The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-19
ATLANTA TO GET TRANSFERS.
WOODWARD MAKES A COUP IN
STREET RAILROAD FIGHT.

Refused to BE Brought Officially
Into the squabbIe, But After He
Gave Franchises, the Consolidated
Directors Agreed to Provide Trans
fers-May BE the End of "A Long
Fight Against Street Railroad Mo-
nOpoIy.
Atlanta, Jan. 1s.-Mayor Woodward
formally declared to-day that he
would not be brought into the
street railway squabble which has pract-
cally divided the town in two opposing
camps, one supporting the Consolidated
and the other the Atlanta Railway Com
pany
His declaration has caused no little COM
ment on account of the widespread inter
est in the contest going on in Council and
in the courts between these two compa-
MES. 1t was upon an issue of franchises
to the barracks that the case came before
Mayor Woodward to-day. Council had
granted certain franchises to the Consol-
dated passing through West End to Fort
Mcpherson. A fight was made and the
Mayor was asked to veto the Councils ac-
ton by a large delegation of citizens.
When they appeared before him to pre-
sent their argument, the Mayor received
them with this little speech.
All should Get Together.
Il desire 10 have il understood once and
for all that ] will take no part nor rec
ognize any fight or difference between the
different street railroad interests of this
city or any other faction of interest. but
viii act on each question coming before
me upon its merits. and to the best inter
ests Of Atlanta. In my inaugural, I stat
ed that I wanted to see al chickering's
stopped and the, old time spirit of get
ting together for Atlanta renewed. With
that condition Of affairs confidence will
be restored and capital will seek invest
ment here. and give employment to our
people, but not until it is brought about"
He then heard what the protesting del
egation had to say and after it was all
over, quietly affixed his signature of APP
proval TO the franchise grants.
II is possible that the Atlanta Railway
Company will go into the courts to pre-
vent the Consolidated from taking up the
new grants as the Consolidated has done
toward the Atlanta in the west side fran
chises, thus adding new complications to
the already bitter contentious between the
two big corporations.
VIII Grant Transfers.
In approving the Consolidated company's
new franchises, Mayor Woodward brought
that company 20 an agreement to grant
transfers throughout its system.
For five years the fight over transfers
has been going on, and the final surrender
of the Consolidated to-day is a big piece
Of local news. Refusal to grant transfers
was the casus belli that lay beneath all
the troubles between the Consolidated and
the public. It was responsible for the bit
ter prejudice that has existed against the
company in the public mind, casting thou
sands of dollars in litigation.
Mayor Woodward was highly eiated
over the result and takes a good deal of
credit for bringing il about AS soon as
the ordinance granting the new franchise
had been signed this afternoon by the
Mayor, the directors of the Consolidated
met and passed resolutions providing for
the longfought-for transfers to take eff
feet April /, or just as soon as the ordi-
nances necessary for the regulation of
the system can be passed through Coun-
Gil