The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-30
BAY WOULD BENEFIT
so A PROPERTY OWNER THINKS
OF RAILROAD TRACKS.
A. B. PALMER FAV0RS PLAN.
WANTS COUNCIL TO HEAR FROM
THOSE CONCERNED.


II Present Conditions Are Not Chang
ed, Other Wholesale Houses Will
Move to Railroad Yards-Can't
Meet Competitors, When Expenses
Are Much Heavier-Laying Oe
Tracks would Attract Merchants.
Property Has Already Deprecated.
MIR. Palmer Suggests Tracks ON
western strand as an Experiment.
Retail Houses Would Never Live
on the Street.
Mr.. A. B. Palmer of the Palmer
Hardware Company is heartily in IA
vor of the plan of the Seaboard Air
Line to lay railroad tracks on Bay
street and on the Strand west of the
City Exchange. He thinks that the
City Council should hear from property
owners on Bay street before taking any
action.
Mr.. Palmer says that the valuation
of the property on Bay street west of
the Exchange. has already deprecated,
and that something must be done. He
believes that the building OF the tracks
would increase the valuation of the
property and thinks that the expert
ment could be made without any harm.
Mr.. Palmer predicts that unless some
thing of this sort is done, other whole
sale houses will have to move off the
Bay, and seek the railroad yards. He
does not believe, either, that retail
houses will ever occupy the street.
II don't think that Council should
turn the railroad company's petition
down until the property owners have
been given an opportunity to express
themselves on the project. If they
favor the granting of the privilege,
should think 1t would be the duty of
the aldermen to act in accordance with
the wishes of those who are affected.
l can see no reason why the company
should not be permitted to run tracks
on the south side of the Strand, as far
as the City Exchange. l believe that
the buildings now vacant would soon
be occupied if this were done, and that
the plan would be found to be a
good one. The track on the south side
of the Strand would be the main line,
and there would be side tracks running
to the doors of the several houses.
II don't believe that the laying of
the railroad tracks would cause those
firms that have left the street for the
railroad yards to return, but I do be-
lieve that others would take their
places. Then, too, unless something
of this sort is done, the other firms
will have to find quarters in the rail-
road yards, and the street will be de-
serted. AS matters are now, goods
can be handled at less cost in the rail-
road yards, and the firms on the Bay
cannot keep up with their competitors
If they remain where they are under
the present conditions. With the
tracks put down as suggested, the IA
cilities for handling freight would be
as satisfactory as in the railroad yards.
and the expense of hauling would not
be experienced.
There is nothing in the theory that
firms handling light goods could be
induced to occupy the Bay street build
ings under the present conditions.
The lighter goods are more bulky,
and the drayage would really be
greater than in the case of the heavy
goods. To me it appears that the
building of railroad tracks is the only
real solution of what is serious
question. There is no reasO Or say
Ing that because permission ) given
to put tracks on the Strand west of
the Exchange that the same thing
must follow east of the municipal
building. Let Council try tracks on the
West Strand, and II they prove salts
factory take up the matter of tracks
on the south side of Bay street proper.
l don't think that the petition of the
Seaboard should be turned down. The
board should carefully consider this
question of vital importance and say
just what it would be willing to give.''
Mayor Myers takes a similar stand
on the question that will be taken up
by Council at it's meeting Wednesday
The Mayor believes that the building
of the railroad tracks on the street is
the only thing that will cause the
property to go back to it's former value
Because of the removal of some of the
wholesale houses, the holdings have
deprecated and the owners are much
concerned on the subject.
When the question of railroad tracks
on Bay street was under consideration
some two years ago Council decided
to call in Bay street property owners,
In order that IL might be facilitated in
reaching conclusion. 1t was thought
up to the time of the meeting that
was attended by the property owners,
that there was a strong chance that the
privilege to lay tracks would be grant
ed the petitioning companies, but the
consensus of opinion of those who APP
peared before Council was that there
should be no tracks. Upon this, Coun-
Gil acted, and the petitions were turn
ed down. Mr.. Palmer's suggestion
therefore, is for movement that be-
fore resulted in the Illustration of the
hopes of the railroads that sought to
lay tracks on the street. 1t is posi-
hle that sentiment has changed. now,
and that a showing made by property
owners might induce Council to grant
the desired permission.