The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-28
ATLANTA'S DEPOT UP AGAIN.
RAILROADS CALLED ON TO SUBMIT
A NEW PROPOSITION.

At-anta's City Council Is Very AK
feus to Know How II stands in
The Mntter-RaiIrOads Want the
civ to Build the Viaduct and the
Observation-Disclosures Commission Is
Talking of a Reduction of Cotton
hates.
Atlanta. June 27.-The State Railroad
Commission. the railroads and the city OH
Gals made another stab at the union de-
MOI problem to-day, but as usual there
was no blood let and the question seems
stn one for posterity TO settle.
The railroads were well represented at
the meeting and the city officials who
have been clamoring for a showdown,
were also out in force. Col. Ed Brown
rsnresenting the special commission au-
thorized by the legislature TO look after
the states interests in the matter, was
also there, ana during the general cir
cumlocuting made a speech.
The upshot of the days deliberations
was the passage of a resolution by the
commission calling upon the railroads to
submit written proposition, fully setting
forth what they expect to do and what
toward getting new depot for Atlanta.
Councilman Thomas Hammond repre-
senting the city, was largely instrumental
in bringing the commission up to this
point. He took the position that the
commission ought TO either grant the pc
tition of the city and order the roads TO
provide separate depots that would afford
ADEQUATE accommodations or they ought
10 deny it. so that the city might know
how 1t stands al the hands of the Rail
road Commission.
Privately, Mr.. Hammond tod the rail
road commissioners that he did not believe
the city and the roads were ever going TO
get together on the proposition to buid
a union depot, and, therefore, he thought
some action was due on the petition that
has been pending for almost year before
that body.
who VIII Pay the Bills
other representatives of the city told
the commission that the city was willing
TO have a Viaduct put across the tracks at
Whitehall street ana a subway at Pryor
street. and thus give the roads all the
epace necessary for the new depot, but
they declared that the roads ought to pay
for these structures.
Representatives of The railways, how
ever, demurIed TO this idea, claiming that
if such a plan was ever ADOPTED the city
should pay for the construction of the VIA
duct and the subway. The willingness of
the city to put a vaduct and subway was
conditioned upon the building of half
million dollar station. This viaduct and
subway will cost in the neighborhood of a
hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Vice President Egan of the Central was
present and made a short talk. Mr.. Egan
does not thing that, even with The proposed
viaduct and subway, there wiz be room
enough on the present site for the kind of
depot that ought to be built. He is in
favor of a depot opening on Forsyth
street bridge, where the Central has con-
siderable yard space and there are many
people in town who agree with him that
this Is the ideal Site and must eventually
be chosen, if the interests of the city are
consulted.
Reduction of Cotton Rates.
The Railroad Commission to-day took
up the proposition to reduce the cotton
rates 20 per cent which was made upon
motion of Chairman Trammell some weeks
ago. That is, the commissioners received
the written arguments or briefs of the
roads bearing upon this proposition to-
day. They will hear the oral argument at
a future meeting.
Chairman Trammelps idea in offering
the resolution for the reduction of the
cotton rates is to bring out the views and
statistics from the railroad managers in
order that the commission might be In a
position to judge of the justice of a reduce
tion upon its own motion. There has been
no complaint filed against the cotton tar
iff and no demand for reduction, aud the
investigation is therefore of an ex parte
nature.