The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-08
SALE HASBEEN MADE
: SAVANNAH CAR LINES ALREADY IN
NEW HANDS.
NO CHANGES IN OFFICERS YET
GENERAL MANAGER MINTIRE
WILL NOT REMAIN.

with the Delivery of the Property
to the Purchasers, Presi-
tdent George Parsons Interests
VIII Be AbsOrbed-Mr. McIntire
Was Here Only as His Represen-
tative, and TO Guard His Interests.
The Price Paid Over $1,OOO,OOO.
Receipts From Road Belong TO
NEW Company Now-MOntgOmery
Mule Line to Be Equipped with
Electricity Immediately New
Cars for the Entire system.
While there has been no formal
transfer of the Savannah, Thunderbolt
and Isle of Hope Railway to the Edi-
son interests. the purchasers Of the
Parsons holdings are understood to be
already in charge. The fact that the
railway is in new hands has not yet
caused any changes, and it is not prob
able that there will be any until after
Jan. l.
The stockholders of the Edison Elec-
trio Illuminating Company will meet
tomorrow to ratify the deal made
with President George Parsons of the
railway company. The option given by
Mr.. Parsons has not yet expired and
the buyers lose nothing by uoiding off
until almost the last minute. 1t was
stipulated that in case the negotiations
should result in a sale of the property
the date of the purchase would be from
the day on which the option was given.
The franchise is a valuable one, and
Mr.. Parsons is said to have received
over s1,OOO,OOO for his stock.
The companys receipts since the time
the option was given have been kept
separate and will belong to the new
company when it begins the active
management of the property. 1t is be-
cause the road is practically in new
hands at this time that the work of
improvement is at stand
sin. only such expenditures as are
absolutely necessary are being made.
The bills being contracted will have TO
be paid by the new company, and for
this reason the officers of the road I'M
der the Parsons regime are moving
cautiously in spending money.
While it is not known just what
changes win be made, General Manager
IluClGn ii. MCinIlTe
charge of the system after the new
owners take formal charge. He will
return to his home in the North. Mr..
McIntire did not come to Savannah
because he was in need of a position.
He d&Hhe here III the interests of Mr..
Parsons, and for the purpose of ad-
ding To the market value of the prop
erty. In this he was successful, and
in less than a year after he took
he
property has been delivered to it's new
owners Mr.. Parsons will not require
a man here who is close to him, and
Mr.. McIntire will return North. The
general manager under the Parsons re-
gime is himself a man of means and
it was not his purpose to remain here
permanently when he came.
Just who will be the operating head
of the road is not known, but one man
may look over both the railway sys-
tenn and the lighting department. Both
branches of the electrical company Will
be operated in harmony. and it is al
together probable that some heads will
fall in the basket when the change
is made.
The conductors and motormen, or at
least some of them, are awaiting with
some interest the change of manage
Ynent. At present they get 1112 1872 and
Is cents an hour, but they are fear
full that the minimum figure of 11A
cents will also be the maximum. The
new owners have not even intimated
that they intend making any reduction
in salaries. and the motormen and
conductors may be needlessly alarmed.
1t appears that the policy of the new
owners will be to improve the system
in every possible way. The line from
Sandfly station to Montgomery will be
equipped with electricity Immediately,
and the slow and unsightly mule car
will be thing of the past. The new
management not only considers the i'm
provement necessary, but figures that
ii will be more economical to operate
the line with electricity. The equipping
of the line with electricity will mean
much for Montgomery, which is one OF
the prettiest resorts around Savannah
1t is also the intention of the man.
agement to re-equip the system where
ever it is found to be necessary. AS
soon as they can be secured from the
factories new vestibuled cars will be
put in service. The old management
purchased half dozen of these cars
several months ago. but have never
been able to get them delivered. All OF
the car manufactures have their hands
full, and no contracts can be made for
immediate delivery. 1t is understood
that the new owners figure, as do most
street railway people, that the better
the cars the more travel, and larger re-
ceipts. The theory that people will ride
in any sort of car is considered a mis-
take, and the patronage is much better
where comfortable and well construct
ed cars are in service. It is upon this
plan that the new management will
work.
President George J. Baldwin Of the
Edison Electric Illuminating Company
will arrive from Houston, Tex, to-day
10 be present at the meeting of the
stockholders Of the company. Mr.. Bald
win has made a careful inspection OF
the street railway property recently ac-
quired in Houston. and returns in time
10 give directions about the manage.
ment Of the system in this city.