The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-24
NEW CITY LIMITS
WILL BE REPORTED ON AT NEXT
COUNCIL MEETING.
MEASUREMENTS BEING MADE.
1T is EXPECTED WORK WILL BE
FINISHED IN TINE.

Limits-It Will Mean an Addition
of Several Millions of Property,
However, and From 5000 TO 5000
in PopuIatiOn-QuestiO of n Term
of Exemption From Taxation for
Property Taken in by the Extern
sion Has Not Been Considered.
Precedent Is for such Exemption.
If LEGISLATORS Want 1t, Property
Owners Must Come In-MayOr's
Reasons for the Extension.
A report upon the extension of the
corporate limits OF Savannah will prob
ably be made at the next meeting of
the City Council on Sept. 4. A COM
mittee will then indicate what lines,
in it's opinion, the limits should reach.
Mayor Myers talked yesterday about
the projected extension of the limits.
He was asked if property owners,
whose possessions would be taken in
by the extension, would have any
means by which they might defeat the
plan. If the Legislators from Chatham
county and the state senator are not
opposed to the plan, but give it their
Endorsement, there will be no footing
left for property owners who may OBJ
Ject, he said.
The Mayor was asked If the same
conditions do not prevail in Savannah
as in Macon, where a fight has been
waged periodically between the city
and Vineville, a suburb, wherein many
citizens of wealth reside. The condi-
lions there are altogether different, he
said. The charter of the city of Ma
con does not admit of lands being an
nexed without the consent of ma
jority of those who are to be taken in.
The charter of Savannah has no such
provision. The corporate limits may
be extended by the Legislature at any
time without this consent of residents
as a sine qua non.
No doubt exists in the mind of the
Mayor that the legislators and the sem
ator will indorse the plan. He looks for
it to go through without opposition
from any one of them. The bill will
be prepared by the city attorney, pos
sibly assisted by one or more of the
legislators.
AS yet the Mayor and aldermen have
not gone into the details of the plan
for the extension of the limits. 1t is
not known whether the property taken
in will be subject to immediate taxa
tion or whether it will be determined
to allow the holders a lease of life for
a term of years. The Mayor was ask
ed about this. but was not ready to
commit himself In advance of action
by Council, he did not like to speak of
that phase of the question.
Nor did the Mayor know just what
extension of the limits is to be made.
He does not know how much of the
property now outside the limits will be
taken in. 1t is pretty certain, though
that the extension will not be "A slight
one for the Mayor called attention to
he fact that it has been eleven years
since there has been an extension of
the limits, and that the time is GER
tainly ripe for the movement.
When the limits were extended south
ward from Anderson street there was
a provision that the property taken
in would not be subject to taxation for
a term of five years. This was in or
der that owners of the property should
not have to pay taxes upon 1t untll
such time as it should enjoy all the
privileges and advantages of property
that had been longer part OF the
city, 1t was desired that electric lights
water connections made and other con-
yeniences afforded. The same Will
probably be the case when there is a
further extension, as precedentS are
difficult to put aside The term or free-
dom from taxation may not be so long,
but it is thought very probable that
the city will exempt the new possess
sions for a short time, at any rate.
Measurements are now being made
for the extension. 1t is not known den-
ritely by any one just how far II VIII
reach. Among the industries, now not
taxed by the city, that, 1t is SAID, VIII
be taken in, are the Gorrie Ice COM
pany's plant, the Savannah Cotton
Mills, the Savannah Guano Company
works, the Vale Royal mill, and num-
Der of others. More of the Plant Sys-
TEN property will be included within
the limits after their extension, and
the Seaboard Air Lines terminals on
Hutchinson's Island will be taken in
So, too, will that portion of the Central
Railways terminals that has not al
ready been included in the city's linn
it's. The Central will not be very
greatly affected, as nearly all of Its
yards, terminals, shops, ETC., are al
ready taxed by the city. The extension
would take in only little more of its
track over which 1t reaches the city.
The Seaboard Air Line would catch
it heavier than any other corporation
If the extension should be made to in
clude part of Hutchinson's Island, as
it is expected it will. There are several
hundred thousand dollars worth OF
property there land the taxes upon II
would be considerable. 1t has been sug-
gested that the prospect of paying out
taxes upon the property might prevent
the Seaboard from erecting its project
ed bridge across the Savannah river
to connect with the terminals on the
island, but Mayor Myers said he die
not think that would be the case. The
Mayor thinks the terminals should GER
tainly be included. The establishment
of the terminals, he said, has tended
TO decrease the value of wharf prop.
erty and terminals on the south side
of the river.
The total taxable property of Savan.
nah is now between $50, 900, 900 and $40,
100000 With an extension of the linn.
its as contemplated. there would be 9
great increase. Several millions Of
property would probably be added
That would mean a decrease in the
tax rate of the city. after the expira-
ton of whatever term might be fixec
for exemption of property that might
be taken in.
The population of the city would also
be considerably increased by the ex.
tension of the limits The extent o.
ha fFanW