The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-02-17
MAY CLOSE ROAD
AS LAST RESORT
CITY DENIES LIABILITY
FOR CONDITION OF LATHROP AVE-
NUE. AT THE SUBWAY.

Complaints Were Made After Mule
Froze to Death in Mud and They
Were Referred TO COunty-COunty
DiscIaim All AuthOrity-UnIess
Something LIS Done Mayor VIII
order Road within City Limits
CIosed-This Would Cut on West
End Line.
That part of Lathrop avenue which
is in the city limits. under the Central
Railway subway, will be closed by the
city, unless the county or some one
else at once agrees to properly drain
the land.
During the recent freeze a mule was
found frozen stiff in the mud. The
case was mentioned in the Morning
News at the time. The city disclaimed
all responsibility for the condition of
the roadway under the subway, and
put the case up to the county authori-
ties.
But the county claims that the city
is responsible and that the deplorable
condition of the road is no affair of
it's. Mayor Myers says if the County
Commissioners look at it in this way
he will close the roadway, and has
given notice of his intention, unless
something is done at once. If this
should happen the West End line of
the Savannah Electric Company will
be blocked.
Several reports of the condition of
the avenue. under the subway. were
s. h To orb G
after the mule had been frozen to
death. The director politely, but
promptly informed the compliments
that he was sorry, but that it was a
matter for the county to attend to.
Off to the county superintendent the
compliments trotted only to be in
formed that it was a case in which
the city should act.
Mayor Notified County.
Upon the second visit of the COM
plainants the director of public works
notified Mayor Myers and he addressed
communication to the chairman of
the County Commissioners calling at
tenton to the condition. of the road
way, and to the complaints being piled
up. The answer of the county's rep
resentative was not at all satisfactory,
for the county disclaimed all respon-
sibility, and put it squarely up to the
city. Then it was that Mayor Myers
determined to take the bull by the
horns as it were.
IF we are responsible, but we are
not" said the Mayor, why, I'll just
close the roadway up. The city is in
no manner to blame for the condition
of the road, and the county will have
it to fix, or the city will act as it
thinks best" q
Exca waited for Subway.
The city attorney was consulted with
the result that the letter to the county
authorities was written at once. While
a corner of the roadway against which
complaint has been made, is within the
city limits the city authorities contend
that the condition of the land is due to
| the excavating that was done when the
subway was constructed so that the
cars of the electric company could &c
under the tracks of the Central Rail-
way.
When this work was done the city
was not consulted. The subway was
built after an agreement had been
reached between the street railway, the
Central and the county, and the city
did not in any manner figure in the
work. Mayor Myers figures, however
that If there is going to be even a
question of responsibility, it is better
for the city to close the roadway at the
point in question until the matter has
been finally settled.