The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-09
AID. KRoUSKOFF EXPLAINS.
HE SAYS THE COUNCIL HAS BEEN
UNJUsTLY CRITICISED.


the street Railway Grant Do Not
Know What They Are Talking
About, He Says His Position Ex-
planned as a Question of Personal
Privilege Before the Council.
other Aldermen Take a Hand In
the Discussion.
After the disposition of the Su-
burban and West End railway grant, for
which the city council had been called to-
gether yesterday afternoon, Alderman
Krouskoff rose to a question of personal
privilege in reference to the recent grant
to the Savannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of
Hope railway. .
1t is well for all interested, Alderman
Krouskoff said, that the position of council
in this matter should be well understood.
The councils action has been criticised.
he said, by great many people, who do
not fully understand what they are talk
ing about. 1t is well known, he added,
that there has been great deal of per-
sonal prejudice against Mr.. Parsons, but
personal prejudice should be laid aside,
and the matter considered on its merits.
For his part, Alderman Krouskoff said he
had done his duty conscientiously. The
action of council had been greatly mis-
understood, though. People criticised it
without knowing anything about it He
had advised all who had spoken to him
on the subject to go and study the plan
and see for themselves how the city has
Jared. The criticism had reached the point,
he said, where it was almost personal. He
believed that if the people were given an
opportunity to judge the plan on it's mer-
its, that they would take a different view
of it. The only thing which the street
and lane committee had in view in its ac-
ton in the matter was the welfare of the
people of Savannah.
The alderman discussed the changes
made by the agreement with council. The
bridge across the Savannah, Florida and
Western railway is an eyesore he said
BY doing away with it council would be
enabled TO open up the streets in the
southeastern section. 1t had been
charged that council had given away the
streets of the city. 1t had done nothing
of the kind, he said. 1t had not given
away an inch. On every street where the
rails are to be taken up the street is to
revert back to the city. AS to Price
street, he said, the wishes of the people
living there should be considered. A street
railway line has no business there. In or
der to protect the people living on the
street from granting it to any other line
by any future council an agreement had
been made SO that a certain price per
running foot would have to be paid by the
company seeking it through the city to
the company which surrendered the street.
a a aIrOf
in conclusion, lis that we shall be judged
with the justice and fairness which one
man owes to another. The personnel of
this council entities us to it. Our duties
are very heavy, sometimes almost heavier
than we can bear
Alderman Owens remarked that so much
had been said in reference to Price street
that he wished to call the attention OF
council to the minutes of the meeting of
Oct. Is, 1890, where permission was granted
the Savannah, Real Estate Loan and
Building Company to construct a street
railway upon Gwinnett, OFT and other
streets and providing that in case any 9TH
err railroad should wish to use these streets
that it must pay the real estate company
81 per running foot. The only difference
| between this deal and the Price street deal
| Alderman Owens said, was the price per
foot. Among those shown to have been
present at the meeting were Hon. John
SchWarZ, Hon. Herman Myers, chairman
of the finance committee, and others.
| Alderman Charlton remarked that
Hon. j. j. McDonough was
also a member of that
| council 1t is stated, however that Mr.
McDonough was not present at the meet
| ing referred to, but that he was present
| at the previous meeting and the one fol-
lowing.
Alderman Owens said that so long as the
| belt line bridge was allowed to stand the
| city could not open Abercorn street south,
| nor could it open Seventh and Eighth
streets east and west.
Alderman Guckenheimer, referring to
| Alderman Krouskoff' > remarks, said
| you tell the people to do the very thing
we begged you to let us do the night the
| plan was adopted, to take the map and
| study it. You should be as forbearing
| with US as you ask other people to be with
| YOU
Alderman Krouskoff replied: "An ]
| have to say to my brother alderman is
| 'Peecavi-I have sinned.'" IL
| Some one remarked that Alderman
| Guckenheimer should have done as Alder
man Hull did-set to work at once to in
| form himself of what the plan contained
| to which Alderman Guckenheimer replied
| that the plan was too lengthy to have
| been considered in such a short time.
| No one else having any remarks to
| make upon the subject, council took a
| recess, subject to the call of the chair.
-~-e-S-
| RECORDERS RItSY MORNING