The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-29
A TERMINAL BELT WANTED.
THE RIGHT TO USE RIVER STREET
TO BE ASKED FOR.

Commissioner Purses Plan to Secure
Cheaper Trnnsfers-The CentraFs
Right to Use River street Contest
cd and Council to BE Asked to
Grant That Street With Others 10
Belt Line Railroad Company
Which VIII Connect All Lines En-
tering the City-The Matter to Go
Before the Legislature.
A terminal railroad for Savannah for
the purpose Of reducing transfer charges
is one of the possibilities of the future.
Capt. d. G. Purse has given notice of his
intention to apply for charter for such
a road, and of an intention to have an
act introduced at the next session of the
legislature to authorize the city of Sa-
vannah to grant the use of the streets to
such a road.
Capt. Purse is taking this step in his ca
pacity as commissioner of the freight bu-
reau and not as a private citizen. The
object, as stated1in the advertisement, is
to construct belt line railroad in
Chatham county" The project contem-
plates the construction of a belt line con-
Meeting all the railroads entering the city
and affording terminal and transfer facil-
tiles to these railroads, and all others
which may hereafter be constructed to
Savannah.
The objective point, and in fact, the
meat of the whole business, is the intend
ed use of River street by the belt, and
the belt itself is a secondary considera-
ton.
The necessity for the opening of River
street, and thus affordng a short connec-
ton between the terminal properties of
the TWO large systems centering here has
been prominently brought TO the attention
OF the public on more than one occasion.
The matter was forcibly presented 10 the
last council by the directors of the freight
bureau, and steps were taken by that body
In this direction. These efforts were not
brought TO successful conclusion bat the
work has been continued by the commit
zee on opening streets, of which Alderman
charlton is chairman, in the present coun-
ell, and there is reason TO believe that
the desired results will be accomplished
Practically the only difficulty which has
stood in the way of opening the street,
since the destruction of the lower rice
mill which byockaded the street. has been
the high prices demanded by the owners
essary 10 secure the right of way The
street opening committee has only a small
amount OF money at Its command at pres
eht, out II satisfactory terms can be made
with the property owners, it is likely that
the street will be opened next year
Ii is said there is an unwillingness on
the part of the Central and the Plant svs-
TEN railways to make connections on
River street. At present transfers of cars
are made between the two systems around
the city, distance of about eleven miles.
whereas, If this connection were made
transfers could be made directly across
the city, and in many instances the dis
lance would be reduced to less than half
a mile.
Capt. Purse brought this point squareIy
to an issue when he sprung the question
before the last council of the right of the
Central railway to use River street I'm
der the charter of the city council cannot
grant the use of streets unless authorized
to do so by the legislature, and no act per-
hitting the grant of the use of River
street was ever passed. 1t is further as
serted that the right to use River street
was granted to the Savannah and Western
railroad on condition that road be built to
Savannah, and that this having never
been done, the Central has no claim what
ever to River street.
This is the point upon which Capt.
street for the proposed terminal railway,
in spite of the fact that the Central has
used the street for years. Proper authori-
ty having been given by the legislature,
he is satisfied that council will grant the
use Of the street to the company when it
is shown that the business interests of
the city demand it,
"This is no fight TO injure the railroads."
said Capt. Purse, when seen by Morn
ing News reporter. THE movement IS
purely in behalf of the business interests
of the city. We don't care who builds
the railroad, provided il is built. The
business interests of the city are suffer-
ing from the unreasonable transfer
charges now enforced What we want is
access to the river front for all the rail-
ways entering the city and transfers made
possible by the shortest route
If necessary, Capt. Purse said, a COM
pany would be formed and money raised
here to build railroad, and in this case
he was satisfied that the city would deal
literally with the company in the matter
of streets end a general terminal rail-
way would be the result.