The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-01
GWINNETT CUT OUT
COUNCIL WON'T ALLOW A TRACK
ON THAT STREET.
so DECIDED IN CAUCUS.
AFTER HEARING FROM ELECTRIC
COMPANY AND PROPERTY OWNERS

Meeting of Council Was Graced by
Ladies-They Were Interested in
the Spirited Talk About the Pc
tition of the Savannah Electric
Company for Track Gwinnett
Street-Hon. j. f. Cam Repre-
scented the Directing Property
Owners and Residents-Hon. w.
w. Osborne Replied for the Rail-
way Company-Plan That Will
Probably BE Adopted.
1t is seldom that the gatherings of
the City Council are graced by fem
mine presence, but there was an in
terest about the meeting yesterday
afternoon that served to draw a num-
Der of ladies, and they did not once
give evidence of being in the least
bored by the proceedings. 1t would
have been strange had they showed
ennu for there was enough in the way
of sprightly talk. subtle argument,
spirited reply. caustic wit and touch
ing eloquence to lend an interest that
does not always attach to the deliber-
ations of the body that governs the
CITY,
The question of street railway on
Gwinnett street, between Abercorn
and Habersham, was that whose burn
ing interest was responsible for the
attendance of ladies, who appeared I'M
der the escort of husbands or friends.
Among those who sat, interested audi
tors, throughout the meeting were Mr..
and Mrs. ]. F. C. Myers, Maj. and Mrs.
Edward Karow, Mr. and Mrs. J. ].
Cummings, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lowell,
Mr.. and Mrs. w. E .Seabrook, Mrs.
Herbert Moore and Mrs. Pratt Adams.
Opposed to this array was but a
street railway president, it's general
manager and its attorney Mr.
George j. Baldwin, Mr.. G. o. Maggie
and Mr.. w. w. Osborne. On one side
of the room sat the ladies and their
escorts-on the other sat their friends,
the enemy. Between the opposing
forces. with every member present, sat
the City Council to pass Judgment in
the case that was submitted to its wis
dom.
Property owners and residents of that
portion of Gwinnett street named had
submitted a pteition to Council, pro-
testing against the granting of a street
railway privilege through it. Hon. J.
Ferris Cam appeared on behalf of the
protesting owners and residents TO
show why the petition of the Savannah
Electric Company to construct such
line should not be granted. Mr.. Cam
was rendered the privilege of the floor,
and he made a speech against the
granting of the privilege that won him
the congratulations of its opponents.
Mr.. Cam held that the desired track
on Gwinnett street is not needed, as It
would not facilitate the companys SER
vice. He suggested the use of the Lib
erty street line for a Thunderbolt serv-
ice. as that would afford much more
rapid communication between the West
Side and Bolton street junction than
the roundabout routes of the Abecron-
Barnard Whitaker belt.
Then new company, Mr.. Cam said,
does not want the track on Gwinnett
street to facilitate and improve its
service, but to simply make it easier to
house it's cars by running them via
Gwinnett street to the car sheds. Boil
ton street is as much of a connection
as is needed in that locality, he said
and 1t is ample for the interchange of
traffic between the lines on Habersham
and Abercorn streets.
Promises, said the speaker were made
by Mr.. Parsons when he got a monop-
oily of the street railway franchises of
Savannah, but those promises were not
made good The same thing, he said,
would prove the case If ear were given
to the promises of the Savannah Elec-
friP IN
in return for the granting of additional
privileges. There would be no legal
obligation upon the company to make
good it's promises, and it would not
do So
Hall Street Suggested.
Hall street was suggested by Mr..
Cam as a thoroughfare over which
the company might run its cars build
ing a track there between Habersham
and Abercorn streets. That, he said,
would give line Immediately in front
of the home of President Baldwin,
which is at the corner of Hall and
Lincoln streets. Besides, he said, there
would be no future expense of paving
to be considered. if Hall street were
taken, for the reason that Hall street
is already paved, while the company,
if it should lay a track on Gwinnett
street, would be confronted by the
prospect of eventually having to pay
it's proportion of the cost. Mr.. Cam
was impressed, apparently, with the
belief that Mr.. Baldwin was no more
anxious to have the track run in front
of his residence than were the Gwin-
net street residents TO have 1T run be-
fore their doors.
Mr.. w. p Hardee followed Mr..
Cam, speaking briefly against the
granting of the petition of the COM
pany, in so far as Gwinnett street was
concerned. for the reason that there
is already such a network of railways
in that vicinity as to impair the safety
of children. He seemed to think that
the cars would run over the little ones,
If a track were laid. on Gwinnett street.
Mr.. Osborne answered for the street
railway company, first. replying to Mr..
Hardee, reminding him that tracks
had been laid through streets of Savan-
nah wherein the population was re-
plete with children. Il could think of
no street." said Mr.. Osborne, "whereon
there would be less damage likely 10
be inflicted upon children than Gwin-
nett.
For the Public Service.
"The Savannah Electric Company
said Mr.. Osborne, docs not consider
that ii is asking a favor of the city
in its petition for the privileges II
seeks, but rather that 1t is trying tC
do the public a service by improving
its schedules. and affording transpor.
tation facilities for the people al
large. The company recognizes thai
there have been complaints OF tn,
service rendered, and that these com
plants have been due. largely. TO tn,
fact that through cars TO Thunder