The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-30
HIS PETITION NOT FAVORED.
CoVNCILMEN SAY MIR. COLLINS WILL
GET NOTHING.

Extending Its Plan and Opening
streets Across the HALLWAY, and
That the Petition Il Not Wen
Foundcd-Street hallway Fran
chises Were n Part of the Consid-
cration-MaY Myers Was "A Mem
Der of the Hallway Committee at
the Time-Ex- Alderman Carson
Thinks Nr. Collins Has Points in
His Favor.
The proposition of the Savannah Real
Estate Loan and Building Company. made
through its president, Mr.. J. 5. Collins,
that the city pay it for the streets and
lanes of Collinsville. does not seem to be
seriously regarded by the members OF
Council. Some Of the counclmen say that
the petition Is pure case of bluff and
others say that Mr.. Collins IS developing
as a humorlst Anyway, judging by the
temper OF those members of Council who
Were seen yesterday the present pros
pect of the now defunct real estate com
pany getting ny,hing for the streets in
CoIllnsvine is rather a poor one.
Mayor Myers City Attorney Adams
and several members of Council were
TO be quoted. but all evidently regarded
Mr.. Collins petition as a rather remark
able one and the opinion was expressed
that there must he some other end in
view than obtaining payment for the
streets.
The franchises for the street railway
company were the main consideration In
return for which the real estate company
cd
property" said one alderman, "and it GER
tainig cannot be claimed that this much
was not obtained. Having already dedi-
Gated the streets in the sale of lots and
received partial considera lion at least the
claim Of the company TO be still the own
er of the streets will not hold and it viii
hardly be sustained by the courts should
II attempt 20 close them up
Mr. Collins ana his associates are well
aware OF the difficulty under which the
city labored in its efforts TO obtain rights
Of way for the streets across the Savan-
nah. Florida ana Western Railway" said
another one Of the gentlemen approached
on the matter. 81 90 not think anybody
expected that ali of the streets would be
opened up and il was regarded as quite
a concession upon the part OF the railway
company when it was agreed that several
OF the streets should be opened across the
cOmpanys right of way with the condi-
ton that no demand should be made for
the opening of others until after a term
of years had elapsed If l remember
Alright Mr. Collins and his associates took
q prominent part in the conferences with
the representatives OF the Plant System
and professed themselves at the time as
thoroughly satisfied with the arrangement
which had been entered into. It is little
strange that they should complain of a
non-fulflment of the contract al this late
day."
1T may have been shrewd in Mr.. Col
Inns to withdraw his proposition 10 the
city before il could enter into arrange
ments with the Plant System" said an
other, but 1 hardly think il win work.
There is no record to show that Council
ever accepted this withdraw and as the
agreement was mutual one il required
the consent of both parties to dissolve IL.
The city's consent would be necessary to
release the company from its agreement
II is true the agreement specifies that the
streets in question should be opened up
within reasonable time. What consti-
tutes a reasonable time in a matter of
this kind is hard to say II might be made
to stretch over a considerable term of
years and the courts might hold that a
reasonable time had not yet elapsed. Il
might also hold that the city had COM
piled with its agreement to extend its plan
over Coll.nsville and require the company
or its successors to execute a deed TO the
streets"
Mayor Myers has been member of ev-
cry Council but one for the last ten or
twelve years. He was chairman of the
special committee on railways during the
SchWarZ administration in 1880, to which
the petition of the Electric Railway Com
pany for certain franchises was refer
red, and il was this committee which sug-
gested that the real estate company
should give the city the rights of way
for the streets through its property IN
Collnsville. 1t was during Mayor Myers
FIRST administration in 1895 that the deal
with the Plant System for opening the
streets across the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railway was made. Naturally
therefore the Mayor is familiar with the
history of the matters to which Mr.. Col
Inns refers in his petition to Council
Il remember the several transactions
referred TO very we'll q" said Mayor Myers
but do not care to discuss the question
at present"
Mayor Myers manner indicated. how
ever, thar he did not think the city treas
ury would be out much on account of MIR
Collins petition.
Ex-Aiderman ]. A. G. Carson was the
only person seen who was inclined 20 look
at the matter from Mr. Collins standpoint
Mr.. Carson was a member of the Schwarz
ana McDonough administrators, and was
member of the special committee on
railways.
Petitions were coming 50 rapidly then.
said Mr.. Carson. from railway companies
that wanted terminals and street railway
companies that wanted franchises that a
special committee was created 10 cons der
these matters. l think Mr.. Myers was
chairman of this committee. and that the
other members were Messrs. w. G. Cam
W. p. Bailey, r. F. Harmon and myself
As l remember them. the facts are about
as Mr., Collins narrates them The rail-
way company wanted franchises to GER
tain streets. ana knowing that the real
estate company and the railway company
were practically one, the committee eug-
Sested that The real IS ate company should
give the right of way to the streets
through its property in ColHnsvillc. and
that the city should. in turn. agree to ex-
nd iis plan over the section known es
COliusviNe. This the companies in
terestcd agreed 70. specifying particular
~ that the city should open up the streets
across the Savannah, Florida and West
ern Railway Company. II was agreed chat