The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-14
ATLANTA'S RAILWAY MIDDLE.
STATES SUIT HAS DEVELOPED IN
TEREsTING FACTS.

Hurt and Atkinson Tossed "A Coin TO
See who should Buy the other out.
Atkinson Lost. Hurt says. and Then
Backed Out-IIurt on the stand All
Dny-Says the Consolidation Has
Benefited the People of Atlanta
in Many Ways.
Atlanta. July 13.-Ioterestins light was
thrown upon the methods of Atlanta
Street Railway masnates to-day in the in
vosugation by a special commissioner of
the testimony 10 The suit for injunction
brought by the state of Georgia TO defeat
the consolidation OF the local street rail-
ways.
Joel Hurt, president of the Trust Com
pany of Georgia. which secured a con-
trolling interest i'm all the lines in the city
except the Collins Park and Belt Rail
road, aud who is engineering the big deal
which was recently made, testified. His
testimony was highly interesting. He
swore that H. NJ. Atkinson, who proposes
to build lines all over tho city 10 com
pete with those of the Consolidated, re-
Gently proposed 10 buy all the Hurt in
tercsts
Atkinson is at the head Of the Georgia
Electric Light Co. with which Hurt pro-
poses To compete by building a new light
ing plant The Hurt interests are valued
al about 100000 while those of Atkinson
represent about $LlW00G.
Hurt swore that when negotiations be
tween himself and Atkinson were pending
II was agreed between them they should
toss up a coin 20 see which would buy out
the other. If the coin fell heads, Hurt
was to take Atl1inson's holdings at a price
70 be fixed by arbitrators If il fell tails.
Atkinson was TO buy out Hurt, paying a
price arbitrtors should fix The coin was
tossed. II fen heads Hurt offered to
buy Atkinson out, according to the agree
ment but Atkinson, he swore, refused
to keep the agreement.
Their Financial status.
Hurt was on the stand all day. He testl-
fed that the Atlanta Railway Company
had 100000 Of bonds, and $4,000 of stock
and the Consolidated 5000 O0) OF stock and
s. 10000 of bonds. MIR. Hurt said he did
not know If there had been an actual
merging OF the two street railway man
agements. He was not sure if the presi-
dent of each company was the same. He
had not kept up closely with the affairs Of
the Atlanta Railway Company, but was
director OF the Railway and Power Com
pany.
MIR. Brown asked if the Trust Company
had agreed TO issue securities on the com
bned properties of the two street railway
companies. Mr. Hurt said the company
had undertaken 10 secure certain stocks
and bonds, but not on the combined prop
erty.
Mr.. Hurt said there were a thousand and
one ways by which the companies and
the public were benefited by the consoM-
dalton of the six different lines. A through
service was rendered on cross town lines
for one fare. electricity supDlanted mules
and dummies, and better schedules were
put on
There was an Tntimation throughout Mr.
Hurts testimony that Mr.. Atkinson was
disgruntled that MS company, the Geor-
eia Electric Company, had not been in
Guided in the deal for the consolidation of
the street car lines. Mr. Porter King at
t0rncy for the Trust Company of Georgia
charged that the suit Instituted in behalf
of The state and apparently in the interest
OF the citizens of Richardson street was
inspired by the electric light company.
Attorney General Terrell and Mr. Ed
Brown both emphaticany denied this
CHARGE.
Nothing TO show Purchase.
Ernest Woodruff, president of the Rail-
way and Power Company in his response
to the notice served on him, stated
There was not at the time of service
of said notice. and is not now in my
power. custody, possession or control, any
thing on the minutes of said companies
or either of them. and there was not at
the time of the said service, and is not
now in the possession, power, custody or
control of depOneut any paper, contract
or agreement relating to the purchase of
all or any part of the stocks, bonds. prop
erty rights or franchises of the Atlanta
Railway Company"
The list of officers for the Consolidated
for 1898 and for 1899 was furnished by Mr..
Woodruff.
In regard to the demand on the Atlantic
Railway Company for copies of the min
utes showing an agreement 90 sell to Mr.
Woodruff, also the president of that com
pany. replied the minutes showed no such
agreement. A list of the officers of the
Atlanta Railway Company was furnished
as requested
The counsel who appeared for the state
were Attorney General Terrell, Messra
Ed. Brown, j. r. Gray and j. A. Kinds
The counsel for the defendants were
Messrs. Porter King, G. L. Anderson.
John b. Goodwin, c. p. Goree. John L
Tye. The case will be continued to-mor-
row morning