The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-10
FRANCHISE GRANTED
COUNCILS ROUTE AND CONDITIONS
FOR LEsTER's ROAD.
WILL HARDLY BE ACCEPTED.
ROUTE UNSATISFACTORY AND CON-
DITIONs THOUGHT ONEROUs.

Ordinance Regarding the Petition
of the Vernon She'll Road COmpa-
ny Put on Its First Readin g-The
Route Granted Is That Mentioned
by the Morning News and the Con-
ditiOns Are Nany-AIdermnn Mills
Wanted His Resolutions Read
Again-AIdermnn Thomas Explains
His Position in Opposing the Mills
Resolution.
The ordinance by which the City Council
will dispose of the petition of the Vernon
Shell Road Company, made through Mr.,
D: B. Lester, was placed upon it's first
reading last night Alderman Mills pre-
ferred having his resolution, which had
been referred to the Committee of the
Whole, read instead of the ordinance that
had been directed by the committee, but
the Mayor and other aldermen were OPP
posed to it, and the ordinance was read.
AT the meeting were Mayor Myers, Al
dermen Dixon, Horrigan, Mills, Thomas,
Tiedeman, Wells, Schwarz FARRELL, Bacon
and Graham. But a short time, compar-
atively, was spent in Committee of the
Whole, and the meeting in open Council
began shortly after 9 o'clock.
Chief in interest of the various matters
to come up was the ordinance that was
expected upon the street railway franchise
to be granted upon conditions, to the
Vernon Shell Road Company. In the meet
ing of the Committee of the Whole last
week the Council decided what it would
grant Mr.. Lester and directed the city at
torney to draw up an ordinance embody-
ing the conditions that it desired to i'm
pose upon his acceptance of the route
granted for a prospective street railway
company.
Lester Lost Interest.
Mr.. Lester had lost much of the inter
est in the matter that had marked his
efforts to secure the concessions he de-
sired from Council. He had learned that
the route upon which Council had agreed
and the conditions hedging about his ac-
ceptance of the franchise were not what
he wanted. Little hope remained that the
resolution introduced by Alderman Mills
was not present at the meeting and had
retired upon its adjournment, so that he
could not be seen with reference to the
ordinance, but it is well known that he
approved neither OF the routes granted nor
of conditions imposed. 1t is probable that
he viii not accept the franchise
The declination of the franchise by the
Vernon Shell Road Company would leave
clear field for Mr.. j. S. Collins who
has been Mr.. Testers rival claimant be-
fore Council for street railway rights and
privileges. The Council did not consider
Mr.. Collins petition or proposition to
spend 5000 for franchise for certain
streets at all last night, and it will be
interesting to know just what will be
done about his proposed line if Mr.. Lester
does not see fit to accept the route Coun-
ell has given him and the conditions ii
has imposed.
The ordinance is entitled: "An ordinance
to give the consent of the Mayor and Al
dermen of the city of Savannah to the
construction and operation by the Vernon
Shell Road Company of a street car line
III the streets of the city of Savannah
herein specified upon the terms and con-
ditions herein mentioned
The streets granted MIR. Lester by the
ordinance are those mentioned by the
Morning News following the meeting of
the Committee of the Whole last week.
The route begins at the intersection of
the White Bluff road and Forty-second
street, whence it runs westward on Forty
second to West Broad, to Anderson, TO
Montgomery, to Bay. to East Broad, 10
Plant avenue, to Habersham, Crowded
the consent of the Savannah, Florida and
Western can be secured), to Estill avenue.
Until such time as it may have the right
to operate a belt line, the ordinance gives
the company the right to construct such
turnouts as it may need their number
and location to be determined by the Com
mittee on Streets and Lanes. Electricity
is allowed as the motive power.
Condition Imposed.
Then come the conditions. one of which
Is that the tracks be laid at such grades
in such places, with such rails, and in
such manner as may from time to time
be indicated by the Committee on Streets
and Lanes. The Shell Road Company if
accepting the franchise. must remove its
toll gate Immediately, without charge, one
mile south of the present corporate linn
it's, making the shell road free for that
mile. In addition to this upon the ex-
tension of the limits, the Shell Road Com
pany must relinquish it's right to charge
toll for the use of any part of
the road included within the ex-
tension, retaining, however, the right
to use either the east or west
margin of the road for the construction
of its railroad. The city agrees to keep
up such parts of the shell road as may
be surrendered by the extension of the
limits or by the removal of the toll gate
one mile south of the present location.
1t is expressly set forth that the grant
ing of the franchise does not in any way
affect the right of the city to pass other
ordinances or resolutions respecting the
privileges granted the use of any streets
by the railroad or the eXaction of a prop
erty, specific or business tax.
The franchise must be accepted by the
Shell Road Company within sixty days
may be day after tomorrow or on Mon
day. JAN 10, the date of the last meeting
OF the present Council. The company, TOO,
must give a bond of $1,000 for the compile
ton and operation of the road through
the streets named and to White Bluff
within twelve months from the date OF
its acceptance of the franchise, the time
barred by the sanitary regulations not to
be included in the twelve months. so far
as work in the city is concerned. This
bond is to be agreed upon, not as a pen
atty, but as liquidated and stipulated
damages. BY the forfeiture of it's bond,
the company would also forfeit its fran
chse.
The city reserves the right to grant the
Joint use of any track on any street
mentioned in the ordinance to any petit
toner, the damages for the use of the