Savannah bet
ter street railway service, with more bet
ter schedules on the lines operated and
less time between cars, the public would
be benefited by the change. The city
council would doubtless require the new
company to enter into contract guaran-
teeing such service, before consenting to
wholesale changes in the present lines.
The Morning News has stated all along
that efforts al a deal were being made.
President Herman Myers and Manager ].
s. Collins Of the Savannah Traction Com
pany have denied any knowledge
of such a deal and appeared to take
no interest In the effort. Vice President
j. II. FAN Of Nashville, however has been
constantly at work in the matter for sew
eral months past, and the deal is supposed
10 be due 10 his efforts
When the Electric railway property was
purchased by the Savannah Traction
Company extensive improYpments, to be
begun at once, were announced. to in
clude a new power house on the river
front and a complete renovation Of the
track and rolling stock. Some little i'm
provement has been made In the rolling
stock and new crossties have been placed
along the track New rails have been or
dered for a portion of the track The
idea Of a now power house has been ADAM
doned, IL IL were ever seriously contem-
plated. The improvements, which were
much needed, have evidently been delay