The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-23
THEY APPROVE THE PLAN.
RESIDENTS on whitaker STREET
WANT CAR SYSTEM CHANGED.

Double BELT Would BE of Advnnt-
age to the People of the City-Pro-
posed shuttle Line on Whitaker
! street, Giving Service North and
south, Would BE an Improvement
on Present Service-CoI. George A.
! MERGERS and MIR. Otis Ashmore's
Ideas for the Improvement of
whitaker street.
| The plan of the Savannah, Thunderbolt
and Isle of Hope Railway TO double-track
Barnard street and then to operate its
/ lines on that street and Abercorn as a
belt with shuttle line on Whitaker
street. seems to meet with considerable
approval.
Those residents along Whitaker and
Barnard streets, which are affected by
the proposed change. who were spoken to
on the subject yesterday, had no criti-
cism 70 offer, but, on the contrary,
commended it, They could not
see that the change would entail any in
| conN enience or annoyance NOS present IN
Ger the system now in use. and they
could see that it would obviate a num-
her of Inconvenience and annoyances
| that the public has now 10 suffer.
Col George A. Mercer, whose long resi-
| denc0 on Whitaker street and love for
the section of the city in which he lives
render him quick to take exception to any
plan of action that would detract from
the beauty of the thoroughfare or make
1t less pleasant and attractive as a. place
of residence said 10 a Morning News re-
porter yesterday that he heartily approved
the change that would transform the Bar
nard and Abercorn street lines into d
belt unto themselves.
Col. Mercer said he thought the oper-
alton of the lines on Barnard and Aber-
corn streets as a belt would be a good
thing for the city, and that, with the shut
tie line on Whitaker street, the plan would
be approved by the very great majority
of persons living on the streets affected
by the change. The plan of running cars
only south on Whitaker street and only
north on Barnard street had never, to Col
MERGERS mind, been entirely satisfactory.
Sitting on the bench in front of his res
idence, as is his custom, he had fire.
!
in the city, waiting on the corner. Seeing
the track and being unfamiliar with the
| pecularites of street railway operation in
| Savannah, they would gaze wistfully up
the street for a half hour at a time, in
| the effort to see a car that was going
! north OF course the ear never came and
| the waiter would appeal to some passing
! citizen for an explanation of the phenom-
enon. The explanation furnished, he
/ lnA nXFpv to I1tT lrI v;y,rr
lost half hour or more because of the
| way in which the cars are operated.
Neither was the plan satisfactory to
| residents along the two streets. In wet
weather, when the rain was pouring
| down in sheets, man did not care TO
run down to the next corner and stand
| in the rain, waiting for a car Because
of the rain the cars might be greatly off
| their schedule and il would be impossible
| for the prospective passenger to estimate
just how long he would have to wait,
and, in consequence, just how wet he was
| likely to become.
| There is a suggestion I would like
to make to the railway company, in case
| ii decides finally upon making the sug-
| gested change and the franchise from the
| city is given it. This is to run its track
| on Whitaker street between CASTOR
street and Park avenue, close to the side
! ii
peratively broad space on the western
side of the track along which vehicles
might be driven in comfort and without
| constant fear of collision with others"
If this plant were followed" contin-
| ued Col Mercer, land the city would then
| pave Whitaker street with brick or as
| phalt, the parks would be surrounded by
avenues that would be possible for pleasure
! vehicles and this attractive part of our
| q V
to me that it will be necessary eventual
| ly for the city to pave Whitaker street
| properly, and when it does it would be a
! great advantage TO the street If the track
were moved TO the position l have sug-
! gester."
y favor a more radical plan than that
| Colonel" said Mr.. Otis Ashmore, who was
! talking with Col. Mercer and the Morn
ing News reporter on the subject of the
| street railway change. Il would like TO
see the track taken off Whitaker street
completely, and / would willingly walk
che block that would be necessary to take
! me 10 the car in exchange for the free
| dom from noise and dust and the ad-
| vantage to drives of carriages and pleas
! ure traps that the Punishment of the
track would bring. Whitaker street is
too narrow for car track and a track
ought not to be allowed Without the
|
| there would be a new outlet for traffic
| from the business to the new residence
section in the southern part of the city
an outlet chat is now urgently needed
and that is becoming more needed every
! day.
| with a track on Whitaker street. II
| will never bemore than a lane for street
! cars Without the track and paved with
| brick or asphalt it would become an i'm
portant business street and a Driveway
| for traffic and pleasure"
Il think myself" said Col Mercer.
| that to Danish the track would be an
| advantage to the street and to the people
of the city generally. However, / am
afraid that the street railway company
would not consent to its removal and that
some of the residents along the street
would raise a strong protest. The plan
l have suggested of running the track
close to the line of the park sidewalk.
seems to me perfectly feasible and its
| advantages apparent"
The Barnard and Abercorn belt, with
the Whitaker street shutrle line, seems
to meet with a good deal OF approval.
HELD a UNION SERVICE.