The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-10
NO FAVoRS FOR SHELL ROAD.
ROTH CITY AND COUNTY REITER-
ATE THEIR OPPOSITION.

County Commissioners Oppose Any
Railroad At All on the Line of tho
White Bluff Road, While the City
Council VIII Not Consent to Amy
Track on the Road Within "A Mile
of the City-suggestion Made I'm
Committee of the whole That the
City buy the shell Rond, But Mr.
Adams Said 1t Could Not.
Both the County Commissioners and the
City Council took unfavorable action yes
terday towards the amendment proposed
by Representative LaRoche TO the charter
OF the Vernon Shell Road Company, 10
give the company the right to construct
and operate an electric railway along the
line OF the road.
The changes in the proposed amendment
suggested by MIR. D. b. Lester in a spirit
OF compromise. and to which Mr.. LaRoche
has announced his willingness to make
the amendment conform, were not accept
ed by either body as satisfactory The
County Commissioners adopted an unqual-
ihed resolution in opposition, directing the
chairman to make a further protest to
the Legislature against allowing the con-
stTuction of a railroad track either on the
road, or upon either side of it, their view
being that any railroad built through that
section of the county, should be entirely
separate and independent of the shell
road, and should obtain it's own right of
way from the property owners along the
route.
The city Council adopted a. qualified
protest, objecling 10 the construction Of
railroad on the line of the White Bluff
Railroad within one mile of the present
corporate fimits the idea being that the
presence of the railroad would be an OBJ
stacie 10 the extension of Bun street over
the White Bluff road. The resolution was
adopted after considering the letter from
Representative LaRoche and states the
position Of the city as follows:
That the Council of the city of Savannah
respectfully objects to the location or use
OF the railroad tracks on any part of the
White Bluff road, whether al the side or
not, within one mile Of the present corpor-
ate limits. In view of the prospects of the
extension Of the limits south of the present
boundary the compl cations that may arise
from the addition Of this easement to this
most important thoroughfare and the
Councils sanitary and other interest In the
territory contiguous to the CITY we feeF
II our duty to urge that this condition be
inserted In the proposed amendment to the
charter of the Vernon Shell Road Com
pany. Understanding from Mr.. LaRoche's
letter that the amendment viii restrict the
privileges of the company TO the White
Blum road, we deem ii proper to confne
our objection as herein stated to so much
OF this road as is within one mile of the
present corporate limits of the city"
Ihere was some discussion Of the mat
ter in the Committee of the Whole 1t is
understood that Council was willing to
withdraw Its opposition on condition that
adr
the track from the road whenever the civ
limits should be extended southwark TO
this amendment Mr. Lester was unwilling
TO agree, his position being that II would
place him in the power of any future
council which might choose to annoy the
company by extending the limits and re-
curing the removal of the road
An Interesting question was raised at
the meeting by one of the aldermen who
suggested that now would be a good time
Tor the city to acquire possession of the
road, as Mr.. Lester seemed to be in a hu
NOR to sell. and that by acquiring it now
Inc city would save itself trouble in the
future in the extension of Bull street as
well as have in its own hands the right
10 dictate on what terms a railroad should
be constructed there or whether one should
be allowed at all. This proposition. il Is
understood, was regarded with favor by
some of the members of the board but a
the city had no authority, under its
charter, to acquire such property, put an
end TO the discussion of this phase of the
question.
Mr.. Lester. when seen yesterday after
noon, said that he was a a boss to account
for the determined opposition of the city
ana county authorities to q project which
would undeniably prove beneficial to both
city and county, and one which was so evil
IDENTIFY favored by the large number of
property owners, who would be benefited
by the improvement. He had made every
concession which could be asked in rea-
son, he said, and yet the opposition on that
part of the officials seemed as determined
as ever. He had not expected anything
better from the County Commissioners. he
said. but he had hoped that Council would
view the matter In more reasonable
spirit.
''To require that the track should not be
allowed on the road within a mile of the
city is simply another way of saying that
the road is not wanted" said Mr.. Lester,
1T looks as If Council wanted to keep the
road away from the city. Any condition
of that kind attached to the charter would
simply mean that the road would not be
built An agreement that the track should
be removed for mile south of the pres
ent limits whenever the limits may be ex-
tended, would be even worse. Sane busi-
ness men will not invest their money in a
corporation which could be ordered to tear
up Its tracks and remove from It's right
of way whenever any unfriendly Council
chose to take such action"
81 have never Offered to sell the shell
road TO the city" said Mr. Lester. but
I see no reason why the city should not
buy the road IL il should be offered the OPP
portunity. 1t seems to me that 1t has as
much right to buy road or right of way
for streets outside the city limits as 1t has
TO buy land for the powder magazine. or
for the scayenger department, or for any
other proper purpose"
Mr. Lester said that he would confer
further with some OF those who are inter-
ested in the building of the road before
taking further action in the matter.