The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-31
MR.. COLLINS WANTS A LINE.
ne ASKS COUNCIL FOR STREET
RAILWAY FRANCHISES.

would Build City BELT Connecting
with the Savannah and Isle OF
Hone Line With Collinsville on
the Main Line-He States Positively
That This Movement Is Not in the
Interest of Mr.. George Parsons
and That His Line Would BE Alb
soIuteIy Independent of the Pres
emit system-The Route Desired In
cIudes Price and Montgomery
Streets.
II the City Council grant all the petit
tions for street railway franchises which
are being presented to it. all the streets
of the city will soon be double-tracked-
that is, providing all the lines are built.
There was no report made to Council
last night upon the question of fran
chises for the Vernon Shell Road Com.
pany, but it is understood that the mot.
ter was discussed in Committee of the
Whole petition was received, how
ever, from the Savannah and Isle of
Hope Railroad, through rs president, Mr.
]. S. Collins. asking, for franchises for
lines to be constructed by that company
within the city.
Mr. Collins wants to lay track on a
number of streets. He asks TO be al
lowed to build in to the city from che
present terminus of the Savannah and
Isle of Hope road on the Waters road,
and TO lay his lines along the following
streets Eighth street. from Waters ave-
nue. to Beardon street, on Beardon TO
Anderson street. on Anderson. TO Paul
sen. on Paulsen to Gwinnett, on Gwin-
nett TO Price, on Price to Bay, on Bay
10 Montgomery, Montgomery TO Twelfth,
on Twelfth 10 Habersham and on Haber-
sham 40 Eighth.
This route would give the Savannah
and Isle of Hope a city belt with Col
linsville on the main line, which, Mr.. Col
Inns says, is one of his main objects in
desiring to build such line. The belt
would be about five miles in circumfer-
ence and Mr.. Collins thinks it would sup
ply the place of the old outside belt,
which was done away with on the CONSOLE
dation of all the street railway lines In the
present system. Mr.. Collins says now
that he thinks it was a mistake to do
away with this belt, and that the south
ern section of the cfy is in need of adj
ditional street railway facilities.
Ii will be observed at once that Mr.. Col
Inns asks for Price and Montgomery
streets, the only two available north and
south streets now unoccupied by street
railway tracks and both of which have
been asked for by the Vernon Shell Read
Company. This naturally gives rise to the
suspicion that Mr.. Collins, as director
and stakeholder of the Savannah, THIN
derbolt and Isle of Hope Railroad, is seek
ing to shut out competition by obtaining
possession of the few available streets
now unoccupied in the interest of that
h.
Morning News reporter about this matter
Mr. Collins said:
II am acting entirely independently In
this matter. This is my own enterprise
and has no connection with the present
street railway system. l am the pur-
chaser of the Savannah and Isle of Hope
Railroad and am the holder of all its
stocks, bonds and other papers of rsco-d d.
1 am under contract with the Merchants
and Mechanics Land Company, from
which l purchased the road, TO put ii in
operation. This cannot be done profitably
without inside lines. l believe there is
room in the city for another street rail-
way company and that one constructed
as l have outlined can be probably oper-
ated. On account of my connection with
the present company l expected that this
question would be raised. l am prepared
to meet it and TO convince the members of
Council of my earnestness in the matter"
the interest of Mr.. Parsons?" Mr.. Collins
was asked.
at certainly is not he replied. IF the
franchises asked for are granted the line
will be built and 1t will be absolutely in
dependent of the existing line. 1t is not "a
move to block the Vernon Shell Road Com
pany. l mean business. and do not think
the shell road people do. If my petition is
granted the city viii get. new line. If
the other petition is granted think this is
doubtful"
As evidence of his ownership of the Sa-
vannah and Isle of Hope, Mr.. Collins pro-
duced the Cancelled check for 1880 paid by
him to Mr.. ]. c. Rowland, treasurer Of
the Merchants and Mechanics Land Com
pany, for the property, together with the
stock of the company and its bonds en-
dorsed over TO him. This, he thought,
should be sufficient evidence of his sim
certify IN the matter.