The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-05
THE STREET RAILWAY NATTER.
Pointed Facts which Council Seem
ed 70 Ignore

Ell 10 ignore.
Editor Morning News: Your editorials
on the street railway situation are timely
and should be needed by the adminstra-
ton in their dealings with the Parsons
in their proposed remodellng of the sew
eral lines within the city. 1t has not been
many years since the people were abso-
lutely at the mercy of the same interests
which are now asking for so much under
the plausible plea of an improved service.
Has the leopard changed his spots? I
think not. Have the present aldermen
forgotten the miserable service, the abso-
lutte defiance of the rights of the people,
and utter disregard of their appeals? DO
they think the owners or operators have
become more philanthropic? If our alder
men think so, they are alone in that opin-
ion for can assure them the general
public believe we are about to be trod-
den under the same heel and by the same
parties.
1t is very necessary that council pro-
tect the people in every way within their
power, not by merely passing resolutions
but positive action. Let the street rail-
IOdO HldBu1lSS uHu0ISluilu Nildl NllC pSOPiC
know they have most valuable franchises,
obtained in most instances for nothing.
Let them understand in no uncertain
manner that in return for those fran
chises the people propose to have good
service, regular schedules, clean and COM
Portable cars. good road bed properly
maintained in fact that the street rail-
roads must carry out their part of the
contract, not with an eye single to the
squeezing of every penny possible, re-
CARELESS of the rights of the people, but
for the purpose of giving the people good
service at reasonable rates. 1t requires
positiveness approaching stubbornness
on the part of the aldermento accomplish
this, for the representatives OF the rah-
roads are willy and are also playing for
big stakes.
Then again, Mr.. Editor, the council
should go very slowly in allowing streets
to be abandoned. No track should be
taken up until the proposition has been
duly advertised and the people and prop
erty owners given an opportunity to be
heard. Property has been bought and i'm
proved based upon existing lines, and
surely the property owners have as much
right to be considered as the street rail-
road owners. | cannot believe for an In
slant that council would think of allowing
any street to be abandoned and guarantee
it would not subsequently be granted to
some other line Such action would most
assuredly be a play into the hands OF the
present monopoly entirely unwarranted
by the situation. / do not think they can
legally do so, and l do know the public
would certainly condemn any such action.
All avenues possible should be left for
opposition in the future, for 1t must not
be forgotten that 1t was only through OPP
position that the Parsons interests were
forced to give us even the mediocre serY-
ice we have at present. 1 honestly be-
lieve that but for the belt line and the
Electric railway we would still have the
old one-mule cars, for they most fifty rep
resent the Parsons management of the
past.
Just one more point and I am done: In
considering the present application, as to
the scope of which the public has no Of
fetal Information, the council must re-
member that the street railroads own por-
tions of Barnard and Whitaker streets
| south of Anderson portion of Third
and all of Fourth streets, from Bull to
Barnard; a portion of Bolton street, east
of the Savannah, Florida and Western
railway They should be required to open
each of these streets. 1t would indeed,
be a curious situation were the city to
give them so many streets free of cost,
and within few years be forced to pay
the same parties for the opening of streets
through property owned by them. Now is
the time to require the donation of the
above mentioned streets. The Electric
railway gave valuable streets in the east
ern part of the city for all their grants;
the City and Suburban and the Savannah,
Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope railway have
given nothing.
Don't be carried away by soft promises,
Messrs. Aldermen. The cry of "the pub
lie convenience" now will be succeeded
by that Of "the public be damned" In
short time, unless council stands firm and
protects the rights of the people.
Citizen.