The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-23
TO LAY MORE TRACK
SAVANNAH ELECTRIC CoMPANY'S
PETITION TO COUNCIL.
MORE STREETS ARE WANTED
FOR SWITCHES, CONNECTIONS AND
DOUBLING OF TRACKS.

Coupany Asks for Portions of Rob-
crts. West Broad. Gwinnett, East
Broad and bay Streets-Wants to
Perfect Its System and Improve
Its Service-NOthing Set Forth IN
the Petition Relative to COmpen-
sation for Franchises-Sentim
of the Present A1dermanic Board
Is for such Compensation as
Sine Qua Non for Franchises-Mr.
ID. II. Lester Also Petitions for
Line to White Bluff.
The Savannah Electric Company
wants TO extend its street railway
system. A petition to the City Coun-
Gil was read at the meeting
last night, setting forth what
additional rights and privileges in the
use of streets, above those that were
enjoyed by the companies the electric
absorbed. are desired.
The petition sets forth that for the
purpose of perfecting its street rail-
way system and of affording better
facilities to the public and giving to
the city of Savannah a first-class, up
to-date, modern street railway SER
vice" it is desired TO obtain from the
city the right to use for street rail-
way purposes the following streets in
the way named:
ITO lay a single track in Roberts
street, from West Broad street to
Cemetery street, and to place such
curves at the junction of West Broad
street and Roberts street as may be
required to make proper connection
of the tracks.
ITO lay an addition track in Bay
street, from Barnard street to the west
side of Jefferson street.
ITO lay a track in Gwinnett street,
from Habersham street to Abercorn
street, with such curves at the juno
ton of Gwinnett street and Abercorn
street and at Habersham street and
Gwinnett street as may be required to
make proper connection of the tracks.
ITO lay an additional track in West
Broad street, commencing at Stone
street and running northward about 500
feet.
ITO lay an additional track on East
Broad street, from Gwinnett street to
Duffy street.
ITO erect such poles and construct
such overhead electrical equipment as
may be necessary in the use and oper-
alton of the franchises aforesaid and to
operate cars upon the tracks afore-
said"
Nothing is said in the petition about
compensation for the franchises that
the company seeks, but it is improp-
able that the present Council would
grant them for nothing. Last sum-
mer, when the report upon the franchise
petitions that had been filed by five
applicants was made and an ordinance
adopted, it was stipulated that pay
ment should be made for the route that
was set forth as available for street
railway purposes. None of the appli-
cants thought enough of the goods Of
fered to make a bid. There is no rea-
son to believe that the opinion of the
majority of the board has changed,
and if a petitioner gets street rail-
way right, it is probable that he will
have to pay for it.
The object of the projected line on
Roberts street, though it is not set
forth in the petition, is TO afford a
place Tor cars 10 StanQ WnlIe waiting
for the trains that will come into the
Savannah Union Station.
Lester Petitions Again.
With a persistence that is remark
able, in view of the lack of success
that his efforts have brought, Mr.. ID.
p. Lester continues to hammer away
at his plan to build a street railway in
Savannah. He came to the fore again
yesterday with a petition that must
be well up among the teens in
an enumeration of those he has sub
United to Council. So accustomed has
Council grown to receiving commune
cations from Mr.. Lester upon this
question of street railway franchises
that a new one never fails in elicitins
a smile from most of the members OF
the board that may be present. This
smile was not only visible last night
lit was audible, If something that is
not quite laugh may be so described
What Mr.. Lester seeks this time is
the right to build line on Montgom-
cry street to Bay street or to the mar
ket, as he says that the line through
the market is not now used. He also
wants to build on Best or King street,
in order that he may construct a line
from the city to White Bluff. Both
petitions were referred to the Com
mittee of the Whole.