The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-22
COULDN'T RE WORSE THAN IT IS.
A street Railway Directors Opinion
of the Company's management.

though, that after their experience with
the street car system in Savannah they
would probably not notice the difference.
He had walked in and out to camp sew
eral times. had spent forty-hve to sixty
minutes on a car getting there, had sat
on the roof of a car on one trip, and
been knocked off the car by a tree on an
other, and had had his ankle twisted in
a car carrying three to four times its ca
Savannah two months, and on one occa-
sion had a seat in a ride to camp He
got so jubiant in celebrating this that he
landed in the guard house.
The street car service is improving,
though. Yesterday trailers were run on
Whitaker street zine. The Broughton street
shoppers were so surprised that some OF
them forgot to get aboard m their aston
ishment well" said one lady, I'm
ready to believe in a real live Santa Claus
after seeing that"
There has been considerable curiosity
to know who the men are who direct the
management Of Savannahs street car
system While the board contains several
Savannah men, they are minority di-
rectors They fill up the board and
meet legal requirements, but when 1t
comes TO the management of the prop
erty they have practically no voice
The present directory of the company
is as follows: George Parsons and Henry
Parsons of New York, j. II. Fan of
Nashville and ]. S. Collins, Pope Barrow.
Joseph D. Weed. Herman Meyers, c. S.
Hardee and e. J. Thomas of Savannah.
The local directors are what might be
termed nominal directors.
Mr.. Herman Myers was asked last night
what he thought of the service.
Il have heard frequent criticisms of the
present arrangements" he said, land
wrote to Mr.. Fan several days ago, tell
ing him that the service did not seem
to please the public, and that it might be
well to make changes. l and the other
Savannah directors are merely minority
directors. We have practically no voice
in the actual management of the road
The Messrs. Parsons and Mr.. Fall CON
troll the majority stock and run the prop
critics. That is all there is to it. l do
not profess to be practical railroad man.
but like all other citizens ! would like
Savannah TO have the very best service
that it is possible to give. Citizens, of
course, have the right to criticize and
just criticism should be welcomed as en-
aiding those in charge of any public en-
terprise to ascertain where the defects
are, If any, in order that they may be
remedied.
Mr.. Myers would not enter into any spe-
cial criticism of the management of the
service Another local director though,
who did not care to have his name used,
said:
THE service in some respects couldn't
be worse"
The local directors, or some of them,
IL is evident, are not willing to be held
responsible for the service when they have
really no directing voice in the manage
ment. For any relief from conditions now
existing the people of Savannah must
look to those who control the roads. the
Messrs Parsons and Mr.. FAN or their
representatives. Under the ARRANGEMENT
with Council they were to give the city
the best service in it's history, aud one
that would equal the best elsewhere.
The grant by the city of the almost I'M
limited privileges which the car lines con-
troll was ratified by Council over a year
ago. 1t was in the form of report by
a special committee composed of Aldermen
Davis, Reid, Smith, Krouskoff and Owens
The opening paragraph of the report which
was adopted by the Council SAYS that
after a number of conferences between the
committee and the officials of the Savan-
nah, ThunGerboIt and Isle of Hope Rail-
way Company, involving a discussion Of
the important matter. in an of ats bear
inss, mot only in reference to the estab-
lishment of a more complete and compact
railway system, including the lines of the
Savannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope
Railway as well as those of the City and
Suburban Railway, better adapted than
that then in force TO existing requirements
and to future needs of the public, but at
the same time requiring the railway com
pany to afford the public better accommo-
dalton and service" it determined upon
the plan now in operation.
The aldermen who voted for the grant
We're Messrs. Well, Charlton. Davis, Reid.
Owens, Krouskoff. Smith and r. NJ HUH
The opposing votes We're by Aldermen
Guckenheimer and r. S. Wylly.
Among the conditions of the grant was
the completion of a system of lines out
lined by the committee. This included a
belt, 10 be known as the Outside
belt" commencing at the intersection If
Bay and East Broad streets, and running
west along Bay street 10 West Broad
street, thence south along West Broad
street to Anderson street, thence east
along Anderson street. to East Broad
street, and thence north along East Broad
street 10 the place of beginning; the tracks
On Bay street TO remain as they were at
the time or the grant, except that the dOu-
BILE tracking was to be completed between
Barnard and West Broad streets; Also the
double tracks on West Broad street from
its intersection with Bay street to its in
tersection with Anderson street
The double tracks on Anderson
street, from ats intersection with
West Broad street to it's intersection with
East Broad street, and on East
Broad street from its intersection
with Anderson street to it's inter-
section with Bay street; so that the en-
tire belt should be double tracked.
This belt has never been completed and
there is no evidence that il ever will be.
According to the conditions of the grant
all lines were TO be operated upon reason
able schedules.
The expressions Of the minority directors
throw the responsibility for the operation
of the system upon the Parsons interests
aud their representatives.
ANOTHER LOAN NEGOTIATED.