The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-20
LESTER PROTESTED
BUT THE RESOLUTION GRANTING
FRANCHISE WAS PASSED.
MONTGOMERY AT 81 A FOOT.
IS DECIDEDLY MORE THAN MIR,
LESTER THINKS Is JUST.

Various Reasons Given by MIR. Lester
in Letter to Council why He Did
Not Think That the Resolution, ns
He Understood 1t Would BE
Drawn, should BE AdOpted-Out-
lined what He Would Like for
Council TO Give Him-Objected to
Being Called Upon to Give Up Part
of white Bluff Toll ROad-It Is BE-
Iicved That He VIII Not Accept
the Franchise Allowed Him.
A franchise for a street railway line
on Montgomery street was granted Mr..
d. B. Lester last night by the City
Council, and the terms were those in
Dictated in the Morning News yesterday.
If he accepts the franchise, he will
have to pay 81 foot for Montgomery
street, which will mean between $4,000
and 100000 He viii be required to give
bond for $4,000 for the completion of
the line within eighteen months from
the time work begins. and there are a
number of other requirements that Mr..
Lester regards as excessive. He does
not think at all well of the resolution
granting him the franchise, that was
passed by Council.
MIR. Lester was seen yesterday about
the street franchise that was to be
given him. He did not desire to be
quoted at ALL but it was clear enough
that he did not want such a franchise
as had been arranged for him. His
views were expressed in the following
nh Vxuac adj cd fn
ell and read last night, being received
as Information: e..
III the newspapers statements are
true IN reference to the conditions of
the franchise to be given tonight for
building the road to White Bluff / GER
tainly hope that there will be a great
many notifications made, so that it
will place it in the light of reason and
justice. l plead for this enterprise in
behalf of the people of Savannah and
only ask these privileges upon the same
basis and conditions that you have
been so literally bestowing upon the
old line system.
Since my petition for this enter
prise has been before City Council,
Barnard street has had an extra track
laid upon it for nearly two miles and
other valuable privileges have been
given away to the same system for
which they have practically paid moth
ing. 1t has not been two weeks since
your honorable body granted the use
of part of Bay street and part of
West Broad to the same company for
which they are not to pay penny.
AT the same time they have
granted other privileges for which
there is no compensation asked, and
for all they get under their last grant
they only have to pave something less
than 200 feet. l ask now in the light
of reason and fairness why is it, that
in the face of this liberality to the
present street car line, you have placed
such unreasonable burdens upon the
enterprise that / wish to bring to the
city and Chatham county? Now you
ask me to give up about half a mile of
Bull street. and stop me at a point on
the White Bluff road where it would
cost at least $50, 10000 to get from the
new extended limits west to MontgomG
cry street. and when there, there Is
no way of getting north to Forty-sec-
ond street. If there is any favoritism
shown between the old line and the
proposed new railroad, it should be in
favor of the new, as the old line wants
extensions for the purpose of making
more money and they do not propose
to build to a single new section, in
either our city or county, while the
new line comes to us solely as a devel-
oper OF both our city and county. and
promises to improve a section of our
county that will cost a vast sum OF
money and a section that the old line
will not perhaps reach within the next
thirty years.
with the view of getting this new
railroad the city should give Mont
gomery street free of cost and allow
the use of the White Bluff road to
Forty-second street with the under
standing, that as soon as the streets
in Tie extended limits are opened, the
railroad is to be taken up from Bull
street and put on Montgomery. Ii
you insist upon placing the above re-
strictions upon this franchise, you sim
ply mean that the southern section of
our county will never be developed
and you also mean that Savannah
shall not have a competing street rail-
road. as no set of men are able or
willing to buy whole city in order
TO improve an undeveloped county"
There were no adverse votes when
the question as to the adoption of the
resolution was put. the aldermen seem
ing to be agreed that the terms were
reasonable and just. After the meeting
one of the aldermen. commenting upon
Mr.. Testers letter. remarked that the
- Savannah Electric Company would
have to pay something like $1,000 for
the paving on Roberts street, and that
moreover, that was the only new street
that the company was given, as the
privileges allowed on other streets
were only in addition to those already
enjoyed on those streets.
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