The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-14
CAN'T GET THE BAY
OMISSION IN FRANCHISE ORDI-
NANCE TO BE CORRECTED.
WANT NO FOURTH TRACK.
AS ORDINANCE STANDS. ONE MIGHT
BE CONSTRUCTED.

City Council Committee VIII Prob
ably Meet Tomorrow to Consider
the Ordinnnce-If n Clause PrOhib-
itinM a Fourth Track on Bay street
IL fnterpoIated, the Petitioners, in
the Event They Accept the ordi-
nance, VIII Probably Have to Go
Before the Legislature to Get Com
domination of a Track Now Used
by the 8. n. a 1. of IL. Co.
The City Council Committee having the
revision of the ordinance granting privi-
3eges and street franchises to the Yer
non Shell Road Company assigned 10 it
will probably meet tomorrow afternoon
to take up its work A meeting was to
be held this afternoon. but some of the
members requested that it be postponed
until tomorrow. and this will probably be
done. Aldermen Frank, Dixon. Jones,
Watson and Colding are the committee.
A question that will confront the com
mittee will be the correction of an omis-
sion in the ordinance, This omission was
mentioned yesterday by the Mayor, who
said that the correction will be made be-
fore the ordinance finds its way back to
Council. The ordinance, as it now reads.
gives the Vernon Shell Road Company the
right to bn1d and operate on Bay street,
together with Others, and that is the very
thing that some Of the strongest oppon-
ents to there being fourth track on Bay
street have sought to avoid. BY an over
sight, however. no exception Of Bay
street was made. and it stands in the or
dinance upon exactly the same basis as
the other streets upon which rights are
granted.
Violent protests against fourth track
on Bay street have been made by some
of the aldermen. Among those opposing
the further impeding of traffic on that
street by the construction of a fourth
track Is Alderman Thomas. 1t was
thought possible that the ordinance might
be passed as il stands, without any
special provision as to Bay street being
made. but notice of the omission has been
taken. and it seems very probable that
there Will be an Interpolation that will
prevent the laying of fourth track
1t is for a snort distance on Bay street
that the three tracks extend. The com
nittee may decide that the new company
may build another track on Bay where
there are now but two tracks. but il is
said it will not allow a fourth track to
be constructed to parallel the three al
ready used by the Savannah. Thunder
bolt and Isle of Hope Railway.
Though there seems to be some hazi-
ness of opinion upon the question, it is
said the Vernon Shell Road Company
in the event it accepts the franchise
granted by the city, viii have to get the
Legislature to condemn such portion OF
the Savannah. ThuHderbolt and Isle of
Hope tracks on Bay street as it may de-
sire to use. The city, it is said, has nc
right to condemn the property and that
power lies only with the Legislature. As
the ordinance now stands. the petitioners
would Be entitled to proceed with the con-
struetion of a track along Bay street,
with no necessity for condemnation by
the state, of track already in use by
the rival Company
The other section of the ordinance upon
which the committee win have to expend
some thought, is that relative to the
strenuous objection raised by the petition
sers to the clause in the ordinance that
admits of the use of any tracks they may
establish by new street railway COM
panies. No slight labor is before the COM
mittee, and after its work is completed,
there may be still more to be done by
the Committee of the Whole before the
ordinance is again read in open Council.