The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-16
NO NEW DEPOT IN SIGHT.
THE MATTER BEFORE ATLANTA's
MUNICIPAL BOARD.

railroads say the State Must Give n
New Lease Before They VIII Build
on the Old Site-WnshOuts Prevent
Trains From Reaching Atlanta.
Consolidated Wins Another Case.
Express Company Did Not Violate
Prohibition Law.
Atlanta March 15.-The new passenger
depot which seemed to be in sight, after
years of waiting. when the Railroad Com
mission met yesterday, is still out Of
sight. SO far as anything tangible is con-
eerned. the depot is up in the air.
To-day the city Council held a special
meeting to discuss the matter with the
railroad men, but the only result attained
was TO throw more uncertainty around
the situation than it has had in the past,
which is equivalent to saying that At
lanta's depot affection is a hopeless case.
In order TO get out of the hole, so to
speak, the City Council referred the iues-
ton to a standing committee. There is
also a legislative committee in existence
supposed to represent the state, but this
committee has no authority to close ne
gotations with the railroads.
With the question in the hands Of com
mittees without authority to do anything,
Il seems that unless the Railroad Com
mission takes the bull by the horns and
orders separate depots built, nothing can
be done.
President Smith of the Atlanta and
West Point representing the railroads at
the Council meeting to-day, said the roads
could not build on the present site unless
the state would make a new lease of the
ground. Nobody believes the legislature
would change the terms of the present
lease, even If everybody was satisfied to
wait until the legislature had an oppor-
tunity to act.
No Trains From Chattanooga.
There have been no trains TO Atlanta to-
day from Chattanooga, either by the West
ern and Atlantic or by the Southern, as
high water has washed away track on
both sides. At Rogers station, just above
Gainesville. about 100 feet of track on
the Western and Atlantic was washed
away at midnight last night. Just below
Lindale. on the Southern below Rome,
the track is gone, and no trains have been
able to pass.
The East and West train left Carriers
vile this morning and was caught In Pet
tbs creek, several miles out from the town.
The fires in the firebox were put out
by the high water, and the train is now
standing In the water, and the passengers
are still on board, waiting for the water
to fall.
Both the Southern and Western and
Atlantic expect to have the damages re-
hot lAa
sumed tomorrow morning.
Palmer Not Disqualified.
Judge John S. Gambler refused to-day
to grant the injunction in the suit of
Mayor Woods White of College Park
against the Consolidated Street Railway
Company and the county board.
The two main questions in the case were
whether Judge Palmer, chairman of the
Board of County Commissioners, was quail
flied to vote in granting the franchise,
and whether the county board had abused
its discretion in granting the franchise.
On the question of qualification Judge
Gambler said that In granting the fran
cfiise the County Commissioners had acted
in a legislative and not in a judicial ca
pacity, and that consequently Judge Palm
err was not disqualified, although he had
an interest in the Consolidated stock.
On the question of the legality Of the
vote the decision was that Judge Palmer
was qualified and that the franchise was
legally granted. The result is a victory
for the Consolidated, and means that the
Central Railroad will be paralleled to East
Point and have to compete with trolley
line on what at present is a fine suburban
travel.
Judge Fite Reversed.
The case of the state VS.. the Southern
Express Company, charged with violating
the prohibition law in Barlow county In
carrying jug of whisky into the county,
which is a dry county, was reversed In
the Superior Court before Judge Fite of
violating the law in that it carried into
the county and delivered package con-
tanning intoxicating liquors. The case was
appealed to the Supreme Court, which re-
versed the lower court and held that the
company had not violated the law.
The Supreme Court also rendered the
decision from the Superior Court
of Chatham county: Waters VS.. Lewis,
reversed.