The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-09
UNION DEPOT AND THE CITY.
THE COUNCIL Committees RE-
PORT MADE UP.

Discussed With the Representatives
of the RailrOads-The City's Terms
Not Entirely Satisfactory to the
Latter-The Report Grants Most of
the Concessions Asked, But Re-
quires the Bridging of West BOun-
Diary Street and Fixes n Good Price
on the CIty's Lands.
The Union Depot Committee of City
Council met yesterday afternoon and out
lined the terms upon which it will recon-
mend to Council the granting of the petit
ton of the railroads with regard to the
union depot site. In order to shorten the
discussion and to reach a satisfactory
agreement with the railroads, the repre-
sentauves of the latter were called into
the conference. Those who took part In
the discussion were Mayor Myers, Alder
men Dixon. Bacon and Williams, repre-
senting the city, and Messrs. j. Randolph
Anderson and w. L. Clay and Engineers
Turtweiler and Ebbs for the railroads.
The city's representatives outlined the
report which they proposed to make to
Council upon the petition, and there was
some discussion of the various features.
1t was decided that the report should be
put in writing and a copy furnished the
railroad representatives for consideration.
1t is judged from this that the commit
tees report was not entirely satisfactory
to the railroad people. 1t was agreed,
however, that The latter should be given
time in which to consider the matter, and
that another conference should be held
at an early date. This will probably pre-
clude the report being submitted to Coun-
ell tomorrow night.
Owing to the fact that no agreement has
been reached, the committee report was
not given out. 1t was learned, however,
that it proposes to grant the request of
the railroads for a ffty-foot right of way
through the city's lot on Springfield plan
tation, to permit the depot to encroach
six feet on the sidewalk on Roberts street,
and the closing of Wilson street. In re-
turn for the closing of the latter street
the city will require the opening by the
railroads of one of the other short streets
now unopened. Instead of granting the
petition of the railroads to be allowed to
divert West Boundary street some dis
lance to the west, the report recommends
that this street be bridged over.
1t is understood that all of this portion
of the report, with the exception of the
bridging Of West Boundary street, is sat
isfactory to the railroad people. The rail-
roads are DESTROYS of avoiding this be-
cause of the expense involved in changing
the entire grade of the track in the ap-
proaeh TO the depot in order to pass over
West Boundary street
The feature of the report which is likely
to require most discussion, however, is
that relating to the price placed by the
committee upon the city's lands, which
the railroads desire to acquire in the vi
cinity of the depot. The prices fixed by
the committee have not been made public
but it is safe to say that there is a diff
ference in opinion as to the value of the
lands in question. The railroads desire
TO secure the twelve and one-haf acres
owned by the city in the northwest angle
of Gwinnett and Cemetery streets and sew
eral lots, amounting TO about two and one
half acres, off the cemetery tract. The
city's representatives have gone over the
ground carefully, and fixed upon what they
consider a fair price for these lands. The
railroads doubtless think the city's figures
too high
A member of the city's committee said
that the city is disposed to deal literally
with the railroads in the union depot mat
ter, and would make all reasonable con-
cesSlons but it has no land to give away
to the railroads ar to any one else. An
| amicable agreement win doubtless be
reached at an early date however.