The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-10
AFTER THE OFFICES
sAvANNAII'S FIRST GUN IN FIGHT
FOR A. C. L. HEADQUARTERS.
MAYOR WRITES PRESIDENT.
ASKING THE COMPANY TO MAKE
SAVANNAH ITS HEADQUARTERS.

Col. j. H. EstiII Suggested This
Course 10 Mayor Myers-Letter the
Mayor Wrote to President w. G.
EIIiott-MnyOr Myers Discusses the
Advantages Savannah Ofers-Sug-
gests That the Commercial Bodies
Take the Matter Up-Interest in
Question of officials of the COnsOl-
dated System-If Not General on
ces. Then Division Offices Seem
Open TO All.
Savannah wants the general head
quarters of the consolidated railway
Atlantic Coast Line assumes the con-
troll of the Plant System of Railways.
On all sides expressions have been
heard, all tending to the same desire
that the general offices be established
at Savannah. Yesterday the first step
was taken in the hope of securing this
great advantage for Savannah.
Mayor Herman Myers addressed a
letter to President w. G. Elliott of
the Coast Line, asking that Savannah
be made the company's headquarters.
This course was suggested to the Mayor
by telegram received from Col. ].
H. Estill, who was in Atlanta. The
following is the Mayors letter:
Letter to President Elliott.
MIR. W. G. Elliott. President At
lantic Coast Line. Wilmington, N. c.:
Dear Sir-Being advised that your
company has purchased the Plant Sys-
TEN of railroads and will assume con-
troll in the near future, 1 venture in
behalf of the people of Savannah to
extend an invitation to make this city
the headquarters of the greater con-
solidated system. If Savannah should
be so favored, every concession possi-
BILE viii be given. and every considera-
ton shown by its municipal govern
ment to justify the selection.
1T would be useless for me to reiter-
ate Savannah's advantages for head
quarters of this kind It's central To-
cation, superior facilities of every kind
and prospective development are
doubtless we'll known to you. If any
information, though, may be desired
it will be cheerfully furnished. Very
respectfully, Herman Myers, Mayor"
Knows Savannah's Advantages.
president Elliott" said the Mayor,
to a representative of the Morning
News, "of course knows more about
the situation than l do. He is in
position that demands that he make
himself familiar with every point along
his system, and along that line of
great mileage that is to be added to 1t.
He knows just what advantages Sa-
vannah offers as a point for general
headquarters of the consolidated sys-
tenn; so 1t is useless for anyone to dwell
upon statements of the central loca-
ton of the city on the system, the ease
and facility with which officials could
reach any part of the line, the CONNER
cial Importance of the city. it's devel-
opment in railways and steamship
lines and many other considerations.
Savannah is the most important
place on what is to be the Atlantic
Coast Line system. 1t does the largest
business and its shipping interests are
the greatest Il is a competitive point
~1ere there Is strong effort made by
TIE several lines 10 secure the business.
3 #s4zss- therefore. be to the marked
21rzEEsgs Of the company to establish
EsaGzuzFtsrs here. for Savannah mer-
chants and business men would appre-
cate that. and the company would
md that il would get a great deal
more business than it would if head
quarters Of the system were elsewhere.
For Commercial Bodies.
The commercial bodies of Savannah
should take up this matter 1t is not
really the place of the municipality. The
Board of Trade and the Cotton Ex-
change should take some action, invit-
ing the company to establish its head
quarters here and assuring it of their
good will and support.
Il do not believe that the prospec-
tive consolidation threatens the COM
mercial interests of Savannah in any
way. The company certainly would do
nothing to hurt the port"
No confirmation of the prospective
officials Of the consolidated system, as
outlined in the Morning News yester-
day, in dispatch from New York, has
been received at the general offices of
the Plant System. Officials and clerks
here are still in the dark and they do
not know whether or not they will land
with the new system.
1t has been generally conceded that
Col. B. w. Wrenn, passenger traffic
manager of the Plant System, would be
cared for with the same position on the
Coast Line. Freight Traffic Manager
d. f. Jack of the Plant System is said
to be slated for general freight agent
of the Atlantic Coast Line, but an
other report has it that Mr.. Jack viii
retire from railroad business.
The Talked of Slate.
The slate. as made up, makes no
provision at all for the operating de-
partment, and it is hard to hazard
guess. Under the efficient manage
ment of General superintendent w.
B. Denham, the Plant System has
prospered greatly, and it is hardly
likely that some flattering offer will
not be made him by the Coast Line.
superintendent of Transportation w.
j. Haylow has also discharged the du-
ties of his position with signal abil-
ity, and, he, too, will doubtless be
sought by the Coast Line.
Divisions will, of course, be estab-
lished by so large a system. and pres
ent general offices of either the Coast
Line or the Plant System will doubt
less be provided with positions as as
sistant general officers or division Of
f1cers that will be equally as lucrative
and almost as important as those