The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-25
NO FRANCHISE BID
NONE FOR STREET RAILWAY PRIV
LEGES YET FILED.
THE TIME is NEARLY UP.
MUCH DELAY WOULD MEAN Loss
OF THE OPPORTUNITY.

Death of r. A. Richards Removed
one Prospective Bidder-NO Other
Has Expressed an Intention to Bid
Nothing Has Been Heard From
Capitalists Mr.. Richards said
Were Interested with Him-Re-
mains to BE Seen whether They
VIII Take Up His Plans-Deal he
tween the Edison and the Street
Railway Company May Prevent
the Latter From Filing a bid'
Can't. williams seems Out of the
Field.
The limit Of sixty days from the
passage of the resolution for the sale
of a street railway franchise, wherein
hids might be submitted to the City
Council. is close by. Thus far there
has been no bid, and it is quite posi-
BILE that there win be none. This is the
view taken by a member of the Board
of Aldermen, who said yesterday that
he would not be in the least surprised
if the limit should expire without
single bid being submitted.
Mr. E. A. Richards, who died few
days ago." said the alderman, was to
have submitted a bid. 1t may be that
those whom he represented will carry
on the work in which he was engaged,
have not heard that they
would do so. In fact l do not know
who was interested with Mr.. Richards,
but he told me that they were Savan-
nah and Northern capitalists"
A certified check of $4,000 must ac-
company any bid that is submitted, II
Council is to consider the bid as made
in good faith. The minimum price
clause was stricken from the resolu-
tion, and ii will be for Council. should
there be a bid submitted, to determine
whether or not the offer is sufficient.
While the question of a street rail-
way franchise was so prominently be-
fore Council, there were Ave petition
ers in the field. all anxious for GER
tain concessions from the city. They
have not had very much to say since
the resolution giving them an oppor-
tunity to buy what they asked was
passed.
Besides Mr.. Richards, the petitioners
We're the Savannah, Thunderbolt and
Isle of Hope Railway. Mr.. ]. s. Col
Inns. Mr.. d. B. Lester and the Sa-
vannah Transit Company (prospec-
tive). The last-named petitioner was
really Capt. Williams, who was for
merly of the government transport
service. He gave an elaborate plan
of what his prospective company con-
templated doing. and enlisted the
names of several prominent gentlemen
as the prospective incorporators of the
however
Capt. Williams disappeared. and Coun-
Gil never thought seriously of his Pc
tition. The alderman quoted above
said that he certainly expected no bid
from Capt. Williams.
1t is quite possible that the negotia-
tions now pending between the Edison
Electric Illuminating Company and the
Savannah, Thunderbolt and Isle of
Hope Railway may have some effect
upon the situation. A transfer of the
Parsons interests might mean the cool
ing of the evident desire that has been
manifested by one or two of the petit
TONERS to establish a rival system.
While such negotiations are on. too II
is not improbable that the Savannah,
Thunderbolt and Isle of Hope Com
pany might not see fit to follow up its
petition with bid, when that might
mean the introduction of complications
in the prospective deal whereby the
two companies will be merged.
Mr.. Lester has not intimated that
he expects to submit a bill for the
franchise for which he has been fight
ing for about two years, nor has Mr..
Collins. From the present outlook as
the time for filing bids approaches the
close. 1t would appear that all the work
that has been done by Council may go
for naught and that no advantage may
be taken of the opportunity that is
open to any who might feel inclined
TO invest in another system.