The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-11
WILL DISCUSS ARMY HOSPITAL
NO REPORT LOOKED FOR ON
STREET RAILROAD PETITIONS.


Mr.. Lester Thinks He Is Being Given
"a Cold DeaI-GOvernmentH Hospital
Proposition to Be Submitted.
Agreement Between City and Hos
pitfalls as to Continuance of Hos
pitaI Appropriations Has Expired.
Its Continuance May Depend Upon
the Action of Council In Reference
TO the Purchase of the Hospital
Buildings.
Outside of the government hospital mat
ter there appears to be very little of mo-
ment to come before the City Council this
afternoon. 1t is poor Council meeting.
however, that does not develop something
of interest and this one is not likely to be
any exception.
No report is expected from the Street
and Lane Committee upon the petitions for
street railway franchises which were re-
ferred to that body some time ago. AL
herman Dixon, chairman of the commit
tee. said yesterday that he had no inten-
ton of making report to-day. Mr.. D.
B. Lester. president OF the Vernon Shell
Road Company, whose petition for fran
chises was published some time ago, when
asked about the matter said that he
thought he is being given a very cold deal
by Council. Further than this Mr.. Les
ter did not care TO discuss the matter.
Even the report submitted by the Street
and Lane Committee about month ago,
Offering route to the Shell Road Com
pany by way of Montgomery, Bay, Price,
Best and other streets in the southern
section, was withdrawn and the entire
matter was recommitted to the Street
and Lane Committee.
The conditions on which this franchise
was offered were considered onerous by
the company, and a circular letter, giving
reasons why it would be unjust and un-
reasonable to attach such requirements
TO the franchise, was addressed by the
attorneys of the company to the members
of the Council. This does not seem 10
have aroused any action. however.
We have the men and money with
which to build the road said one of the
attorneys in discussing the matter. The
parties at the North, with whom we are
in touch. are men of ample capital, and
are anxious to undertake the work, pro-
vided reasonable franchise is offered.
If the franchise be granted now we viii
nave the road complete, power house and
all, and in operation, before winter sets
in. This unexplained delay is very in
furious as well as unjust to US. The cap
italistS with whom we are dealing, are
men with large interests in various d.
rections, and unless we can submit them
definite proposition at an early date,
they are likely to abandon the matter al
together and seek fields where less OBJ
struction is offered to the investment OF
capital"
Alderman Dixon, when this was men,
toned to him, simply said that he dill
not believe in giving away the streets
of the city. and that whoever got them
would have 70 pay for them.
The opportunity afforded the city by the
quartermaster's department to purchase
the government hospital buildings practi-
cally at Its own figures. will be brought
TO the attention of Council by Mayor
Myers. The question is likely to be de-
bated at some length in the Committee
OF the Whole, but it Is doubtful If any re-
suit will come of it. Aldermen Dixon and
Graham, and probably others, favor the
acquisition Of the buildings. and the es,
adjustment of a city hospital, with a
view to diverting the present hospital APP
propriations for its support, but the ma
Jority OF the board appears TO view the
matter with doubt. Mayor Myers has
been looking into the question of an
available site for the hospital. in case
the city should decide to purchase the
buildings, and will doubtless be able TO
furnish the meeting some information on
this score.
In this connection it may be brought
to mind and to the attention of Council
that the term for which the appropria-
tons by the city to the hospitals were
continued has expired, as has also the
terms for which the Mayor and health
officer were elected members of the
boards of managers of the Savannah Hos
pital, the st. Joseph's Infirmary and the
Georgia 1nfirmary The question of the
advisabiity of continuing this arrange
ment will doubtless be brought up for
discussion this afternoon. The indica-
tons have been that this arrangement
would be continued indefinitely, but the
opportunity afforded the city to obtain
hospital of its own may put different
face on affairs.