The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-06-01
FRANCHISE PETITION
HAS AROUSED CONSIDERABLE IN
TEBEsT AMONG CITIZENS.
COUNCIL WILL NOT HURRY.
WILL ACT DELIBERATELY IN CON-
sIDERING THE MATTER.

Up BY Council at Its Next Meeting.
Time viii he Taken to Reach the
Proper Conclusion - Mayor Does
Not Approve of Line Running
Near Court HOuse-Capt. Cunning
ham, Representing Counsel for the
Prospective Company, IntimateS
That II Must Expect to Pay for
Franchise-How the Public Seems
to View the Petition.
The City Council will act deliberately
upon the petition of Messrs. Lee Roy
Myers, II. p. Smart. ]. w. Co
mer. L. w. Haskell and Leopold Ad-
Ter for a franchise for the construction
and operation of street railway sys-
TEN in Savannah. Mayor Myers said yes
terday that Council will take up the con-
sideration of the petition at its first meet
ing, but that it will probably be some
time before an answer is formulated. 1t
is the intention OF the aldermen, as gath
cred from expressions from several, to
go thoroughly into the matter, as the
having assumed great importance.
map, Mayor Myers thinks, should
have accompanied the application of the
petitioners With a map to show clearly
just what is wanted from the city, Coun-
Gil would be guided in it's consideration of
the petition. The prospective route of the
Savannah Transit Company, the style of
the prospective corporation is set forth
in the petition. but a map would show
distances and give other information uopn
which the opinion of the city engineer
would doubtless be desired.
Upon two points in the petition Mayor
Myers expressed himself One was rela-
tive to the track on President street. run
ing near the Court House. de said that
he did not think that a line should be
constructed there. One reason he as
signed was that great crowds gather there
on election days and it would be diff
cult matter for traffic to pass. The regu-
lation demanding that all persons not vot-
ing be kept a prescribed distance from
the booths, too, would prevent the pass
age of street cars, the Mayor said.
About the application for double tracks
on narrow streets, such as Price the
Mayor said that grocery firms and others
would doubtless object, as it would be
impossible to have a truck stand to be
unloaded without having it moved for the
passage of car or having the car stop
ped. Some of the streets are too narrow,
the Mayor thinks, for double tracks
Messrs LaWton & Cunningham are at
| torneys for the prospective company.
Capt. Cunningham said yesterday that he
thought the proposition to lay a stretch
OF track 200 feet long at the expense Of
the company, to show just what character
of work is contemplated, very liberal 1t
would afford Council an opportunity to
see what might be expected of the new
| system. Speaking of the very evident
| disposition on the part of the aldermen
! to have the city given compensation for
| the franchise, Capt. Cunningham said that
he did not doubt that the company would
be required to pay for concessions.
Considerable interest among citizens
| generally has been created by the publi-
cation of the petition for a franchise
! Varying views are taken. Some do not
| see that there is room left for a new
company to make a venture pay. They
! think that the streets are rather well
! taken up now, and that a new company
would not find enough business. The sud
1 cess that the petitioners have achieved
| in business in other lines, however is adj
| vanced as an argument to show that they
must know pretty well what they are
about and that they must be confident
| enough that good opportunity for profit
| able investment is. afforded.
Some would like to see the system es-
tablished, believing that it would mean
much more business for Savannah. Any
| profits that might accrue would go to the
company, which. IL seems, will be COM
posed of Savannahians The construction
of the system would mean work for
great many men for some time, and, upon
J its completion, there would be employment
provided for many operatives. Operated
successfully, so extensive a system as the
Savannah Transit Company contempletes.
| would mean a decided addition TO the in
terests of Savannah.
| 1t is argued that much of the objection
! that might be raised to the introduction
| of tracks upon some of the streets is re-
moved by the promise of the company to
| use such equipment as would serve to
minimize the obstacles to traffic that are
usually offered. Those who have visited
large cities recall the tracks flush with
| the pavements and are rather inclined to
view with favor a proposition to lay sim
| liar tracks here.
! Not all agree with the Mayor and some
| of the aldermen who have expressed
| themselves upon the matter of compensa-
tion for the franchises. Some say that
| they think such an enterprise should be
fostered and encouraged, but these are
in the decided minority. so far as may
be judged from the expressions heard. 1t
is commonly asserted that the prospective
company should be called upon to pay for
whatever il gets. though care should be
taken. it is declared, to avoid anything
looking like eXtortion.
Nothing. as yet, has been heard of petit
tons being circulated among residents
protesting against the City Council grant
ing franchises along their particular
streets. These are looked for, however,
as they are a usual concomitant of appli-
cations for franchises for street railways.
| Price street residents have been protes ting
vigorously from time TO time, and il will
be a matter of surprise II they are not
| heard from again.