The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-27
TO GIVE COUNCIL THE POWER
TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY OUTSIDE
OF THE CRY LIMITS.

city Attorney WIN Prepare n NH. ~
Request of the Mayor. Ia Be sab
mitted for the Approval Of Council.
Enabling the CIty to Acquire Lands
Outside the Corporate Limits for
Opening streets. for Use Rs Gene
teries and for other Purposes.
This Specific Authority IL Now
LackinE-wni Enable the city to
Accept Oner. for Opening streets
Outside of the Limits.
The notice In yesterdays Morning
News OF an intention 70 Introduce at the
next session OF the Legislature bin 10
authorize the Mayor ana Aldermen TO ac-
quire lands To- Chatham county outside
the city FOR various public uses. attracted
some ascniian. being the FIRST notice Of
local act to hc introduced az the next ses-
SION OF the Legislature.
city Attorney Adams confessed 10 be
ing the author OF the notice and stated
that It was inserted by request Of Mayor
Myers THE proposed bin has not been
drawn yet" said MIR Adams. This will
b. done unon the return OF Mayor Myers
70 the city ana will be submitted to Coun-
en- for approval and discussion"
Mr.. Adams said that the question OF the
clty's right 10 acquire outside property
for city purposes has confronted Council
several times OF late lie had been re-
quested 20 look into the matter and had
found that there IS nothing IN the city's
charter or the subs quent acts OF the
legislature referring to the corporation
which confers the right 10 acquire outside
property FOR public uses. 4 prominent
legal authority had held, however. that
municipal corporations can exercise this
right though not directly conferred. Mir
Adams acc rdingly advised some OF the
members OF Council when che question
OF the purchase OF cemetery tract was
recently under consideration. that Coun-
eli had the right 90 exercise It's authority
10 make such purchase. hut stating
at the same time that there was room
for grave doubt on the subject.
The pest house property. which Is out
side ne city limits" Mr. Adams stated
was acquired by special ace Of the Leg
islatare Springfield plantation. on the
contrary. was bought outright by the city.
without any special authority on the sub
icct for the purchase and a portion OF IL
was afterwards set aside as Laurel Grove
Cemetery, which was not then within tho
city limits"
The matter Is ono Of considerable inter-
est On view OF the fact that IL has been
urged that IL would be wisdom on the part
~ the city 90 proceed TO acquire streets
through lands outside OF the cisy limits.
hut which will probably become part OF
the city In the near future. where this can
be done 10 "a reasonable cost. and thus
save the costly and unsatisfactory expert
cnce which was mcs with an opening w
the streets OF the present Southside. The
following statement Of the intent and
purport 81 the bill by MIR. Adams sets
forth the matter clearly.
THE notice has been inserted by the
City Attorney at tho request OF the Mayor.
who will submit the matter 10 Council
and will have the bin presented 90 the
legislature on tho line Indicated BY the
title In the event Council approves such a
measure. Publication Is now made only
20 give the thirty days notice o. required
hv law and secure an early Introduction
of the bin IN tho event Council thinks well
% u. Under tho charter as u now stands
there Is ample room for serious question
any purpose. no matter how important
ana desirable. land outside Of the corpor-
ate limits. Some months ago q PROPOSE
tl0n WAS made by a land company to
give streets through large body Of
land just south Of the city provided
Council would agree 10 do certain grading.
and the right OF the city 20 acquire land
for this purpose was then questioned in
the caucus. To avoid questions Of this
kind the idea Is TO lee tine city have the
power TO acquire lands IN the county. out
side ~ the city for any public munich
pal use This power 20 be cxerci "a or
rot In any particular instance as In the
judgment Of Council may seem proper.
after a thorough investigation ana FUN
notice TO the public. The idea OF tn
Mayor f. 10 have the bill which may ne
prepared IN pursuance Of the published
title. 20 provide for full notice Of any
proposed purchase and a careful and de-
Hibernate consideration o. any ordinance
sancticning the purchase before its pas
sage"