The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-12
SPRUNG A SURPRISE
capt. w. t. GIBSON OPPOSED HIS
COMPANY'S REQUEST
N AUGUSTA BRIDGE CASES.
EXPLAINED THAT HE APPEARED
IN HIS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY.

YOIunteer witness Is General Man
aver and One-third Owner of the
Southern transportation Com
many. which Is One of the Prin-
cipaI Petitioners In the Cnse-City
of Augusta Withdrew Objections.
Represented That Savannah
would Be Much BENEFITED by the
Installation of Draws in the
Bridges.
A great deal of interest attached to
khe hearing of the Augusta bridge
rases before Col. Quinn, the new Unit
I'd States engineer. yesterday. The
hearing occupied the attention of the
division engineer for more than four
hours, the prominent Augustans who
attended the hearing in order to add
strength to their application, return
ing to their homes in the afternoon.
1t was represented that the equip
ping of the bridges with draws would
result in great benefit both to the COM
mercial interests of Augusta and Sa-
vannah, and the country tributary by
reason of the fact that the amount
Of traffic on the river would be great
ly enhanced the river being used in
stead of the railroad in all cases where
despatch was not demanded.
Reversed His Decision.
The decision of the engineer was, Of
course, reserved. The record will be
sent on TO Washington at an early date
with his Endorsement. All of the sworn
testimony adduced at the hearing was
favorable to the contentious of the pc
titioners, except that of Capt w. L.
Gibson. general manager for the South
ern Transportation Company, which
operates line of steamboats, between
Savannah and Augusta. The attorney
for the Southern Railway, which was
the sole objector, the city of Augusta
having withdrawn it's objections, con-
tented himself with a statement of
facts acting both as attorney and wit
ness, and inviting correction if he made
any mistatement.
The hearing was begun by the read
ing of the congressional enactments
governing the hearing by Col Quinn,
after which the various petitions, con-
tanning the favorable Endorsements of
former engineer of the Savannah Dis
triet Capt. Cassius E. Gillette, were
read. Capt. Ginette's recommendation
is to the effect that the owners of the
bridges be made to construct draws
eighty feet wide through the bridges
by Jan. l, 1904.
sprung Surprise.
The surprise of the investigation was
sprung in the volunteer testimony OF
Capt. w T. Gibson of Savannah
general manager of the Southern
Transportation Company. He explain
ed that he appeared in his individual
capacity to protest against the grant
ing of the petition filed by his COM
pany. He considered that the in
stallation of the draws would be q
great disadvantage to his company, be.
cause of the difficulty and danger il
passing drought them. He favored
the construction of a track to the
wharves of the company. Capt. Glib
sons testimony was given of his owr
volition neither side knowing of his
intention to testify.
Mr.. Leonard Phinizy of Augusta or
behalf of the manufacturing and
commercial interests of the city, ably
espoused their cause. He read letters
from the numerous manufacturing in
terests along the river front. together
with resolutions of the Augusta Cotton
Exchange and Board of Trade indoors
ing the movement. and presented a
monster petition from the citizens OF
Augusta. He represented that every
industry lay west of the city wharves
and that navigation along the river
front contiguous to the manufacture
ing establishments was prevented by
the bridges.
Capt. A. ]. Twiggs of Augusta and
President F. F. Nerdery of the War
rem Manufacturing Company, also OF
that city, testified to the advantages
which would accrue from the install
lation of the draws.
Mai. Cummings Argument.
Maj. Joseph B. Cumming made a
vigorous and forceful protest against
the granting of the petitions He
characterized the resolutions offered
S mild milk and water resolutions of
the Augusta City Council, beset by a
handful of its constituents and not
having an opportunity to feel the pub
lie pulse. The petitions constituted an
onslaught and an invasion of vested
rights. He laid emphasis on the words
of the act unreasonable obstruction, :"
claiming that the bridges as they now
existed could not properly be so con-
sidered. He briefly narrated the his
tory of the bridges, sa wing that no gov
eminent this side of Turkey would
compel the tearing down and recon-
struction of bridges whose construc-
ton, without reservation or Imitation
was authorized by the highest author
ity in the land.
Prominent People Present.
Those present from Augusta at the
hearing were E. F. Verdery, president
Warren Manufacturing Company;
Maurice Walton, president, Maurice
Walton Hardware Company; A. ].
Twiggs, contractor; Henry Cummings.
lawyer T. 1. Hickman president
Graniteville Manufacturing Company;
James Tobin, cotton factor: George r.
Stearnes, president Riverside Manu-
featuring Company; NJ j. Hallahan,
merchant; j. P. Verdery. president En-
terprise Manufacturing Company; w.
7. Gibson, general manager Southern
Transportation Company, and James
B. Walker, president of Chamber of
Commerce, all representing the petit
TONERS, and j. s. 3. Thompson, gen
eral agent Southern Railway; Joseph
L. Cummings. assistant division coun-
sci, and Charles f. Bell commercial