The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-10
WITH ELECTRICITY
TROLLEY TO sUPPLANT MONTGOM-
cry MULE LINE.
CHANGE BEING DISCUSSED.
MULE TRAIN SERVICE TOO FAR BE-
HIND THE TIMES.


Montgomery Once ii Popular Resort
and Street Railway Company VIII
Probably Equip line Up-tO-Date.
President Parsons May BE Induced
to Make the Change-Change Dis
cussed by officials Engineer
Thomas and General Manager Nc
Intire Favor PIan-Captain john
ston Opposed to It-TaIlS of Troll
ley Idne to Warsaw - President
Parsons Had Little to Say About
This.
While Il cannot be stated authoritative
Iy, IL is quite likely that the mule line
between Sandiy and Montgomery viii be
eupplanted by an electric railroad in the
near future The matter was discussed
at the De Soto in an informal way last
night by President George Parsons, Direc-
tor Henry Parsons, General Manager L.
II. McIntire. Engineer Z. J. Thomas
and Capt. j. H. Johnston, treas
urer Of the Savannah, Thunderbolt and
Isle of Hope Railway. The question of
eouipping the line with electricity and
building up the suburb was only talked
about among other things, but
il is quite evidently the in
tention OF the companys Of
ficers TO do something TO make Montgom-
cry what It az one time was-a popular
summer resort Capt. Johnston IS unal-
terably opposed 10 the idea of expanding
more money on this line of the companys
M. e. III
as persistent in his Endorsement of the
scheme President Parsons did not ex-
press himself one way or the other, but
it IS believed that he could be induced
by eloquent arguments and persuasion"
TO agree to the change General Manager
McInure is inclined to favor the putting
in Of an electric system on this line and
Director Parsons apparently leans in the
same direction.
The present mule line IS being operated
at quite a loss to the company and it is
said that it would cost no more TO run
the cars by electricity. 1t would appear
that with good service persons could be
induced to build homes at Montgomery
and the revenue of the corporation from
this line would be increased materially.
This view is taken by those who have
studied the situation carefully and may
be expressed at the meeting Of the board
one of Savannah's prettiest suburbs and
with the proper facilities for reaching it
would become very popular as a summer
resort. At one time the street railway
company owned a handsome hotel at
Montgomery. This was burned down and
nothing more was ever done to keep the
resort in touch with the city. Because of
the out of date service from Sandhy to
Montgomery the place practically dropped
from sight
General Manager McIntire and Director
Henry Parsons may visit the resort by the
mule line to-day or tomorrow and when
their journey has been completed. 1t is
not known just how many hours or days
it will require to make the trip, it is safe
to predict that they win be heartily in
favor of running trolley cars in place of
the eighteenth century mule train.
There has been a good deal of talk Of
a trolley line to Warsaw Island. II has
been claimed that it would be a paying
enterprise and would at the same time
add to Savannah's popularity. Mr.. Par
sons was asked by a representative of
the Morning News If he had given the
matter any thought since his last visit
TO this city and if it is likely that such
a line win be constructed in the near fu-
ture. MIR. Parsons is the owner of War
saw Island. which carries along with it
one of the finest beaches on the Atlantic
Quasi ne NlA not express himself very
fully. although ne said that he would not
object to any person or corporation build
ing line to the island. He did not say
however. that If such a road were built
he would allow the patrons of the enter
pTisiag individuals to land on his property
or battle in his surf.
A member of the party discussed Sa-
vannah's street railway system and its
resorts and suggested that the new Union
depot would be built shortly, and that 1t
would be well for the companies in the
combination to equip a line to the island.
Excursions could be run from along the
lines of the railroads centering here, and
il would not be necessary for the compa-
MES to use the Central to Tybee. In this
way the Central would have a resort of
its own, as II were, at Tybee, and the
other roads would lead their pleasure
seekers to Warsaw. In this way the peo-
pie of Savannah would have two first
class summer resorts with unsurpassed
surf bathing. President Parsons offered
no comment on the suggestion, and at no
time stated that he would be willing TO
give up his private island to the public.
Mr.. Parsons expressed himself as being
very well pleased with the system in Sa-
vannah. and said that improvements
would be made before the summer sea-
son begins. Mr.. Parsons visited the point
at Thunderbolt, where the casino is being
built, and appeared pleased with the way
the work is progressing. Engineer Thomas
is in charge of the improvements. and
promises the public one of the prettiest
places of its kind in the South. President
Parsons instructions were to spare no
expense in making the casino and the
grounds attractive and comfortable. Mr.
Parsons stated that Vice President ]. II.
Fall will most likely arrive from Nash
vile to-day.