The Savannah morning news., 1903-08-20
AGAINST CROSSINGS
ALDERMAN GRAYSON'S RESOLU-
TION ADOPTED BY COUNCIL.
ONLY ONE PROTEST ENTERED
COMMITTEE WILL WORK AGAINST
GRADE CROSSINGS.

| Resolution Onere0 ny Alderman
GrnysOn at a Previous Meeting
Put Through in "a Hurry Yester-
day and Special Committee Was
| Increased from Three to Five.
Alderman Davant Stated His OBJ
lection in Writing-COpies of Res
OIutiOn Will BE Sent to Interested
Parties at Once-COunciI in Earn
est.
Without a single change being made
Alderman W. L. Grayson's strong res
olution condemning grade crossings
and calling for immediate action on
the part of the city was passed by
Council yesterday afternoon.
In the open meeting only one alder
| man went on record as being opposed
to the language of the resolution. AL
| placed his objection in writing to go
on record. Not another voice of pro-
test was heard and action of some
sort will be taken at once.
And now comes Alderman Davant,"
said Clerk Dreamer, as he read the
following from slip of paper: II de-
sire to go on record in opposition to
the resolutions in present form, as a
matter of business policy in dealing
with the situation, but favoring the
abolition of such crossings as the COM
mittee deems wise. r. I. Davant.'
Committee Endorsed.
AS soon as the resolution was passed
Acting Mayor Dixon added Aldermen
Grayson and Glatigny to the commit
tee of which Mayor Myers is chair
man. Alderman Thomas and Mr..
Dixon are the other members. Copies
of the resolution will be sent to-day to
President Erwin of the Atlantic Coast
Line and President Baldwin of the Sa-
vannah Electric Company and a con-
ference will be arranged for at once.
The resolution that has caused such
stir and that was supported in it's
entirety when first read by only AL
dermen Grayson and Garfunkel, is as
follows:
Whereas with the growth and ex-
pansion of the city it is apparent to
the public generally that grade cross
ings are dangerous and are becoming
more dangerous daily and;
Whereas, it is the desire of the
Mayor and Aldermen of the city of
Savannah to give to the citizens every
proper protection against the risks in
cident to the use of grade crossings,
and as in other cities as far as prac-
ticable grade crossings have been
abandoned and the railway tracks ele-
waited or tunneled. and as most of the
grade crossings in the city of Savan-
nah are without any protection what
ever, and
Must Open Streets.
Whereas, it will be necessary for the
city of Savannah as the city grows to
open streets at various points and
thus increases the number of crossings
necessary to be used; it is the desire
of City Council that reasonable protec-
ton should be given to it's citizens
who must make use of the streets of
Savannah at said crossings, and;
Whereas, in the recent accident at
one of these grade crossings two peo-
pie lost their lives and many others
were dangerously injured, and as the
pending negotiations of a committee
from this Council looking to giving
the citizens better protection have
failed to improve conditions and as it
is apparent to the Mayor and Alder
men of the city of Savannah that i'm
to give to the citizens generally that
protection to which they are entitled,
Therefore be it resolved, by the
Mayor and Aldermen in Council as
sembled That the committee already
appointed be increased to five, the
Mayor or acting mayor to be the
chairman of said committee, and that
said committee Immediately take up
the question with the officials of the
railroads entering Savannah, as well
as the officials of the street railway
company, and ask their prompt CO.
operation in bringing about a safer
and more modern protection at the
crossings upon the various streets of
Savannah.
To Work at Once.
Resolved further, That said commit
tee of five Immediately proceed upon
their duties and that they report at
the next regular meeting of Council
the result of their efforts.
Resolved further, That Council rec
ognizes the Importance Of this i'm
provement being brought about at AS
early date as possible, first, because
it is necessary for out citizens to use
said crossings, and, second, because
Council recognized that at any time
serious accidents may occur in which
a number of our citizens may lose
their lives; third, because any failure
or delay in carrying out the efforts of
City Council in placing the proper
safeguards as indicated in this reso-
luton, must of necessity retard the
expansion and growth of the city. If
for any reason the officials of the va
rious corporations who are interested
are not accessible by mail so as to
avoid any unnecessary delay, that the
committee provided as above, be and
they are hereby empowered to COM