The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-16
cENTRAL'S RIVER STREET LINE
a SERIOUS OBJECTION CAME NEAR
BEING INTERPOSED.

Found, However, That Councils
Resolution Permits IA Charge OF
Only 81 "a Car From All Directions.
Plans for the Extension of the
Line Not Yet COmpI e ted-Believed
That the Central VIII Accept the
franchise on the Conditions Nam
ed.
The Central Railroad has not expressed
its intention to Council of accepting the
franchise recently granted it through Riv-
er street to its Tybee division. This can
be done in short order, however should
the company decide to accept the fran
chise and commerce work.
The point the company will consider in
making its decision is the amendment to
the resolution granting the franchise
which governs the transfer charge to be
collected. The charge is not to exceed 81
per car either way from the Plant System
junction to the Centrals connections or
from the Central or its connections to
any point on River street. While it is
not believed this will keep the company
from reaching a prompt decision still
there may be some reason for not doing
so. 1t was understood by the members of
Council who favored fixing this charge
that this would not be an objection to the
railroad But such an amendment as that
requiring the railroad to donate a way
through the Georgia chemical works
property, however, would have been a
serious objection, and the cause of the
railroad abandoning the project alto
gether.
In some quarters there seems to be
misunderstanding as to the scope of the
resolution. The impression got out that
cars were only to be transferred from the
Plant System junction, while those from
the Centrars other connections, such as
me Florida Central and Peninsuar and
the Georgia and Alabama, were to be
hauled around by Southover junction, and
take The same circuitous route to the Plant
System as at present. Concerted action
was contemplated by some of those who
did not understand the resolution, but
when an alderman gave his view of Inc
resolution substantially as above stated,
II was decided not to take any action. The
explanation put an entirely new COM
pleXion on the matter, so that the objec-
| tons il was feared existed, only came up
on account of a little misunderstanding.
1T seems to me the amendment speci-
flying what The charges shall be is
good one" satd an alderman in discuss
ing the matter, "but l was of the opinion
the Georgia Railroad Commission could
have regulated them. As the resolution
has passed however, l cannot see the
slightest objection to it, and believe the
connection we hope to see will be made
~ q Il r,rakA 41.s
more to open up and improve River street
than the Central Railroad spur along
there. The wharf property has become
more valuable, merchants are enabled to
rush their business to more advantage,
and a general improvement in shipping
has been the outcome. Until this was done
the city was unable to rent it's wharf
property, but since business generally has
been stirred, and ships from all quarters
of the globe now come to the port the
city's wharf has become a source of reve-
nue. in place of a burden from which moth
ing could be reaped
while the defeated amendment reduir-
ing the railroad to donate a way through
the chemical works property was offered
in perfect good faith,' continued the al
derman, Still I could not support it for
several reasons. In the first place, no one
drives along the street. and the city does
not need it for this purpose, though it
may be needed later as a way for fire APP
paratus. In the next place, I did
not feel like asking the railroad to pay
anything when it was expected to do some
thing worth thousands annually to the
commercial interests of Savannah. 1t is
what Council and various commercial
bodies have been eudeavoring to bring
about for years. and when it was in sight.
l was inclined TO impose as few restric-
tons as possible
Just what course will be pursued by the
Central remains to be seen. Mr.. H. c.
Cunningham counsel for the railroad has
taken no steps in the direction of con-
demning the property which, il is I'M
derstOod, could not be bought The whole
matter rests with Vice President John NJ
Egan, however who is giving the propo-
sition serious thought, but has not yet
expressed his intentions But there can
scarcely be any objections. as the resolu-
ton gives what the railroad asked, while
the amendment stpulates the maximum
charge, which it is understood is about
the same as the Central receives under the
present arrangement.
Speaking of the proposed connection, one
of the officials said he did nor believe il
would be made before Jan /, which will
not be in time to catch a very large share
Of the fail business. When the railroad
communicates its intentions to Council.
however, and all preparations made to
start work, the completion of the track
will not take a great while, as the dis
lance from the present terminus 10 the
Tybee station is something less than a
mile.