The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-03
AID. DIXON AND THE OPPOSITION
To NORWOOD LAND PURCHASE.
DEAL MADE BY AID. THOMAS.
THINKS THE MAYOR HAS BEEN
MISINFoRMED.

the Land-Price of the Collins
"Ditch.''
The city's purchase of a part of the
Norwood tract south and southwest of
the city for opening streets in the pro-
posed extension of the city limits and
the opposition that has developed on
account of the price. has caused a good
deal of talk. The land comprised in the
purchase is approximately $4,000
square feet, or about ten and one-half
acres.
Alderman James M. Dixon of the
Committee on Opening Streets, which
negotiated the purchase, said yesterday
that the negotiations were conducted
by Alderman Thomas, chairman of the
committee, who reported the trade
made by him to the committee, and it
was approved. 81 am sorry Mr.. Thorn
as is not in the city at present" said
Alderman Dixon, "as 1 think the mat
ter should properly be presented by
him. In his absence, / have no hest
fancy, however, in reviewing the trans
action, in order. that the public may
thoroughly understand it. Negotia-
lions between Alderman Thomas and
Judge Norwood were being had in
desultory manner from the first of the
year. They eliminated in an ordinance,
which was introduced in Council on
July "a, which ordinance provided for
the purchase of these streets at price
not to exceed 5 cents per foot.
ofdiranpe was Of course. read
in open Council" said Alderman Dix
on land was published in the news
papers. The upset price was evidently
deemed at that time, by everybody,
reasonable, as no objection has ever
been interposed to it. After lying over
for two weeks the ordinance was pass
ed on Aug. Z. This ordinance authorized
the Committee on Opening Streets to
purchase from Judge Norwood the
streets in his tract, at cents per foot.
Alderman Thomas made the purchase
from Judge Norwood, and the commit
tee ratified it. The payments were to
be made in one, two, and three years.
subsequently, to the completion of the
trade, it was deemed advisable by AL
derman Thomas and the committee, to
provide for square ir this tract, and
also to give further time for payment
en- the entire purchase.
THE second ordinance" said Alder
man Dixon. twas introduced with
view of authorizing the Committee on
Opening Streets to trade with Judge
Norwood for these notifications.
The ordinance itself, however,
was drawn as though it was
original legislation on the subject, and
through clerical error. the author
ity was given to the Committee on
Streets and Lanes. instead of the COM
mittee that had the matter in charge.
This second ordinance was passed
unanimously by Council, and the price
at which the purchase was to be made
was stated. / am utterly at a loss 70
know why the Mayor should have
taken stand against the purchase
after he had given his assent to an
ordinance, authorizing the purchase at
the price at which it was made. I
presume that the Mayor has been mis-
informed. as to the value of these
lands, and have no doubt that as soon
as. he makes a thorough investigation,
he will see his mistake. AS long as he
was in dc''Ht, it was very proper that
he shou lave registered. his objec-
ton. T Jnally, I think Alderman
Thomas made a fair trade for the city,
and I approve his action. The actual
price to be paid being 41Ac per square
LOJI lOI ldHU am SdtlSned
the city will act wisely in making this
purchase, at this time when the entire
tract can be bought from one holder,
rather than to wait and have to deal
with one or two hundred property
holders. The latter policy has been
pursued in the past, and it has cost
the city hundreds of thousands of dol
lars. This property is soon to be taken
into the city limits. The city will be
compelled to make this purchase, and
in my judgment, if it delays the pur-
chase for any considerable period of
time, 1T will have to pay very largely
in excess of what it pays for it now.
''Mr. Collins statement that Judge
Norwood's tract could be purchased for
$40 900 and is worth no more than that"
said Alderman Dixon, sis simply ridic-
ulous. Sixty thousand dollars is very
much nearer it's value. The price we
pay for streets in the tract is less than
half of what the lots adjoining will
sell for per square foot In other
words, we buy the land for streets
for one-half or .one-third of what the
land would sell for to private parties
for development purposes. The price
is abated to this extent to the city
upon the idea of the corresponding
benefits which accrue to the property
owner by reason of the opening of the
streets. Mr.. Collins covert threat TO
stop the issuance of notes, will scarce
ly weigh with Council; in fact. Mr..
Collins statement in connection with
this land really comes with bad grace
at this particular time. Council has
recently made some purchases at the
instance of Mr.. Collins. The city
bought from the Oglethorpe Invest
ment Company, of which Mr.. Collins
is part owner. some streets in Col
linsville. The city agreed to pay him
$4,000, and he is to be paid in the same
kind of notes to which he now offers
objection Stopping the. issuance of
the Mayors notes in one case will ar
rest their issuance for all time I am
not at all certain that this will be
a bad thing for the city and I would
not interpose any objection If this was
TO be the result Of any proceedings
had. We must treat all alike. thought
and II the notes are enjoined in one
instance, they must not be issued in
another.
IL notice Mr. Collins objects to the
price paid for streets on the Norwood
tract" said Alderman Dixon. Judge
Norwood's land is a beautiful tract of
high ground, that is undoubtedly the
next land 10 be developed, adjoining
the city. The city has paid as high as
~ cents per foot for land inside the
city limits. within five blocks of the
Norwood tract II the city waits Cor
ten years II will pay 40 cents per
foot for the majority of the Norwood
tract, IN my judgment We are paying
Mr. Collins and his associates 1--WE
times the price we are paying Judge
Norwood for land not nearlv "a doqir