The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-20
A PLEA FOR
STREET EXTENSION.
Time of the City to Secure Rights
of Way.

Time of the City to Secure Rights
of Way.
Editor Morning News: Kindly per-
nit me to use your columns in direct
ing attention to a matter which is of
considerable interest to the tax payers
generally. 1 note with a great deal of
satisfaction tn. energy displayed by
the chairman of our Street and Lane
Committee in pushing the work OF
paving many of our streets. The paw
ing of streets and street opening are
of great Importance in the up build
ing of a city, and increasing values
of taxable property. Our city fathers
have not up to the present time given
proper attention to the opening of
streets Wherever streets are promptly
opened, real estate abutting increases
largely in taxable values, and hence
the income to the city from taxation
is greatly increased. Not only is this
true but where streets are not prompt
ly opened, many obstacles spring up,
for which the city must ultimately
pay, and it has been clearly demon
strated that the longer city waits in
the extension of the streets, the more
money it costs the tax payers.
have in mind quite number of
locations in which street opening was
neglected in former years and property
owners proceeded to build as they
thought best, and to-day many OF
such streets are left only partly open,
which greatly mars the appearance,
and undoubtedly depreciates values.
Some years ago when the Dillon
and other tracts in the southern por-
ton OF the city were for sale. it was
believed by a number of the Council
men at that time that it would be wise
for the city to purchase those tracts,
or the street ways. The city bought
a part of the Dillon tract but as l
recollect it, one of the city fathers
took the position that If the people
who owned the other part of that tract
wanted streets opened through their
land that they should open them them
selves. The result was the city grew
up to this property it commenced TO
purchase streets ranging In price
from 121ac. to 75c. per square foot; and
this same policy if pursued must con-
tinue to cost the tax payers a great
deal more money than if our worthy
chairman on opening streets would
pursue a more business like course In
making extensions or securing property
therefor, In advance of immediate de-
mand and while prices are low.
II read with some interest few days
ago a report of the conference between
President Erwin of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad Company and our May
or and several of the aldermen, the
purpose of the conference being to Sc
cure the co-opera ton of the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad Company for the
opening of Waldburg ond other streets
across the right of-way of the Atlantic
Coast Line Railroad Company. l note
that President Erwin was quoted as
stating that he was ready and willing
to Cooperate with the city in the open
Ing of streets, and the impression APP
parently made upon the Mayor and al
dermen was that they could expect his
full co-1operation. Now, while do not
question the desire of President Err
win to cooperate with the city, his
first duty is to the corporation which
he represents. I remember with regret
a cOntalct that was made something
ike five years ago with the then Plant
system. of which Mr. Erwin was presi-
dent and by which only certain streets
would be opened across the tracks or
the Plant System for five years, and
my observation has been that up to the
expiration of that time the growth OF
the southeastern portion of the city
was greatly retarded. not only 20 the
uetrimcnt Of the owners OF the proper
", but 10 the income Of the city, which
had been very much less than N the
streets had been opened AT the time
mentioned. II will be well for the May
or and aldermen not 10 make the same
mistake IN dealing with the railroad
corporation that was made five years