The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-07
FOR THE BAY STREET TRACK.
MERCHANTS ASK TO BE HEARD BY
CITY COUNCIL.

to Take Up the Question Again
Tomorrow Aforementioned APP
pears to Be About Evenly
Divided and the Fate of the
Movement Is in Doubt-Arguments
Pro and Con Advanced by the
Supporters and the Opponents of
the Franchise-SOme of the Alder
men Who Are Opposed to the Pc
titiOns.
The City Council will meet tomorrow
afternoon in committee of the whole to
continue the consideration of the question
of permitting railroad tracks on Bay,
Williamson and other streets. 1t is very
probable that the fate of the petitions will
be decided at that meeting
Several of the aldermen have expressed
themselves as decidedly opposed to allow
ing railroad tracks on the streets in ques-
ton and the success of the movement is
somewhat doubtful. Realizing that this is
the case, the business men on Bay street
west Of Inc exchange, at whose instance
the matter was taken up by the railroads,
filed another petition with the Clerk of
Council yesterday, asking that they be al
lowed a hearing before the matter is fin
ally passed upon. They will be notified
of to-morrow's meeting in order that they
may present their side of the case Notice
viii also be given to the railroads and to
other parties interested.
Alderman Dixon is one of those who is
opposed to granting the franchise and he
predicts that the action of Council will
De unfavorable. At the same time, should
Council be disposed to act fayorably upoD
the petitions, Alderman Dixon will pro-
pose that the Plant System also be allow
ed access to Bay street by way of East
Broad street and that 1t be made a party
to any grant which may be made.
Ihere Is likely to be an interesting dis
cussion before Council reaches a decision
In the matter. Those who oppose the
grant OF the franchise say that the re-
suit Of such action would be to simply
convert the street into railroad termi-
nal ana to make it valueless for other
purposes and that the injuries res1IItiny
therefrom to the majority of the property
owners would not compensate for the
benefits to a few. On the other hand
those who favor the move, including some
of the large property owners and business
men on Bay street, west, contend that
Bay street has already been practically
abandoned by general street traffic and
that with the decrease of the drayage
business as the result of the use of the
railroad tracks there could be no objec-
ton to giving up the street. or the west
ern portion of it. to railroad purposes and
allowing it TO become simply a heavy
traffic street, which they claim IS all that
it can now be used for. Whla a revoIu-
tion would be effected in the character Of
the street this revolution, they claim would
be beneficial to the business interests of
the pDtfrp ri txr Of
diately interested on west Bay street.
Those who advocate more general use
of the railroad warehouses urge that even
with the tracks on Bay street the facili-
ties enjoyed by the merchants located at
the warehouses would be so far superior
to those remaining on Bay street that they
would in the end be compelled to remove
to the warehouses, while the railroads
would still remain in possession of the
street, without compromising advantages
to anybody. The merchants at the ware
houses not only get cars placed al their
doors as needed without extra charge,
but these cars are loaded and unloaded for
them by the railroads. who send their
gangs to the warehouses for this purpose.
| Tho merchant is thus relieved entirely of
the expense of drayage and of the trou-
BILE and inconvenience of handling his
goods to and from his place of business.
The merchants who remain on Bay street.
il is contended, would not only have 10
! pay transfer charges for the delivery of
| cars, but would also be at the trouble and
expense of loading and unloading their
| goods.
The track of the Central Railroad on
| River street, is pointed to as an instance
| of the small benefit to be derived by prop
/ erty owners from a convenience of this
! kind, and ii is further contended that
much of the property on River street has
! been injured by the presence of the track.
| The manner in which the ordinance reg
| ulating the use of River street by The
| railroad is disregarded is also pointed 10 as
| an instance of the practical impossibility
| of making a railroad comply with local
| regulations after 1t has once become es-
! tablished upon city street.
The petition of The Georgia and Alabama
! Railway for certain concessions in cor
neetiOn with its proposed freight terminals
and union depot tracks may also be sub
| mitted to the Committee of the Whole at
| the meeting. The requests OF the COM
pany are regarded as very moderate in
| View of the benefits to accrue TO the city
| from the establishment of a union depot
and additional terminal facilities for rail-
way purposes. Besides the right OF way
! for it's tracks to the depot across some of
the vacant lots on Springfield plantation
| the company asks to be allowed to make
a change in the line of West Boundary
street, and to encroach upon Wilson street
to the extent of the curb line of the north
walk.