Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-12-19
Only a Refusal To Lease
From the State Can
Prevent Building
of Station.

Now. after two years of agitation, that
the city Of Atlanta has received the sane
ton of the state to construct new union
passenger station on the states property,
and the bill for such a purpose has be-
come effective. the one proposition pend
ing is what the action of the railroads
centeTing in Atlanta will be.
Before the commission which is ready
to begin work can make any plans look
ing to the construction of the depot an
agreement must be reached with all the
railroads to the effect that they will use
the depot AFTER it is completed; that they
will not withdraw from the terminal ia
cilities thus Afforded and that the lease
on the new depot by these roads will ex-
tend over a period OF years as great as the
lease of, the state road by the Nashville.
Chattanooga and st. Louis railway now
has to run. T.
The situation is regarded as In its last
analysis, and as a very simple one. II
the railroads will accept lease upon the
new property at rental which snail
amount to six per cent on the amount in
vested in the new building, or If the build
ing costs S50O,00O as proposed, which Is
the maximum limit under the bill, it will
be $50, 900.
About a year ago the railroads made
proposition to the states representa-
tives, to this effect. but at that time
these representatives were not In posi-
ton to agree to the proposition. An eff
fort was made last summer by the special
legislative depot committee which framed
the depot bill, to get a renewal of this
proposition or a similar one from the rail-
roads, but the roads would not then re-
peat It,
The first work before the new commits
sion now is to secure an agreement with
the railroads having terminal facilities
in the present depot to use the new depot
upon certain terms when 1t is completed.
1t is believed by those deeply interested
in the matter and familiar with the sit
uation that the railroads and the COM
mission will be able to come to an agree
ment which wills be advantageous to both
sides. There has arisen since the passage
of the depot. bill much favorable opinion,
in favor of the use OF the new depot by
the railroads, and railroad officials in At
lanta think that II a splendid structure,
such as is proposed, is placed on the pres
ent depot site, 1t will be acceptable to
the railroads as terminal facilities.
The most important road. on account Of
the number of trains entering Atlanta
controlled by it, which the commission
will have to agree with, is the Southern.
Although the officials of the Southern
decline, at this time, to make any definite
statements, they look with favor upon the
proposed plan, 1t is said and with this
much in view the probability of new
depot in Atlanta is regarded as now an
almost certainty. Immediately after the
agreement is reached with the railroads
the commission will begin to prepare plans
and specifications for the construction of
the new building.
The Present Rental.
The rental paid by roads other than the
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis, les
sees of the state road, for terminals in
the depot is $S1. 900 per year.
Under the terms Of the present lease the
Southern pays to the lessees for depot
facilities for the Georgia Pacific, East
Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia railroad
and the old Richmond and Danville roads
S22, 500. The Seaboard Air Line pays 1880
per year. These amounts go direct TO the
Nashville, Chattanooga and ST. Louis
road.
IRE southsin and Seeboa q: also pay
$1,000, which goes to tho Central, the
Georgia, the West Point and the Western
and Atlantic roads, pro rata, for what is
known as use, the four roads named nav
ing what Is claimed by them as an equit-
able ownership in the property.
The Southern pays nothing for the en-
trance of the Georgia Midland and the At
lanta and Florida roads into the depot.
All these contracts would be cancelled
in case Of an agreement with the depot
commission. When the former proposition
was made TO the state by the roads to
lease a new depot the Central Of Georgia
and West Point roads agreed to surren-
der their equitable interests.
Under a new agreement all the roads
would likely come in upon an equal wheel
or train basis.