The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-09
CAME TO NO CONCLUSION.
THE BAY STREET TRACK DISCUSS
ED AT LENGTH.

for Such Facilfties-Mr. Damn
wants the Track Extended to
Lower Bay Street-AttOrney Cam
Makes an Objectionable COmpnri-
SON between the Opposing Parties.
Cant. Cunningham Says IL Is
Question of the welfare of the
whole City and Not of the Inter
ests of Any one Class of Property
ovners-The River Street Track
the Subject of Considerable Dis
cussion.
For an hour and half yesterday after
noon the city Council listened to argu-
ments for and against the Bay street
track. Fxcept for the fact that It was
plainly shown that the business men on
West Bay street are very decidedly in
favor of having the proposed facilities &C
corded them, the discussion failed to throw
any additional light on the subject. The
two railroads which are asking for the
franchise, the Central of Georgia and the
Georgia and Alabama, are still apart and
there are no Indications of a likelihood of
their getting together.
Some life was added to the discussion by
the injection of issues not entirely ger
name to the subject Mr.. ]. Ferris Cam.
representing the opposing property own
ers on Indian and Williamson streets, add
ed an unpleasant feature by injecting the
class issue, contrasting the well-to-do Bay
street merchants with the small property
owners on Indian and Williamson streets.
Mr. Cams statement, which aroused the
ire of the merchants present, was that
the possessions of the business men were
for the most part in personal property,
which were locked in their safes and hid
den away from the tax assessors, while
the possessions of the humble residents of
Indian and Williamson streets were In
their little homes, which cannot escape
the tax assessors
Prompt protest against such reflections
upon the business men were made by Mr.
S.Guckenheimer and others and Mayor Ny
ers informed Mr. Cam that he was out
of order and stated further that he disap-
proved of his remarks
The question of the advantages and dis
advantages which have resulted TO the
property owners on River street by reason
of the Central Railway track there, and
OF the disregard of the city ordinances by
the railroad, also came in for considerable
comment and was the subject of some
sharp discussion between Alderman d. r.
Thomas Capt. Henry c. Cunningham rep
resenting the Central and others.
Mayor Myers and ten of the aldermen
were present, the only absentees being
Aldermen Williams and Wells. Among
the business men present were Messrs. S.
Gucknheimer, Joseph Ferst, A. Il. Palmsr,
J. S. Collins, A. Ehrlich. F. D. Daffin. A.
B. Moore, 7. ]. Davis, A. E. Smith, w. D.
Simkins, Abram Minis, Lester Hubbell,
1,
Cunningham, represented the Central
Railway, and Vice President Gabbett and
Mr.. j. r. Anderson, the Georgia and Ala
bama, while Mr.. j. F. Cam appeared for
the protesting property owners.
The Railroads. Plans.
Mayor Myers started the ball rolling by
inquiring how the roads intended handling
business on Bay street surprising the
franchise to be granted. Mr.. Anderson
said that the idea was 10 furnish al. the
facilities possible, not only receiving and
delivering goods 10 carload lots, but in
broken shipments as wen. Capt. Cum
bingham said he had no authority to con-
tract for the delivery of goods in less than
carload lots, but that he had no doubt that
such arrangements as could be desired
could be made. The Central, Capt Gun
bingham said. had gone into this thing for
the purpose of giving the business such
facilities as they evidently stood in need
of. II was not departure which was eX-
pected to prove especially profitable to The
railroad except in an indirect manner. At
the same time Ii was not claimed TO be a
philanthropic move. Il was simply on the
principle that by improving the facilities
additional business would be attracted to
the railroad. Capt. Cunningham said he
did not believe the franchise should be
burdened with onerous conditions. He
thought the Central should be granted the
f,,f fa NOV in tn
build and it is willing to receive shipments
from every other railroad company maxi
ing connection with its tracks.
Mr.. j. r. Anderson said that he had
been instructed to explain that the Geor-
gia and Alabama was not pursuing a dog
in the Manager policy. 1t was willing 10
build the tracks itself or to join with 9TH
er companies in doing so. The only adj
vantage TO the railroad would be in at
tracing traffic over its lines, as the OPP
Grafton of the Bay street track itself would
be at a loss The Georgia and Alabama
was willing for the Central to build the
track, he said, provided a clause was in
cluded in the franchise giving the other
railroads access to the tracks on fair con-
ditions. The terms on which the Central
now holds the River street track would
not be satisfactory, he said for the reason
that it is a physical impossiblity for two
roads TO operate on that track, and IL
would be of no advantage to other rail-
roads 70 make connections there as pro-
Vided for in the ordinance. Mr. Anderson
said that the Georgia and Alabama would
not be in position to build before February,
and would have to ask the Indulgence Of
Council until that time should its petition
be granted. He thought the proper plan
would be TO divide the initial cost of the
tracks between the roads interested, and
that all should have share in its con-
troll.
Mr. G Collins Endorsed the Raw street
project very strongly. There was plenty
of room for double tracks on the Strand,
he said, and If necessary to make room on
the south side of Bay street the street
railway track could be moved a little TO
one side. With proper regulations there
need be no blocking Of either street car
or general traffic, he said Speaking of
property values on Bay street. Mr. Collins
said that the property which his firm oc-
cupies is valued for taxation at $4,000. BY
the time taxes. Insurance and water rents
are deducted from the rental the owner
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