The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-01
TO GO THROUGH THE SQUARES.
ALDERMAN DIXON wILBr SUMMIT
HIS PLAN TO COUNCIL.

NaIhOuu squnre-AiuerHAu DtAoh
Gives His Reasons for Advocating
the Plan-WiII Give Direct North
and south streets Without De-
Tracting From the Appearance OF
the Squares-ParlS Area in the
Squares VIII he Increased Instead
of Decreased and VaIue of Prop
etrty. the Alderman Believes win
Re Enhanced.
Chairman James NJ. Dixon has had pre-
pared in the city engineers Office and will
shortly submit to Council plan of the
proposed Improvement of the squares.
The square selected for the experiment is
Calhoun, the fourth square on Abercorn
street, on which front the Massie School
and Wesley Monumental Church. AT
least Calhoun is the square used in the
plan prepared for submission to Council.
AS previously explained in the Morning
News, Alderman Dxon's idea is that
street and traffic facilities should be in
creased by cutting some of the streets
through the squares and that this change,
instead of working detiment to the
squares wouid be decided Improvement
and would at the same time enhance the
value of property facing the squares. The
plan, in brief, is TO cut the north and
south streets through the squares, or such
OF them as should be selected for this
purpose, dividing the squares in half, eX-
tending The park line to the property line
on the east and west sides of the squares
and closing the streets intersecting the
trust lots where they face on the squares.
TIE result of this would be to give two
parks to each square, instead
of one, as at present and
instead Of the park area being decreased.
as many people have supposed would be
the case the areae will on the contrary,
be considerably increased by taking in
the streets on the east and west sides of
the present squares.
As Savannahs squares are considered
one Of the city's most attractive features
there would naturally be considerable OPP
position to any plan which would destroy
tie beauty of the squares. Alderman Dix
on's idea in having a model plan prepared
of particular square is for the purpose
of demonstrating to Council that ms lead
of injuring the squares the proposed
change would make great Improvement
| in TIER appearance and al the same time
| permit of an increase in traffic facilities
on the north and south streets, these
| streets icing at present practically useless
for traffic because of the circuitous route
! pursued around the squares.
| The plan which has been prepared for
| Calhoun square is very attractive one,
| showing AberC orn street extended directly
| through the square with the street car
| tracks near the center of the street, and
| the sidewalks on each side. The curb lines
| of the square are extended at the
| four corners to the property lines on the
! east aud west sides, making the property
! lines the boundary of the Squares on the
! east and west sides and closing Wayne
| street, where it abuts on the square. The
Oh afba 4 1n
| has a park area of 1904 square feet the
| rev plan gives park area of 43, 3l4 feet,
an increase of $500 feet of park area. II is
! argued in support of the proposed plan
| hal the streets intersec ting the trust lots,
| such as Wayne street, are but little used,
and especially where they front on the
| squares are of almost no value for traffic
| and travel. The practical utility of the pro
posed change would of course, be to in
crease the number Of streets available for
| north and south traffic. Il Is argued that
| no Inconvenience would be inflicted upon
| the property owners whose residences face
the squares as the east and west streets
running directly alongs lie of their prop
| erii would furnish all the street facili-
Ties needed.
Alderman Dixon is very DESTROYS of MAX
| ing the experiment with Calhoun square
| If the new system should meet with public
| approval the city would ultimately extend
| il to the other squares, with the exception
| of Bull street, where the asphalt pave
ment and the presence Of the monuments
| in the squares, puts the plan out of ques-
| ton.
1.-The main reason for selecting Calhoun
square for the experiment" said Alderman
| Dixon, lis that the proposed change can
! be carried into effect without removing
| a single tree. The plan can be tried there
| without any great expense, and il ii should
prove unsatisfactory the original plan
| could be restored with small loss and
| without injuring the appearance of the
square. The present north and south side
| walks in the square would, of course, re-
| main and the street cut through the
! square would occupy the space between
| these two walks. The east and west walks
would also remain as at present except
| that they would be continued 10 the prop
| erty lines on each side. thus giving con-
| tinuous walks across the squares in both
| directions The square space which would
| be used by the street is already occu-
| pied by the double tracks of the street
railway company. The tracks are lille
! 10 one side of the center and as the width
between the walks is ifty-five feet ttcce
would be ample room for traffic without
danger from the street cars The space
taken from the square in The center would
be more than compensated for by the add
ed park area on the sides the gain being
over 5000 square feet. There will be prac-
tically two squares or parks instead OF
one as al present The property facing on
the square would be enhanced in value.
The city would, of course, improve the
parks and the residents facing east and
west would have handsome lawns in front
of their houses"
THE advantage to the city" said AL
derman Dixon, would be that it would
be enab ied to pave Abercorn street and
such other streets as might be put
through the squares. 1t is practically out
of the question to pave these streets at
present, because of the large cost entaiied
in paving around the squares and the fact
that they would be OF little use when paw
ed, because of the circuitous route to be
travelled Additional paved streets north
aud south are very much needed. AS is.
well known, nearly all the traffic of the
city is north and south, and this traffic
is at present eongested on Drayton and
jefferson streets. two of the narrowest
streets in the city There are no other
available north and south streets in the
heart of the city which can be paved,