The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-10
ELECTRIC co.'s PETITION.
Referred Back to Streets and Lanes
Committee.

The only action taken relative to
the petition of the Savannah Electric
Company for additional street rights
and privileges was its reference again
to the Streets and Lanes Committee,
with instructions to report to the Com
mittee of the Whole. 1t took this
course because it was an amended pc
tition. which had found it's way to
the Streets and Lanes Committee. but
had never been read before Council.
1t was thought that the advertisement
of the concessions desired should pre-
face any action taken by Council. The
members of the Streets and Lanes
Committee concurred in this view, so
that the matter took that course with
out opposition.
Both President George j. Baldwin
and Mr.. w. w. Osborne, of counsel for
the company, appeared before the Com
mittee of the Whole. They said they
wanted the concessions in order that
the operation of the system might be
made more satisfactory. Afterwards
Mr.. Baldwin said to a representative
of the Morning News that there should
be double track all the way on the
East and West Broad belt line if salts
factory service is afforded, and it was
for this reason the company had pe-
titioned for the right to lay a double
track on East Broad street and on Duff
~ street where none is now had. The
company, he said, recognize that be-
cause of its having no duoble track
On these sections that the service has
sometimes not been what the public
wanted, but it has been difficult to
realize the impossibility of affording
a perfect service with a portion of the
line but a single track.
To Fix Compensation.
This administration has declared for
policy of compensation for street
franchises. Street paving seems to
have been agreed upon, as rule, as
a return for rights granted. The
Streets and Lanes Committee recon-
mended the granting of the company's
petition, provided that it would pave
East Broad street, from Gwinnett to
Duffy street, the distance for which the
double track is desired. The material
to be used was not stipulated. that be-
ing left to the Committee of the Whole.
1t was only referred to, however, in the
Committee of the Whole. 1t remains
to be settled as to whether it shall be
Vitrified brick or oyster she'll
Another street railway matter that
received the attention of the Commit
tee of the Whole was the petition of
Mr.. D. B. Lesser, submitted on April
30. in which he asked for Price street,
from Bay street to Anderson: Anderson
street, from Price to Montgomery;
Montgomery street. from Bay street to
the southern extended limits, with some
street to connect Montgomery street
with the White Bluff road.
The Committee of the Whole report
ed to the Council, and its report was
adopted, granting the petition, pro-
vided that the petitioner pay the city
for the streets occupied at the rate of
81 running foot. and provided, also.
that the same conditions and terms
be annexed to the grant as are con-
tanned in the grant made some six
months ago, which Mr. Lester did not
accept. Two notifications, however.
were made yesterday, and the bond
required was made $4,000, instead of
$4,000. 1t is also required that the
electric railway line must be finished
within the corporate limits of Savan-
nah by Mr.. Lester by May 1, 1908
1t is not believed Mr.. Lester will ac-
cept this grant. When he was Of
fered franchise at 50 a running foot
before, he expressed himself as of the
opinion that the price demanded was
entirely too high.