The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-22
STREETS FOR CARS
BACK To STREETS AND LANES
COMMITTEE FOR REPORT.
PETITIONS ALSO REFERRED.
COUNCIL CONSIDERED REPORT OF
CITY ENGINEER.

chises-Streets ana Lanes Commit
tee VIII Have Another Try ut the
Matter-Commitfee VIII Look Into
y Impediments That Are shown by
the City Engineer-RepOrt shows
That There Are Difficulties in the
Way of Granting the Streets the
Committee Had Reported as Avail
able.
The municipal mill grinds slowly,
but it moved one more cog yesterday
in the matter of the petitions for street
railway franchises. The report of the
city engineer, Col. w. J. Winn, was
presented the City Council in caucus
yesterday by the Mayor, who had re-
quested information bearing upon the
report of the Streets and Lanes Com
mittee upon streets regarded as avail
able for car lines.
To the Streets and Lanes Committee
again the matter was referred. The
five petitions for franchises went to
the committee, together with the re-
port of the city engineer. The history
of all petitions Council has received
touching the use of streets for car lines
has shown that the body moves solwly.
but the practical work that has thus
far been accomplished upon the latest
set of applications would indicate that
there is not a great deal more to be
done. The Mayor and Aldermen feel
that street franchises should not be
granted hastily, without proper con-
sideration of all points involved, and
the delay is thus accounted for.
Those who seek franchises at the
hands of Council are the Savannah,
Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope Railway,
the Savannah Transit Company, Mr.. ].
S. Collins. Mr.. d. B. Lester and Mr.. e.
A. Richards. Their applications have
been in for many weeks. Not one of
the petitioners has displayed any es-
pecial concern since the filing of the
paper, or it is possible that some little
more dispatch might have been shown.
The following is the report made by
Col. Winn, in which petitioners and
residents along the proposed route
will be interested:
Where a single track is laid in a
street it practically occupied eight feet.
Five between rails and one-half feet on
either side for tho 'everhang of the
cars. Where two parallel tracks are laid
in the same street they occupy eighteen
feet, five feet for each track, five feet
space between tracks and one and one
half feet ION outer side) for overhang
of cars. The tread of the vehicles is
five feet, with hug projection of six
inches on either wheel. A proper pre-
caution for the safety of those in We
hlcles require that a space of five feet
should intervene between the convey
ance and the overhang' of the cars.
Taking Whitaker street, which is
forty-five feet wide and a paved street,
/ find between Congress and CASTOR
streets that the distance from the outer
rail to the curbing is about eleven feet
whilst the width of the roadway is
about twenty three feet, and as it's adj
vantages and disadvantages are IA
miliar to all, think it can be used as
an example.
state street varies from eighteen to
twenty feet, between curbing; after de-
Quoting the space occupied by street
lines eight feet, there would be left only
about six feet on either side which I
consider entirely too narrow to be safe
ly used by vehicles.
Charlton street is wide enough for
two tracks and also Park avenue is
wide enough.
THAT part of Anderson street be-
tween East Broad street and Laurel
Grove Cemetery lin accordance with
ordinance of April 5, 1890 has a road
way of thirtytwo feet, and If eighteen
feet be taken up by two tracks, leaves
seven feet between outer rail and curb
ing. There is one block just east of
the Savannah. Florida and Western
Railway right-of-way which as yet has
not been acquired. / beg leave to call
your attention to the fact that a large
amount of grading and possibly the
construction of a sewer, will be neces-
sary between Waters road and Allan
l.fe he
available.
"Thirty-sixth street is available for
one track and switches, as is Thirty
ninth street.
Forty street is only thirty
eight feet wide and is subject to the
same objections as State street.
Cemetery street is forty feet wide.
If street line occupies eight feet side
walks fourteen feet Total, twenty-five
feet, leaving only nine feet on either
side
Roberts street, since the granting
of eight feet to the Savannah Union
Station Company, is only forty-two feet
wide, nearly to Cemetery street, and
forty feet wide beyond
"In view of the fact that upon the
completion and subsequent use of the
union depot and the space required by
numerous vehicles awaiting traffic, Il
seems to me to be Objectionable for
street car line to occupy this street.
West Broad street. from Bay to An
derson streets: This street, with the
exception of a small portion in front
of the Central Railroad passenger de-
partment, has already two tracks on
it. The portion in front of the Cen
trail Railway depot had formerly two
tracks, which so interfered with traf-
fic that Council (after much difficulty
persuaded the street car line to remove
the second track.
Burroughs street, from Anderson to
Thirty-second street, has not been
opened, and that portion cannot be
traversed at present. The balance of
the street is available; for two tracks.
Montgomery street, from Bay to
Anderson street, is available for two
tracks; from Anderson street south
there is already one track and IL two
more are placed there will be only
eight and one-half feet between the
outer rail and the curb line.
price street, from Bay to Forty-sec-
ond street, will have twelve feet from
outer rail to curb line l beg leave to
call attention to the contract between
the city and the railroad company in
reference to this street being used by
any other street line.
PLANT street: If the track is located
next to the Savannah, Florida and