The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-24
a DEMAND IN PROSPECT.
City's Right to EstiII Park in Serious
AuestiOn.

The Board of County Commissioners
held a session at the Court House yester-
day afternoon, for the purpose, it is I'M
derstood. of determining the county's
course Of action in the matter of
Estill Park. 1t is understood that this
course was definitely fixed and that de
mand will be made upon the City Coun-
ell for the surrender of the property.
At the meeting there were present Chair
man j. J. Dale and Commissioners Frank
S. Lathrop, John Lyons and w. ID. Sim
kins. In attendance also were Clerk j.
r. Dillon, County Attorney j. r. Saussy
and Superintendent of Works and Roads
w. f. Chaplin. The commissioners, with
the three other county officials, spent an
hour or more together. When
the meeting adjourned it was not possible
to secure from anyone present any intima-
ton of what had transpired. Each of
the county fathers-and uncles-exhibited
steadfastly the reticence Of the proverbial
oyster of legendary fame.
There were straws floating in the highly
judicial atmosphere of the Place of meet
ing that served to show haphazardly the
and vigorous straw was the zeal exhibited
by some of the attaches of the commits
sioner's office assisted by
Morning News reporter, to find
the account of the last meeting of Coun-
Gil in the files of the Morning News, and
to lay hands upon that portion Of the ac-
count containing the report of the Commit
tee of the Whole, in reference to EstiH
Park This effort was finally crowned
with success, and the file was borne tri-
umphantly into the conclave of the COM
missioners.
The reticence maintained by the com
missioners and county officials as TO what
had been done in reference TO Estill Park,
in itself, furnished yet another indication
of what had actually transpired. The dis
sertations offered by County Attorney
Saussy, as 10 the Plans Of the city in re-
gard to the park when asked what the
county intended to do about 1t,
pointed in one direction. Briefly II is
that the county intends sending an ult-
matum to the city, demanding
the surrender of the property, be-
cause of alleged forfeitures and failures to
comply with the expressed conditions OF
the deed by which the property was trans
ferred. These alleged failures 10 comply
with the conditions of the deed nave been
for some time understood 10 refer to the
city's omission to lay out upon improve
ments for the park the annual sums re-
quired by the several clauses of that in
strument
IL is thought that the City Council win
be served during the next few days with
a copy of the paper containing the eH-
preston of The county's views, and that
in this the demands of the county will be
politely but very plainly answered.
In Of 10, P0mDlV
to be pursued by the commissioners, on
behalf of the county, is quite obvious An
action of ejectment will be brought, and,
if the contentious of the county are sus-
tanned the return Of the lands to the con-
troll of the commissioners will be thus le-
gally effected.
OF course, the action of the commits
sioners. despite the fact that the indica-
tons point TO the correctness of the pro-
phecy of their outlined intentions. is no
matter for the expression of dogmauc
opinion. The commissioners won't talk,
and. by the same token, neither will the
other county officials who were present
al the conference. But it is thought,
nevertheless and with good reason, that
the commissioners are anxious to secure
possession of the lands embraced within
the boundary lines of Estill Park, disap-
pointed that their conference with the
committee of the City Council did not
secure this object of their hearts desire,
and determined to take the initiative in
the matter themselves. That they win
send the ultimat um to Council. demanding
the return of the property because of the
forfeitures of the conditions of the deed
complained Of is the legitimate and neces-
sary conclusion from this state OF facts.
External circumstances point 10 the same
conclusion and tend to confirm its cor
rectness.