The Savannah morning news., 1903-10-01
NO MORE TOLL TOPAY
PASSING OF THE LAST TOLL ROAD
IN CHATHAM COUNTY.
"FREE" SIGN HUNG ON GATE.
PEOPLE LIVING ALONG WHITE
BLUFF ROAD MADE HAPPY.

New order of Things Began mt 4
O'clock Yesterday Afternoon.
First Traveller to Pass Through
Free Had Paid Large Toll An
nuaIIy for 3S Yenrs-He Is :. VI.
BIiss-Benjami Harrison Paid the
Last INSTRUMENTATION Proceed
ings Recorded Yesterday-Money
to BE Paid To-day.
THE Vernon shell road. having pass
ed into the hands of the city of Sa-
Vannah and the county of Chatham.
is now a public highway; you will
therefore discontinue the collection of
toll after the receipt of this notice"
The above motive received by Mr.. P.
L. Constantine, toll gate keeper of the
Vernon shell road, at o'clock yes
terday afternoon, is the death war
rant to the toll system in Chatham
county. The order was signed by Mr..
w. S. Rockwell, president of the Yer
non Shell Road Company and by MIR.
D. &. Lester. it's secretary. Imme-
diately after it's receipt the first con-
Veyance which has passed through
the frowning old toll gate in nearly
fifty years, without the payment of
toll, passed gratuitousiy on, and hence
forward those who through force of
habit stop to pay, win be reminded of
the benefits accruing from the pur-
chase of the road by the county and
city.
Mr. S NJ. Bliss. who lives near the
six mile post on the road was the
first traveller allowed to pass without
the exaction of a toll 1t was a pleas
ant surprise to him. For thirty-eight
years he has paid in the neighborhood
of SIS annually in tolls. his contribu-
ton to the Golfers of the company,
which was charged with the mainte-
nance of the road, being nearly 500.
This sum is uncomfortable when COM
pared to the amounts paid by others
who have resided at White Bluff and
other points on the road.
Paid His Last Nickel.
Had Benjamin Harrison, a dusky
resident of Dittmersville, known of the
new order of things which was about
to go into effect and waited few
minutes longer to drive through the
gate, he would have been cents
better off. and would bear the dis
tinction of being the first to make his
entry under the municipal administra-
ton of affairs. for he was the last
person to pay a toll in the county.
While he does not enjoy the distinction
of being the first to go through free.
he is probably the last person who Will
ever pay a toll in Chatham county.
Mr.. Constantine found a peculiar
pleasure in informing travellers of the
receipt of the notice, even though 1t
meant the abolition of the position of
toll gate keeper He is personally &C
int All oh donf Of
the district. Had he all the sheckeis
which he has seen handed over the lit
tie railing at the gate, he could buy the
road over and over again. Plainly
visible. a sign has been tackled upon the
weather beaten toll gate. 1t bears the
single, but significant inscription
''Free.'
Appraisers Reported.
The report of the appraisers, ap-
pointed under the condemnation pro-
ceedings which were necessary in the
transfer of the property was fed in the
office of the clerk of the Superior Court
yesterday. There were two reports
one concerning the condemnation of
the portion of the road owned by the
county, and the other for that owned
by the city. The appraisers in both
cases were Mr.. Francis P. Mcintyre
for the county, Mr.. w. F. McCauley
for the shell road company and Capt.
F. d. Bloodworth, who was chosen by
the other two appraisers. The award
was as outlined in the Morning News,
the city being assessed $4,000 and the
county IS, 500.
A quit claim deed to the property.
accompanied by a $4,000 bond given
by Mr.. Lester. will be recorded to-
day. The notes given by the city will
be discounted and a warrant drawn
on the county treasurer for the coun-
TVS proportion in the purchase. The
amount has been available for some
time. The road is now the property of
the municipality. Work of resurfacing
will soon be commenced and ii will
in the near future be one of the finest