The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-13
TAKE UP TRACKS
ON WHITAKER ST.
AND PAVE TO FoRTIETH.
Is PLAN CITY OFFICIALS NOW
HAVE UNDER AMUSEMENT.

Manager Nash, of the Savannah
Electric Company, Says the Com
pany Would BE Glad to Get Rid
of Tracks, If Assured No Compel
itor would Be Allowed to Use the
street-WhitaI<er Line Does Not
Pay and Practically All Present
Bustness would BE Handled On
BARNARD Street.
City officials are now planning to
nave Whitaker street next year
and to have the car tracks on that
street removed if possible.
Those connected with the Savannah
Electric Company here in authority
favor the plan of removing the tracks
and there is every reason to suppose
that this will be done.
The matter has long been agitated,
but heretofore the officials of the cleo
trio company have not been willing to
take an active stand in removing the
tracks. The street is a narrow one and
it can never be used very extensively
for traffic so long as the car tracks are
on it. The street is needed to relieve
the congestion on Drayton street. If
the car tracks are removed and the
street paved, as is proposed, it would
soon become one of the busiest through
fares in the city.
Street Railways Position.
Il think it a very desirable thing
from our standpoint" said Manager
Nash yesterday. when asked about re-
moving the tracks. I'VE would be
glad to get rid of the tracks on Whit
aker street, if we were assured that no
other company would be allowed to
get on the street"
The travel on the Whitaker street
line could easily be handled on Barn
ard street without inconvenience to the
public. A great portion of Whitaker
street, by Forsyth Park and the Park
Extension, there are residences only
on the west side of the street. There
would be no more Inconvenience for
the Whitaker street residents to walk
to Barnard street than there is now
for the Drayton street residents to so
to Abercorn.
VIII Pave street.
Whitaker street will certainly be
paved next year from Oglethorpe ave-
nue. to Fortieth street. Whether the
car tracks are removed or not it will
at once become a very busy street, as
the vehicles going south for the West
Side will use it. If the car tracks are
still down there will probably be a
great many accidents. Even now there
are more accidents of minor nature
on this line than on any other.
The cost of the paving for the street
railway will amount to a great DEAL
if the tracks are not removed. The
car company viii have to pay for the
paving between and for two feet on
either side OF its tracks. This will
cost. it is estimated. $4,000. The COM
pany will also have to lay new rails
ana make other improvements for the
pavement bringing up the cost to the
railroad to about $4,000, it is estimated.
Road WouId Lose Nothing.
The railroad would not lose any
business by taking up its tracks. Those
who now use the line would use the
Barnard street cars, it is argued. Last
December the schedule on the Whitaker
street line was changed. Since then
two cars have been made to cover the
line instead of three. The result of
this experiment is being closely watch
ed by the company.
The line is not a paying one, how
ever. and the company operates 1t
merely to hold the franchise. If as
sured that no other company would be
allowed to build a line on the street.
the company would be more than glad
to give up the tracks. it is believed.
City officials say il the tracks are ever
gotten rid of neither the Savannah
Electric Company nor any other COM
pany will ever be allowed to use the
street again